GHEC's past projects
This is a summary of the projects that GHEC has undertaken:
2011 – present: appointed as the independent investigating officer into numerous grievance, whistleblowing, disciplinary, complaint and capability cases at a wide range of schools and local authorities across London.
2012 – 2019: undertaken a wide range of governance reviews for schools, from those where a review is required as a result of an Ofsted report recommendation or because of other serious concerns (such as a breakdown in trust and confidence).
2012 – 2018: carried out a number of internal school reviews including a review of a school’s SLT and a school’s support staff, in both instances providing detailed support with regard to analysis, developing solutions and implementation. Also projects in which schools are considering federating, amalgamating or joining a multi-academy trust.
2007 – 2014: National College for Teaching and Leadership – initially as Succession Planning Associate as part of the Tomorrows’ Leaders Today national programme, with specific responsibility for supporting 12 London Local Authorities. From July 2011 to June 2014, work as a College Associate across a broad range of issues relating to the implementation of the national system of schools-led school improvement and system leadership. This includes working with schools and sponsors considering academisation, a group of Teaching School Alliances, National and Local Leaders of Education and National Leaders of Governance in London; also responsibility for developing and implementing a strategy for succession planning in faith schools.
2007 – 2010: Children’s Workforce Development Council – reviewing and refreshing the quality assurance systems for the Early Years Professional Status programme; also providing expert input to the initial training and funding of educational psychologists. This included supporting a national consultation exercise, a procurement exercise for initial training provision and developing a National Forum and regional networks. Work as a regional adviser for the innovative and highly successful Step Up to Social Work pilot focusing on the employment based training of social workers as a response to the recommendations of the Social Work Task Force.
2010 - 2011: Enfield Council – a review of additionally resourced provision in Enfield schools with regard to their effectiveness and cost effectiveness, including a detailed comparative statistical analysis of Enfield compared to other similar areas
2007 – 2011: Barking and Dagenham Council – a range of projects including: reviewing the Council’s alternative educational provision and improving quality, monitoring/reporting and governance; reviewing special education needs provision and processes; reviewing SEN school transport; implementing NI54; developing a detailed statistical analysis comparing the Council’s performance with regard to SEN pupils with statistical neighbours and other London Boroughs.
2005 – 2010: Ofsted – providing advice and support on key publications including the Annual Report (since 2006), work with the Select Committee and a multi-inspectorate Safeguarding report, particularly with regard to media presentation advice to senior Ofsted colleagues.
2009: Portsmouth City Council – extensive review SEN funding in special and mainstream schools in concert with the Schools Forum and including a detailed comparative study across 11 other LAs.
Other work Tim Blanchard has undertaken:
2003 – 2007: Training and Development Agency for Schools - extensive work in developing and managing the Higher Level Teaching Assistants programme, including the initial assessment of training and assessment and an extensive secondment to the TDA during a particular critical period of change including the contract management of training providers
2004 – 2006: Early Years Professional Status programme – two projects for the Children’s Workforce Development Council: developing the quality assurance process for the programme; a review of the funding mechanism.
2003 – 2007: DCSF - Behaviour Improvement Programme (BIP) – developing and running this national programme which was operational in 137 areas (over 2000 schools). Involved: overseeing a team of Account Managers who provided support and challenge to individual BIPs; undertaking the key policy review for the government arising from the programme; and providing a wide range of policy advice. This programme informed a significant amount of the recent policy development including key sections of the Education and Inspections Act 2006.
2004: London Local Authority - developing the performance measures to be used for each Division in a London local authority in order to focus efforts more effectively, as part of the London Challenge.
2004 – 2006: looked after children – supporting a number of local authorities improve the service provided to looked after children by reviewing processes, routines, protocols, staff development and data review and analysis.
2005 - 2010: Media training – providing policy input to support intensive media training programmes for a number of high profile senior education leaders across a number of organisations.
Overseas projects:
2004 – 2007: Armenia – developed a completely revised inspection system for the Armenian education system, now enshrined in legislation. Developed the inspection schedule, handbook for inspection and all of the associated documentation and templates as well as developing and running a 2 week training programme for newly appointed school inspectors. Recent work has also included advising on the development of upper secondary education as part of a rapid programme of expansion and the development of inspection systems for preschools and vocational schools.
2004 – 2005: Jordan – developed a detailed set of proposals, establishing an annual review process at national, district and school level, which support significant decentralisation of the education service and devolvement of responsibility to schools; provided detailed proposals for the role of districts and the regionalisation of some functions
2007: United Arab Emirates – developed a detailed long term strategic plan for the Abu Dhabi Education Council and the Dubai Education Council.