Consultants
Paul Ackers
Paul is an experienced senior leader within Primary Schools. He is in his twelfth year of headship and he is currently the head teacher of St Nicholas Catholic Academy in Liverpool. Prior to relocating back to the north west he was an Executive Head and school improvement partner for the St Ralph Sherwin MAT with responsibility for school to school QA support, digital innovation and also, the development of subject leader expert groups across the Trust. Paul has also been a head teacher in Leigh, Derby City and Stockport and he has worked across a number of local authorities in a school leadership and improvement capacity.
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Profile
Paul has worked in a number of very contrasting school contexts in the north west and east midlands and has experience of leading a VA school, a stand alone academy and schools as part of a large Multi Academy Trust. He has a proven record of school improvement and has successfully led three schools through Ofsted inspections achieving ‘Good’ each time, the most recent in taking place in December 2022 where he took the school from Inadequate to Good. He has also led three schools through a Catholic Schools Inspectorate process (most recent May 2023) achieving both Good and Outstanding judgements. Paul’s leadership has been described as being ‘strong and transparent’ and that his focus is on ‘high ambitions for all pupils’ and a ‘passion’ for providing pupils with memorable educational experiences are ‘highly effective’Paul is passionate about developing people and building relationships with communities. Throughout his headships Paul has actively promoted opportunities to facilitate staff development. As a head in Leigh he was a lead facilitator for an ‘Aspiring Heads’ initiative which required him to plan and deliver a tailored program of activities to help develop the next generation of school leaders. Paul’s current school improvement position affords him the opportunity to work across a number of schools within the MAT and he has responsibility for coordinating and sharing expertise amongst colleagues both primary and secondary, through the innovation of curriculum subject expert groups where best practice is shared, collaborations formed and curriculums refined. He is also a coach and mentor for new head teachers and has carried out a number of QA visits for schools.
Paul has worked with settings in redesigning and refining their curriculums and has provided advice and solutions on how to promote pupil welfare and the raising of aspirations through the implementation of a character curriculum focus. He has supported schools in preparation for inspection and has represented the Trust on inspection for a number of schools. Paul also has supported the restructuring of staffing as to meet the needs of the school and pupils and has designed robust monitoring and QA systems.
Paul's areas of strength:
• Safeguarding
• Effective communicator
• EYFS
• Proven track record of school leadership in more than one school
• School improvement partner as part of a large MAT
• Curriculum development and design including the implementation of a character curriculum
• Coaching and mentoring expertise
• Strategic and financial planning
• Staff development
• Building relationships at all levels and with all stakeholders