38th COBIS Annual Conference Programme

Annual Conference 2019
6. Professional Learning and Training in the Context of China
Ahmed Hussain, Senior Director of Academics, Wellington College China
This session will introduce current thoughts on high-impact professional learning, drawing on work
from across the globe. Practical approaches to achieving this will be shared, including the approach
currently used across the Wellington College China group. There will be an opportunity for participants
to engage in an interactive session in order to share approaches.
Dr Ahmed Hussain is currently the Senior Director of Academics for Wellington College China. This
position involves leading the Institute of Learning in addition to working across the Wellington College
China group on all academic related issues and providing outreach support outside of the Wellington
group. Following an initial career as a PhD student and then research scientist with the University of
Nottingham, Ahmed trained as a teacher of science. Following a number of teaching and leadership
positions, Ahmed was appointed as a Lecturer of Education at Durham University. Here he led on
training and developing teachers, teaching on master’s and EdD courses as well as undertaking research
in the fields of curriculum analysis, assessment and teacher professional development. Ahmed took
up a number of senior leadership positions in schools in the UK and Dubai along with working in the
education reform project in Abu Dhabi. Here he led projects on senior leader and teacher professional
development along with supporting the development and rollout of national standards for school
leaders and teachers in the UAE.
7. Building Leadership Capacity from Within Our Schools
Dawn Akyurek (Chair), Chief Academic Officer, King’s Group; Claire Nuttall, Head of Primary,
St George’s Luxembourg; Neil Ringrose, Vice Principal and Head of Primary, The British School
of Brussels; Julia Batters, Head of Senior School, British School of Paris; Sue Aspinall, Head of
Junior School Vlaskamp, the British School in the Netherlands
During this session, experienced headteachers will take part in a facilitated panel discussion exploring
how professional learning opportunities which support the development of leaders have been
implemented within their schools. Participants will learn about recent research, current practice in
four international schools within Europe and the practice emerging in participants’ schools generated
through group discussion. The session will end with opportunities to consider actions that can be taken
within the participants’ own school setting.
Dawn Akyurek is an experienced international school headteacher who was the former Head of the
British Embassy School in Ankara, Turkey. She is an ISI inspector and a member of the Council of British
International Schools (COBIS) board. Dawn has specific expertise in mentoring and coaching leaders,
advising on strategic planning for school expansion and school improvement.
Claire Nuttall has extensive teaching and leadership experience in both the UK and internationally, in
Gambia and Taiwan. She was the former Head of Henry Fawcett Primary School in London, where she
helped to lead the school from ‘inadequate’ to the ‘outstanding’ school it is today. Claire has specific
expertise in change management, curriculum design and creative problem solving.
Neil Ringrose has extensive teaching and leadership experience in the National Curriculum and the
Primary Years Programme, having worked both in the UK and internationally, in Hong Kong. He was
formerly the Head of Ballenden Community Primary School in Lancashire. Neil has specific expertise
in curriculum innovation, professional development and effective technology integration. He is also a
COBIS Peer Accreditor.
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