The Minister of State for Schools, Nick Gibb MP, gave a speech at the end of January 2016 discussing how government reforms are developing more excellent headteachers and helping school leaders improve their schools.

He began by discussing the progress of the school system thus far, that heads have far more power that they did back in 2010, allowing them to remove disruptive students, move-on teachers not meeting the expectations and determine their teachers pay. Additionally they no longer have to complete self-performance and annual absence forms nor assure that their teacher adhere to specific teaching styles – they only need to please Ofsted. Academies enjoy more freedom still.

International evidence has shown that high levels of autonomy and strong accountability and leadership equal to a higher percentage of top performing schools. This evidence has helped guide a school-led system, and demonstrate that there is a need for strong leadership across the country. The role the government has played over the past 6 years has been to build networks of collaboration and support across the country, which will allow best practice to spread.

National Professional Qualifications are now offered by schools and other providers across the country, allowing aspiring and current heads and senior and middle leaders to train within role. There is also much encouragement from the government for top senior leaders to become National Leaders in Education. Alongside this a career in teaching is being made ever more appealing with the possibility of rapid advancement where hard work and ambition is rewarded. To read the full speech, please visit the GOV.UK website.