Ann McPhee

PERSONAL PROFILE

A successful strategic leader, change manager, coach and author (International Schools: Navigating Leadership, Culture and Context Nov 2023). Ann’s focus in all her roles has been on operational, commercial and educational excellence. She has significant experience in school and corporate leadership including school acquisitions and has worked with schools in North, Latin, South America, the UK and the Middle East serving on public and private company boards and UK local authority (District) councils. Through excellent communication and interpersonal skills, Ann can inspire and motivate staff to achieve more than they thought possible, raising their own expectations of excellence. As a collaborative leader she understands the importance of challenging existing practices, advocating for diversity and inclusion in an active manner while driving continuous improvement in all areas of young people’s learning.

PRESENT from January 2022

Independent consultant focused on strategic, organizational development/efficiency and growth including school leadership recruitment and development including, coaching, and mentoring of middle and senior leaders.

Leadership Training Consultant with KAA (Karen Ardley Associates)

Senior Associate M&A with PM (Pam Mundy) Associates

Coaching senior leaders in the Middle East and UK

Direct support to schools in exceptional circumstances

NAE Regional Managing Director 2016-2022

Regional Managing Director the Americas (NAE) comprising 19 international schools.

Support the acquisition of schools in Panama, Costa Rica, Brazil, Ecuador, Monterrey, Peru and Mexico City and their induction to NAE.

Line management of 19 Principals/Heads of School and 12 regional director colleagues

Successful launch and opening of the $80m + British International School of Houston, new theatre and early years’ builds in Ecuador, residential students’ facilities in 3 schools in North America, and new High School facilities in Washington and Boston.

Oversee all aspects of 18 schools’ operational, commercial and educational delivery.

Lead a highly skilled regional team comprising marketing, finance, HR, health and safety, ED Tech and IT.

Recruitment of school Principals, Heads of School, and teaching staff

Effective NAE Executive Committee (EXCO) member

2009-Aug 2013: Board Director WCL Group and Director of Education

WCL Board Member

WCL Board Member lead in the North America Office with shared responsibilities for the strategic direction of the Group world-wide

Responsible for leadership of schools, student standards, Head Teacher and teacher recruitment,

preparation and execution of the WCL sale process successfully concluded in June 2013 to Nord Anglia Education

Director of Education responsibilities:

ensured the delivery of unique curricula (International Primary Curriculum and International Middle Years Curriculum), aspects of the English National curriculum and the IB Diploma

recruitment of dynamic Heads of Schools and leadership teams,

supporting each school’s Improvement Plan and budget setting process

student outcomes and early years strategy with rigorous monitoring of customer care,

While continuing the roles above, also operated, for WCL, as:

1) The Interim Head of the British School of Washington (exceptional circumstances)

Jan 2012-May 2013:

stabilized the student, staff and parent communities, created a 5-year strategic plan for the school, improved students’ learning through improved teaching,, improved relationships with the British Embassy, other feeder Embassies, major businesses such as the World Bank, increased student numbers by 5%,

2)The Interim Head of the British School of Boston (exceptional circumstances)

Jan 2011-Dec 2011:

Developed and implemented, in consultation with staff and parents, a strategic plan for the school in the long term (5 year) and a target driven annual plan

drove improved standards of student progress in the Middle and High Schools,

increased student number from 294 (5 year consistency) to 338 in 10 months and then to 450,

attained CIS accreditation as a school,

Appointed the new Head of School in partnership with Board colleagues.

Senior Director and Board Member with responsibility for School Operations and Chief Education Officer GEMS Education (Middle East)

2005-2008:

Member of the Executive Committee responsible to the Chairman for strategy

Oversaw the quality of education in over 50 schools, at graduated levels, in the UAE, UK, Libya, Qatar, Jordan delivering the UK Curriculum, the American Curriculum, the Indian Curriculum and the IB.

Set up a School Improvement Team to respond to the UAE’s demand for quality support for public school students and accreditation processes and awarded a significant contract.

Director of School Improvement and Education in both Luton and Swindon UK Local Authorities

2001-2005:

Lead Officer for the strategic development of the School Improvement Services managing over 90 Primary and Secondary schools in each authority,

Led teams of over 100 managing school operations: Government grants, school improvement teams, special educational needs funding

Authorship of the UK Government’s requirement of a Local Authority 5 Year Strategic Plan

SERCO Education Director of School Improvement Walsall and Chief Education Bid Writer Bradford LEA. UK

Nov2000-Sept 2001

Successful award of the Bradford and Walsall LEA contracts (over 400 million GBP)

Change manager and Lead-In Director for Walsall and Bradford

Interim Emergency Headteacher for a School in Special Measures Buckinghamshire LEA

Dec 99-Nov 2000:

secured the safety of students and staff, relocated and merged with a Junior School

Senior Education Officer, Buckinghamshire LEA

1996-2001:

Primary Adviser to 18 schools, authority-wide responsibility for the Early Years and Childcare initiative (schools and childcare providers 300+).

Lead writer for the Government accredited Baseline Assessment Model for children 3 years-5 years, and writer for an authority-wide Good Practice Modeling and Guidance Document

Headteacher Orchard Infant School, Hounslow LEA

1992-1996:

Judged by Ofsted (The English Schools’ Inspection Service) to be a school with very good leadership.

1976-1992 Deputy Head and teaching appointments in the UK and Europe

ADDITIONAL CAREER ACHIEVEMENTS

Author with first book focused on international schools’ leadership (published Nov 2023)

Interim Principal of the British International School of Houston; the British School of Washington and the British School of Boston in emergency circumstances

Developed and implemented a Quality Assurance programme and Leadership Standards in both public and private organisations

Recruitment of skilled and highly effective leaders to US, UK and International schools

Strategic planner for educational growth and student outcomes in NAE, WCL and GEMS.

Team member in start-up school situations in the Middle East (Qatar, Libya, Jordan)

Introduced and embedded forward thinking Early Years’ learning practices including developing a Baseline Assessment model recognized and used by the UK’s Department for Education

Planned and delivered focused leadership conferences in Europe, US, China and the Middle East

QUALIFICATIONS

1996 MA in Education Management Kingston University, UK

1995 Postgraduate Diploma in Professional Development, Kingston University, UK

1976 Diploma with Merit in Teaching, Jordanhill College of Education, Glasgow

1976 Qualified Teacher Status

1972 Associate of the London College of Music and Drama

QUALIFIED AS:

2006 Council of International Schools’ Team Member

2001 Qualified Teacher Fast Track Assessor (UK)

1999 Trainer and Assessor for the Effective Early Learning Project (Worcester College)

1996 UK Ofsted Schools’ Inspector

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