Strategic Lead for Early Years

We are really pleased that Amanda King has now joined us to lead on Early Years across Coventry and Warwickshire. We asked Amanda to introduce herself to colleagues and outline her priorities for the first few months in post:

Amanda King: Biography

I have been involved in young children's education for over 20 years, initially teaching at primary, then in reception and nursery classes and also leading the Early Years Foundation Stage in a large inner-city school.

I joined Warwickshire in 2002, spending six happy years fulfilling various roles including leading strategy across the birth to three age range and taking on a deputy leadership role managing a team of 20 advisers.  

For the past ten years, I have been head teacher at Bedworth Heath Maintained Nursery School & Children’s Centre where we have achieved and sustained outstanding Ofsted judgements for both the school, our day care facilities and the children’s centre. During this time, I also trained and worked as an additional Ofsted Inspector and supported Warwickshire LA as a Primary School Improvement Officer building crucial knowledge of the wider educational landscape.

As well as my passion for leadership in the early years, I am committed to closing the attainment gap. This has led to undertaking a master’s degree in this area and leading on a project across Warwickshire schools and private sector settings, working with more than 50 organisations over three years, to secure a better start to children's education.

Since 2015, I have worked as executive head teacher across both Atherstone and Bedworth Heath Maintained Nursery Schools. I feel privileged to lead the education and social development of young children in our community. I truly believe that a positive start to learning and the achievement of social equality in later life stems from high quality early childhood education. This approach was the catalyst for an application to be a Teaching School.  In 2017 we embarked upon this new direction, co-leading Warwickshire Teaching School Alliance with Kenilworth Maintained Nursery School.

I also hold a role as a National Leader of Education and as an associate consultant with Early Education. I have written documentation for the Early Years Foundation Stage Guidance materials, chapters for books and deliver training, support and advice upon request at national level.

I am looking forward to the new challenges and direction that will come into play within my seconded role as Strategic Lead for Early Years. The use of National Leaders of Education to support ongoing system development brings the opportunity of blending recent practice with policy development.

This role is shared across both Warwickshire and Coventry Local Authorities.  I will learn from the strength and depth of my new colleagues and as always from my interaction with leaders and practitioners across the sector.

Priorities

My key priorities over the next few months are to:

• Provide vision, strategic direction and challenge; working within shared values, ensuring that Warwickshire’s schools and settings provide a high quality and cost-effective service

• Lead and embed a new Early Years Board to provide a range of knowledge, experience and expertise across the broad spectrum of early years to improve outcomes for children and their families

• Raise awareness and understanding about the importance of the early years and appropriate funding

• Work with Warwickshire Teaching School Alliance to focus on approaches to workforce development that engage with research, promoting and sharing best practice.

I look forward to meeting colleagues and working together to ensure achievement of Warwickshire’s new Education Strategy.