Teach Secondary Issue 14.8

DanMacPherson, principal Secured first teaching role in 2012 at a boys’ grammar school in Essex, before being appointed as a senior leader at a North London independent school. Joined the Harris Federation as a head of department, then spent five years as an assistant principal and latterly vice principal at a school in Greenwich. Was appointed principal of Harris Science Academy East London February 2023. The Harris Federation took over what was then East London Science School – a free school that had been placed into special measures by Ofsted in 2021. The school’s situation at the time was very poor, with safeguarding judged as ‘ineffective’, behaviour as ‘inadequate’, and teaching and learning as ‘requires improvement’. Students only get one chance at their secondary education, so we had to work quickly to improve the position the school was in. The school has since changed beyond recognition. In April of this year, we were visited by Ofsted and judged Outstanding in ‘leadership and management’, ‘behaviour and attitudes’, ‘personal development’ and ‘quality of teaching’. We’ve gone from being a school where children said they didn’t feel safe, to one that’s now thriving, growing and really delivering for the children. For me personally, the process of transformation has been quite challenging. There’s been lots of hard work done, but much of it’s been hugely rewarding. What first attracted me to this school was how fantastic the children were. Both then and now, they have such a sense of drive and purpose – they just needed the right kind of environment and provision. I took on a new school as its founding head –my first headship, in fact – knowing that it was going to be hard, but confident that we could do it. Several years on, I’mnow evenmore excited and certain that this school is going to be one of the best in the country within the next few years – because if we could transform to the degree we have in three years, what else Turning the page We hear how the leadership, staff and students of a struggling school in East London – one located on a small island, beside a film and TV studio – were able to enact a dramatic turnaround... classroom life 22 teachwire.net/secondary