Chair Of The Board Of Directors
CurrentFormed in April 2020, the Leeds Alternative Provision Association is a not-for-profit unincorporated association with the aim of bringing alternative provision (schools for children and young people who cannot attend mainstream schools for illness or other reasons) experts from across the city together with a mission to improve the quality of provision on offer in Leeds and the outcomes for young people who attend those provisions.I founded the association and have served as its Chair since April 2020, recruiting Board members and leading the organisation as it researched and published a report titled ‘Fresh Perspectives’, which was praised by educational professionals across Yorkshire and parts of Lincolnshire. The report intended to support school leaders to reintegrate the most complex and vulnerable children after the national COVID-19 lockdown and school closures. At the publication of the report, Dr Cynthia Pinto, Education and Child Psychology, British Psychological Society, said, “Excellent, thoughtful, psychological informed guide for schools.”As Chair, I have set three key priorities for the organisation and it’s members in Leeds:-- intensify the collaboration with key stakeholders in the city - Local Authority, Alternative Provision providers, third sector organisations, FE providers, employers and mainstream schools; - carry out extensive research into outstanding practice in similar settings to inform high quality CPD/shared learning and strategic partnerships, establishing a strong culture of continuous improvement in the Leeds Alternative Provision sector - meaning more Leeds children can access the best Alternative Provision when they need it and are able to move on to the next phase; - to give a voice to the children, young people and families in Alternative Provision; upholding their rights and interests, wherever possible
