Bio

I started my teaching career at a secondary modern in South Lincolnshire. At that time the GCSE results were below 20% for the school. It was a tough job trying to inspire children who saw themselves as a failures but I did everything I could ranging from showing them how to play Dominoes and Monopoly to trying to work out the size of the mythical ‘big foot’ from its foot print.

Since then I’ve worked in state comprehensives and Independent schools teaching a range of subjects and tackling the roles of Boarding Master, Head of Maths, Senior Teacher, Director of Studies, Deputy Head and then Head.

Over the last eight years I’ve worked for four Multi-Academy Trust including one of the countries biggest Multi-Academy Trusts and three rapidly growing MAT as an Advisor, Head of the Teaching School, Regional Director, Interim Executive Head and Director supporting both primary and secondary schools. I’ve been the Chair of Governors for four primary and four secondary schools in a bid to accelerate the improvement. In addition I’ve supported over twenty-five OFSTED inspections.

Through out my career I have used writing as an outlet and enjoyed being published in the likes of TES, The Guardian and Sec Ed as well as specialist publications such as Prep School Magazine, G&T Update, SFM Update or Secondary Headship. I have spoken at a TEDx, many national conferences and had the privilege of chairing one. I have been fortunate to have nine books published as well as an NCSL research project. I am regularly asked to appear on a range of podcasts either to talk about my philosophy of school improvement and also on a range of leadership topics.

As an educationalist and a parent of teenage children, I am fascinated by how schools work and how children learn. I am always to eager support when ever I can as, day in, day out, that is what we do in education, we help people.

Paul K Ainsworth