A gobby Yorkshire lass who is passionate about my profession and making a difference for children. I have been in school business management for nearly 20 years and am still clinging on through the very turbulent ride. I am an ISBL Lead Practitioner, a member of their Advisory Board and a Leader of Education for my Trust.

Ryan is a passionate member of the education community. With nearly 20 years experience working alongside schools, multi-academy trusts, and councils. He’s operated across the length and breadth of the sector, at all levels. Ryan’s background in sales, marketing and communications saw him launch one of the pioneering systems for income generation in schools back in 2005 with his first business Pebble. From there he’s presented to and trained hundreds of people across the UK on engaging staff, students, parents and communities.

In 2016 the Department for Education commissioned Ryan to research and propose innovative ways to support school business leaders. Always keen to share his knowledge Ryan has written papers and guidance for the Association of School & College Leaders, the National Association of Head Teachers as well as contributing to the Institute for School Business Leadership’s Professional Standards. Ever the entrepreneur, in 2018 Ryan launched his next successful business Eduprise, a marketing and management agency for schools, colleges and multi-academy trusts.

In 2019 the team at Eduprise launched ArroCMS the world’s first social media management system designed specifically for schools. Through Eduprise Ryan’s gone on to advise some of England’s leading CEO’s and COO’s with their strategic communications and public relations campaigns. ISBL recently recognised Ryan’s expertise and honoured with the role of Subject Matter Expert in marketing and communications.

The Present

I am a presenter/speaker, trainer, mentor, coach and adviser. I have delivered at conferences at home and abroad, including TEDx Buenos Aires, Northern Rocks and I work with schools throughout the UK and internationally, alongside some of the most influential people and the best practitioners in the world of education and training. You can use the links to access reviews and videos.

I want to make a difference and believe that I can.

The difference that I want to make is ensuring that all young people have an education that brings richness to their lives.

I want them to be able to think for themselves and to be committed to building a better world than the one that they are inheriting. I think that I can do this by helping those working with them to recognise their strengths and to find the energy to build on them.

I want to offer support, perspective, analysis, approaches and tools so that aspirations become ambitions and ambitions become realities, all to the beat of some banging tunes, heartrending videos and a lot of laughter!

The Past

Lest anyone thinks that I am some mere chancer with a line in motivational quotes, here is my professional pedigree. It might not get me to Crufts, but it has served me pretty well.

I was Director of Children’s Services for Stirling Council. Before that I was Head of Education in East Lothian. I have been an Area Manager providing support and challenge to a large group of schools in Fife, Performance Review Manager with overall responsibility for Quality Assurance and, before that an Adviser responsible for curriculum development and assessment.

I worked in schools up to the early ‘90s and have extensive experience in school management at all levels and experience of leading a major national development of curriculum and assessment in Scotland introducing new Standard Grade courses.

I was President of the Association of Directors of Education Scotland and have been involved with a range of national groups, notably on Curriculum for Excellence, Outdoor Education and Looked After Children.

As a consultant, I have supported Midlothian Council in their reorganisation of services to Children and Families and engaged with Skills Development Scotland in a major review of policy procedures and practice. I have since led reviews on class size regulations and arrangements for devolved school management.

Chris is a keynote speaker, consultant and trainer. His insight, advice and support is based upon his own lived experience.

A citizen of Edinburgh, Chris has previously been in care, has lived in a rehabilitation unit, has been homeless and forced to live in a B&B. He has since built and comntinues to build a life for himself and his own young family.

Chris brings powerful and thought-provoking perspectives on poverty and inclusion and was previously a member of the Edinburgh Poverty Commission.

As the Chief Executive of the Institute of School Business Leadership (ISBL), I have dedicated the last 10 years of my career, in a national role, to unleashing the potential and promoting the professionalisation of a disparate community of school leaders. In collaboration with the Department for Education (DfE), ISBL has supported over 10,000 practitioners in gaining formal qualifications. As part of my vision for a professionalised workforce of school business leaders, in 2015, I instigated the development of professional standards that are now nationally recognised and feature in the Academy Trust Handbook.

In 2017, I led the complex transition of the National Association of School Business Management to institute status. The process involved making a robust case to Companies House, securing Secretary of State approval and ensuring unwavering support from key sector stakeholders.

Since I took up the reigns of the organisation nearly 10 years ago, ISBL has trained thousands of school leaders in the areas of financial assurance and effective resource management. We have secured numerous government contracts including a developing programme for clerks, better access to financial expertise for primary schools, the school resource management adviser (SRMA) initiative, and, more recently, the trust CFO mentoring pilot.

I strongly believe that school business professionals and indeed their leadership and governance colleagues are better equipped, more sophisticated and technically stronger as a result of ISBL’s work over the last decade. As a standing member of the DfE’s Financial Reporting Programme Board, I am privy to data that supports this assertion.

In a non-executive capacity, as an Academy Ambassador, I have discharged my governance responsibilities with oversight of school improvement strategies, ensuring appropriate support for children with additional needs and providing Ofsted with confidence in our work.

This experience and influence has afforded me unique insights into both policy and practice. I have a very strong understanding of policy levers and the role of key actors in the ongoing evolution of our mixed economy education system.

As well as leading transformational change at ISBL, I have supported trust leaders across the country with a range of strategic priorities, including the importance of a clear organisational culture and values, organisational design, preparing for growth, developing central teams, striking the balance of autonomy over funding, and how to attract and retain talented staff by becoming an authentic employer of choice. In addition, I work with numerous think tanks and sector bodies, addressing some of the main issues confronting society.

I initiated and continue to chair a sector leaders’ equity, inclusion and diversity focus group.

In my current capacity as CEO, I believe I have fostered a culture of continuous improvement, where we embrace new thinking and individual contributions are recognised and valued.

It is my belief that the success of any education system cannot exceed the quality of its workforce. Highly motivated and valued teachers are central to any high-performing education system. The mix of ingredients including strong culture, robust structures and effective talent management is essential to any successful trust and, most importantly, the outcomes for the children it serves. Any people strategy must successfully attract and retain committed and highly motivated teachers if we are to ensure optimum pupil attainment. Supporting the personal and professional ambition of the staff, both pedagogical and non-pedagogical, should be a priority for any school.

I have been a long-standing advocate of joined-up leadership, and I have spent my career promoting the importance of a strong leadership triangle where pedagogy, business and governance operate seamlessly and inclusively together. To that end, in 2021, I published a paper entitled “Barriers to joined-up leadership in the English education system”.

I understand the heavy scrutiny on trusts and the effort required to adhere to a very demanding regulatory framework. I have a deep understanding of these requirements, and I have been close to many of the policy developments related to trust accountability. I have a background in strategic finance and understand the importance of rigorous evidence-based planning, optimal resource management and robust controls.

As a sector leader, I am not afraid to challenge orthodoxy, and I will always encourage innovation and creative thinking. My leadership approach is underpinned by the Boyatzis self-directed learning model characterised by a continuous improvement loop of plan, do, review and reflect.