Carin Taylor, Chief Executive Officer of Staploe Education Trust
“Fenland and East Cambridgeshire is a great place to teach and lead because there is a real culture around self-improvement and learning meaning there are lots of opportunities to become a skilful practitioner.”
How long have you worked in the Fenland and East Cambridgeshire area?
I came to East Cambridgeshire and Fenland in 2006 to be the Principal at Soham Village College. I had previously been working as a deputy headteacher in Northamptonshire, so it was a fantastic opportunity. I was attracted to the school and area because it had a strong culture of professional development and research into new teaching methods.
What makes Fenland and East Cambridgeshire an exciting place to teach or lead?
Fenland and East Cambridgeshire is a great place to teach and lead because there is a real culture around self-improvement and learning meaning there are lots of opportunities to become a skilful practitioner.
We are lucky to be involved with a number of national initiatives that help us ensure we are providing the best educational experiences for our students. For example, through the School and University Partnership for Educational Research at Cambridge University, we have had the chance to support colleagues through masters and even doctorates in education. We have a strategic partnership with the Fitzwilliam Museum who have provided stimulating professional development sessions around museum learning and developing children’s ability to learn from artefacts.
What support networks are in place for leaders in the area?
I have really enjoyed the collaborative approach to education in Fenland and East Cambridgeshire. I have a number of invaluable links with local schools and headteachers and there are lots of opportunities for partnership in the area. There are also fantastic chances to get together with teachers around a key theme at the local Teach Meets sessions.
Why is Fenland and East Cambridgeshire a great place to develop your teaching career?
The opportunities in Fenland and East Cambridgeshire are endless. The Opportunity Area has brought in several initiatives and injected vital funding into new evidence-based projects and continued professional development. I am particularly excited about the Philosophy for Children programme that I am leading, which helps to extend students’ skills in critical thinking and reasoning.
There are also lots of opportunities within multi-academy trusts in the area. I have gone from being the Headteacher of Soham Village College to the chief executive of a multi academy trust of four schools. Within our Trust, we have both primary and secondary schools and it is exciting to see the collaborative work our subject trust leaders are doing. For example, we have a trust director for music who is developing a single trust choir and orchestra across our primary and secondary schools.