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    • ldr March 2010
      • Your college in the regions
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Your college in the regions

Julie Nightingale takes a look at the National College’s work across the regions in special ldr regional focuses on plans to strengthen the College’s work with leaders across the regions and the rest of the country.

The way that the National College works with leaders around the country is set to change later this year in a move designed to strengthen the College’s regional presence and enhance its service to members.

A new regional strategy will introduce regional directors, initially in three pilot areas. They will provide a single point of contact for leaders in schools, children’s centres and children’s services in each region as well as liaising with local authorities, government offices and others at a strategic level.

There are three key principles behind the strategy, explains Kate Campion, Operational Director, Stakeholders and Networks.

“First, the concept of one national college is very important but its stakeholders – the leaders of schools and children’s services – are out there in the regions. There is that need to make sure that we reach more of our members more effectively and more efficiently.

“The second aspect is to make sure that we are listening to what those leaders are saying. We have a remit from the government but it is influenced by leaders. Being closer to them on a regional basis will mean that we are better equipped to hear more of them and to translate what they are saying into policy and action.

“And third, it’s an opportunity for us to be more responsive to the needs of leaders in their contexts, drawing on our expertise and the expertise of other leaders and our partners, to support them. The vision for the College is to develop a self-improving system characterised by leaders helping leaders, and our regional strategy will model this concept.”

The regional directors will feed back to the College on leadership trends, helping to identify any gaps in provision. Another important part of their role will be to act as brokers for the College in discussions with local authorities and government offices.

Kate Campion says: “We need to have someone at the table who can talk very authoritatively about what the College can offer or whether it’s something that the TDA or the Children’s Workforce Development Council (CWDC), for example, is better placed to do and that also links in with the government’s directive for the College, TDA and CWDC to work more closely.”

Regional directors will be piloted first in the North-East, West Midlands and South West. The posts will be one-year secondments from September 2010. The next 12 months will test out what approach will work best for leaders. Once the regional structure has been refined, the aim is to have it fully embedded by 2014.