Rozalyn Thomson

I have seen the exceptional school improvement made possible by the strategic work of the RSC. The establishment and development of trusts has lifted schools out of long-standing cycles of underperformance - with new structures driving collaboration and empowered to improve leadership, learning and teaching.

I am standing for election to the Advisory Board because I want to contribute to school improvement at this strategic level.

I have worked in schools in London, Devon and Buckinghamshire and was the Headteacher of an Ofsted Outstanding school for 14 years. I am a National Leader of Education, and now CEO of a trust of 8 schools - 4 of which were sponsored academies - so I have first-hand experience of working with the RSC and the consideration needed to create strong and sustainable multi-academy trusts

I have gained valuable experience of the process of academisation - the highs and lows! - and I know the challenges facing trust and school leaders in building an organisational structure which can deliver inspirational improvement as well as achieving optimal size for efficiency and economies of scale.

I also have a good understanding of the local landscape of education in NWLSC - a uniquely complex area!