NEWCASTLE’S director of education David Bell (pictured) is leaving to become chief executive of Bedfordshire County Council. Mr Bell, 40, became the youngest chief education officer in the country on his appointment at Newcastle and will become the youngest county chief executive when he joins Bedfordshire in March next year. He joined Newcastle City Council in January 1990 as assistant director of education, after working as head of a primary school in Essex.
Mike Gordon has been appointed executive secretary of the National Association for Special Educational Needs. Mr Gordon, who is the association’s media officer, was until recently head of North Yorkshire’s special teaching support services.
Nick Ratcliffe has been appointed principal of the RNIB’s New College, Worcester - one of the country’s leading colleges for blind and visually impaired young people. Mr Ratcliffe, who is currently vice-principal of the college, takes up his new appointment in January.
Richard Bain is to be headteacher of Hall Garth School in Middlesbrough, succeeding Peter Smith, who has moved to Northumberland to become head of a new Morpeth secondary school. A grammar and literary specialist, Mr Bain is co-author of The Grammar Book which is used in more than half of England’s secondary schools. He was formerly vice-principal of Norham Community Technology College in North Shields.
