Last updated at 13:42, Monday, 30 April 2012

A LONG-STANDING headteacher has been selected to meet a top inspector as part of a consultation which will shape new inspection guidelines.

Jill Byrne, headteacher at Newbarns School, will meet Sir Michael Wilshaw, Her Majesties’ chief inspector of education, on Monday to discuss a new Ofsted framework due to be put in place this September.

Mrs Byrne has been at the helm of Newbarns School since it opened in 1994 and has received constant ‘outstanding’ reports. She meets each half-term with the regional director for Ofsted in the North West.

Now Mrs Byrne will be part of a delegation of ‘superheads’ chosen to meet Sir Michael.

She said: “It’s an honour.

“Sir Michael is keen to learn the views of the heads first-hand in order that we contribute.

“Newbarns’ motto is ‘Only my best is good enough’ and this is what everyone associated with the school strives to achieve.”

The former head of Ofsted, Christine Gilbert CBE, paid a visit to the school in October 2010 after Mrs Byrne steered it to three successive ‘outstanding’ inspections.

Mrs Byrne, who has been teaching since 1974, said: “She said it was very unusual for a school to have three outstanding inspections under the same headteacher so she wanted to visit to see for herself hat the school was doing.”

The school went on to become a national support school and Mrs Byrne is recognised as a national leader of schools due to her achievements at Newbarns School.
 

First published at 13:34, Monday, 30 April 2012
Published by http://www.nwemail.co.uk