AN Alcester headteacher has been selected for a top role supporting schools in challenging circumstances.

Paul Hyde, from Alcester Academy, is one of more than 70 headteachers to be appointed to the role of national leader of education (NLE) in the latest recruitment round.

NLEs, along with staff in their school, which are designated a national support school (NSS), use their success and professionalism to provide additional leadership capability in other schools.

The headteachers are deployed to suit the needs of each school needing support.

The type of support provided is flexible and is undertaken in addition to the leadership of their own academy.

They also have responsibility for developing the next generation of NLEs and national support schools.

Mr Hyde said: "We are incredibly proud that Alcester Academy has been recognised in being awarded National Support School status. It demonstrates that we have excellent governance, leadership and teaching within the academy and this has lead to huge sustained improvements in our own performance. I relish the opportunity to work alongside leaders in other schools in securing the very best outcomes for all children."

Roger Pope, chairman of the National College for Teaching and Leadership, which runs the NLE program, added: "It’s fantastic that heads like Paul have the passion and ambition to help improve the life chances of young people, not just in their own but in other schools as well.

"The aim of national leaders of education is to drive improvement in underperforming schools. We now have over 1,200 NLEs and we’re working to increase this number further to spread educational excellence everywhere."

Successful headteachers have been invited to attend a formal induction and training event for the role in driving school improvement.