Voting papers have gone out by post today for the election of the Association of School and College Leaders’ (ASCL) next general secretary.
ASCL’s approximately 16,000 full members will decide whether Geoff Barton or Chris Kirk is the next head of the school leaders’ union, which has a total membership of 18,368 people.
Members will have until 12 noon on 24 January to return their voting papers, with the result of the contest announced on 10 February.
The election is being carried out by the Electoral Reform Service.
Mr Barton has been a teacher since 1985 and headteacher of King Edward VI School in Bury St Edmunds since April 2002.
In his ‘electoral address’ to ASCL members he says “too many leaders” are feeling “isolated, anxious and vulnerable” and “something needs to change”.
He identifies a number of challenges facing teaching leaders, including “a growing crisis in funding”, “a widely disliked proposal to resurrect educational selection”, the “marginalisation of vocational education and the arts”, and a “punitive” inspection regime.
He argues that ASCL needs a “stronger voice in engaging with government” and “more direct representation” of members’ concerns nationally and within the union.
Mr Kirk has been in education for over 20 years, including 14 years at PwC, a stint managing ten schools at GEMS Education, and six years at the Department for Education.
His address to members highlights “constant changes to assessment and accountability, too much workload, not enough funding or teachers, and a government holding biased consultations on the wrong issues”.
He says ASCL “must avoid the trap of being isolationist” and should be a “21st Century union and professional association, able to talk to as well as challenge government”.
He promises to be a “listening general secretary” and argues that his business experience will allow him to “help schools navigate upcoming financial challenges, and help ASCL continue to enhance its services for members”.
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