NASBTT appoints new executive director

The National Association of School-Based Teacher Trainers (NASBTT), which champions school-led teacher training and development, has appointed a new executive director.

This follows the retirement of Martin Thompson, who has been with the organisation for over 17 years.
 
Emma Hollis, who has been a Trustee at NASBTT for the past 18 months alongside her roles as head of educational strategy at the Inspiring Futures Through Learning multi-academy trust and head of the Milton Keynes teaching school alliance, formally took up her new position as executive director on 1 September.
 
With nationwide issues around teacher recruitment and retention in the public eye, Emma said she was “privileged” to accept the opportunity to lead NASBTT and ensure that it makes a direct impact on the challenges facing the sector.

She continued: “Whatever happens around us, and whatever the political climate, we must remain focused on our core purpose – which is to support providers and represent the interests of school-led training provision,” she said.

NASBTT will directly input to current discussions around apprenticeships for teacher training, strengthening QTS and high-quality CPD programmes for teacher educators, and ensure that its members are well placed to benefit from these developments, Emma revealed.

“What is really exciting about taking on this role is the fact that I know just how much of this groundwork has already been laid by the fantastic work of Martin and his team,” she said.
 
Outgoing executive director Martin Thompson, who will continue his association with NASBTT as strategy consultant, welcomed Emma’s appointment.

He said: “Firstly, I would like to express my deep gratitude to everyone we have worked with to establish NASBTT as such an integral part of the ITT landscape.

“What started as a fledgling organisation now holds its head up high in the annals of power – in the past few months alone we have worked rigorously with the Department for Education and are benefitting in terms of early involvement in their initiatives.

“I am delighted that Emma has taken up the reins. She has demonstrated that she is most certainly the right choice to move the organisation forward and I am so pleased that I can pass the baton on into her secure grip.”