There seem to be two ways to be a particularly outstanding headteacher these days. Play the game very well or else turn everything upside down and don’t the play game at all. Dave is definitely the latter.

And with 100% of children at grade four and above in English, maths and science in the most recent SATs, not to mention being in the top 10% nationally for CVA for the last four years, it’s a game he doesn’t play very well indeed.

After leaving school with one O-level (he thought one was better than none) he has worked his way up the ladder the hard way with time as a junior at Liverpool FC en route. It is with insights such as these that help him know how to get into the mind of some of the hardest to reach children in school and help schools design a curriculum that really helps them excel.

A primary headteacher in Knowsley near Liverpool, Dave is also in demand for sharing with schools his innovative approaches to the many new and challenging agendas facing them today, especially in the light of the Rose Review. Indeed, while Rose and his team were spending their time pulling together their conclusions about what a 21st century curriculum might look like that really served the children of today well, Dave and his team were doing it. And while schools are still worrying if not teaching to the tests will affect test results, Dave’s school never dipped at all, topped by their most recent 100% success rate.

Ofsted have rated both Dave’s school and his leadership as ‘outstanding’ not once but twice, commenting that 'The school constantly seeks to develop its curriculum to enhance pupil's achievements' and now Dave is keen to work with other schools to help them bring the best out of their children too. His style isn’t to tell you want to do to – every school is different. Rather he supports heads in being brave enough to take risks, helps leadership teams see what sorts of changes and innovations they might make to the curriculum and inspires classroom teachers with practical ideas that will help them make the most of the new-found (or maybe re-found) freedoms they are now starting to enjoy.

‘I’m determined that no child leaves my school uninspired or untouched by learning’, is how Dave sees it and now, we are delighted to say, Dave is able to bring that professional passion, insights and experience to Independent Thinking too.

Recent feedback on Dave's work includes:

• A super day,just what we were looking for to get us started
• Brilliant,absolutely inspiring days Inset
• Thanks Dave for a super day,I now know we can succeed
• Humour, incite and a whole load of tips, much appreciated
• Inspirational,what a day! We can't wait to get started on the new curriculum
• For all that we have heard and are inspired to be -thank you
• It was like a breath of fresh air, real and from concrete experience
• I just loved it. I now remember why I came into teaching
• Can we get started, I'm just so excited
• We can see clearly now that you have delivered the training

Dave's CRB is currently being renewed.

For Dave's prices click here

For more information about how to book Dave please call us on 0844 589 0490 or e-mail us on learn@independentthinking.co.uk

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