Celebrated pianist Malcolm Binns is this year’s visiting Steinway Professor at the London College of Music and Media. He will work with college pianists in two master-classes to be held on February 21, between 11am and 2pm, and May 11, between 5.30 and 8.30pm. Both events are open to the public, details available from the concert manager on 0208 231 2337.
Heather Brandon, former chair of the World Association of Girl Guides and Girl Scouts, has been appointed director of the UK charity Volunteer Reading Help, succeeding Charles Martineau. She will be responsible for raising the profile of the 25-year-old charity which trains volunteers to go into primary schools and help children who have difficulty with reading.
Andy Hudson is leaving his post as secondary PGCE course director at the Institute of Education in London to become director of secondary teacher education at the University of Greenwich. He starts next month.
Louisa Woodley is the new chair of education in Croydon. A modern
languages teacher in the borough, she was born in St Kitts in the West Indies and came to England in the mid-1970s to read Spanish and
Portuguese at Birmingham University.
Simon Blake has been appointed director of the National Children’s Bureau’s sex education forum. Mr Blake, who joins the forum from the Family Plannig Association, replaces Gill Frances, who has been appointed manager of the bureau’s recently formed children’s personal development unit.
Mary Edwards, headteacher of the Blue Coat Church of England comprehensive school in Walsall, has been appointed diocesan director of education for Birmingham.
Richard Scrivener, currently publishing director at Puffin for media and popular non-fiction, has been appointed publishing director of Scholastic Children’s Books in the UK.
Jacqualyn Pain will be the next headteacher of the Henrietta Barnet school - a voluntary school for girls in north London. Ms Pain, currently deputy head of Northwood College - an independent girls’ school - replaces Jane de Swiet, who retired at the end of last year.
Camden’s chair of education, child psychiatrist Jane Roberts, is to be one of 12 experts on Britain’s first Childcare Commission. The commission, set up by the Government last month, is looking at how to improve family life.
The Audit Commission has appointed five regional directors to lead its best-value inspection service across England and Wales. Peter Wylie is to take charge in the southern region, Andrew Webster in London; Darra Singh in the North;
Paul Kirby for the central region while Stephen Nott is to be regional director for Wales based in Cardiff.
