Round Diamond Primary School headteacher

chosen for key school support role

The headteacher and staff at Round Diamond have been selected for top roles supporting schools in challenging circumstances and training new teachers.

Zoë Phillips is one of more than 50 headteachers to be appointed to the role of national leader of education in the latest recruitment round.

National leaders of education along with staff in their school – appointed as national support schools – use their knowledge and experience to provide additional leadership capability in other schools in need of support. 

The type of support provided is flexible and tailored to meet the needs of each individual school. National leaders of education also have responsibility for developing the next generation of NLEs and national support schools.

Round Diamond is also one of over 40 schools that has been selected to become a national teaching school in the latest recruitment round, taking a leading role in recruiting and training new entrants to the profession.

Introduced in 2011, teaching schools are excellent schools that work with partner schools in an alliance to provide high quality school-led initial teacher training and professional development opportunities for teachers at all stages of their career.

They raise standards through supporting other schools, especially those in challenging circumstances, and ensure that the most talented school leaders are spotted and supported to become successful headteachers.

Zoë Phillips, Head teacher at Round Diamond Primary School said: “After the recognition from Ofsted as an ‘Outstanding’ school we are excited to begin this new journey. We will be maintaining high quality provision for our own pupils as well as providing opportunities for advancement for other schools and professionals within the education sector. ”

Lord Agnew, Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for the School System, said:

“I’d like to congratulate Round Diamond Primary School and Zoë Phillips on being appointed as a teaching school and a national leader of education. They should be very proud of this achievement.

“Teaching schools and national leaders of education are supporting other schools, attracting and training the best new teachers and developing the next generation of leaders.”