16 January 2012
Dr Bill Maxwell, who was appointed transitional Chief Executive to oversee the creation of Scotland’s new integrated education improvement agency in May last year, has now been confirmed in post on a permanent basis.
Originally an educational psychologist who had joined the Scottish education inspectorate in 1994, Dr Maxwell returned to Scotland early in 2010 to take up the role of Senior Chief Inspector of Education after a spell down South as head of the Education and Training Inspectorate in Wales.
The creation of Education Scotland brought together the resources of two major public bodies Learning and Teaching Scotland and HM Inspectorate of Education, together with two smaller specialist teams funded by Scottish Government, the National CPD Team and the Positive Behaviour team.
Operating under the strap-line of 'transforming lives through learning' and with a current budget of over £30m and a head-count of just under 400, Education Scotland is the Scottish Government’s national development and improvement agency for education, which provides support and challenge to the nation’s education system, from early years to adult learning. It is responsible for the independent inspection of the quality of education in Scotland, while also providing guidance on the curriculum and teaching, support for innovation, the dissemination of best practice across the system and a range of other services designed to promote improvement in Scottish education.
Speaking about his appointment, Dr Maxwell said:
'I am delighted to be taking forward the leadership of Education Scotland on a long-term basis. These are exciting times for Scottish education, characterised by major challenges and also by huge opportunities. I am convinced that the innovative idea of bringing together the rich range of resources and expertise that we now have within Education Scotland is the right move at the right time. It has been a privilege to work with an excellent and committed staff to bring the new organisation into existence. As we go forward, I am determined that we realise fully the benefits that this new approach can yield for Scotland’s learners as we work closely with our partners to find new ways of improving outcomes for all.'
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