Thursday 04 April 2019
The Committee for Education, Sport & Culture is delighted to announce that Ms Laurie Ann Baker has been appointed as Director of Education.
Since April 2015 Ms Baker has been Director of Education Quality & Strategy at Hillingdon Borough Council. She has a thorough understanding of education practice; school leadership; local authority education policy delivery; the Ofsted inspection framework; and area-wide oversight of standards of education from nursery to post-16, special schools and alternative provision.
Ms Baker has considerable experience across all phases of education, ranging from Early Years to Higher Education, including senior strategic positions within local government, secondary schools and schools requiring improvement. These include: Strategic Lead for Vulnerable Learners at Oxfordshire County Council, Head of SEND & Inclusion and Deputy Head Teacher; and she is an experienced school governor.
As Director of Education, Ms Baker will be the most senior educationalist advising the Committee for Education, Sport and Culture, and will lead the Education Office during this period of transformation. This involves replacing the four secondary schools in a selective model with one all-ability school in two 11-18 colleges; the integration of Further and Higher Education; developing a new Education Law; and devolving leadership and governance to schools and colleges.
When Ms Baker begins her new role in August 2019, she will move to the island from Chipping Norton, Oxfordshire, with her partner and two children. Ms Baker succeeds Andrew Warren who has held the post on a fixed term contract since June 2018.
Deputy Matt Fallaize, President of the Committee for Education, Sport & Culture, said:
"Laurie has very broad experience of education in senior roles, including in local government. In an excellent field of candidates, she made an outstanding impression at interview and at stakeholder events which we held as part of a rigorous selection process for the role of Director of Education. We are delighted that Laurie has accepted the role and look forward to her starting in post before the start of the next academic year. She will play a significant role in the future of education in the Bailiwick, including as the Committee's most senior education advisor."
Colette Falla, Chief Secretary of the Committee forEducation, Sport & Culture, said:
"I am very pleased to welcome Laurie to the senior leadership team at this critical time. This is another positive step forward as we continue to work on the transformation of all areas of education. Laurie will be working alongside Executive Headteacher Liz Coffey and the newly appointed Designate Principals, Vicky Godley and Kieran James, as well as the Executive Principal for The Guernsey Institute."
Ms Baker said:
"I am delighted to have been selected as the new Director of Education, in what is an incredibly exciting time for educational development on the island. I look forward to working alongside colleagues in education at all levels, as well as the Committee and community. Together we will continue the development of education in the Bailiwick and ensure that all children benefit from a quality of education that allows them to fulfil their potential, today and tomorrow."
