Troubleshooter takes over Bristol's schools

Simon Jenkin: "There's no magic formula"

A troubleshooting education expert has been appointed to turn around Bristol's failing schools.

Simon Jenkin has been made director of education for the city for three months, following the resignation of the former director Richard Riddell.

The city was the seventh worst education authority in the country for GCSE results last year coming 143rd in the national league tables.

Mr Jenkin said his main job will be to enable individuals to be more focused on their jobs.

Improving standards

Both primary and secondary education in the city is under review.

Plans to close two secondary schools in the city prompted more than 200 pupils to boycott lessons for two hours last December.

Mr Jenkin said there were many issues to be tackled in the city's schools, but he was sure there was a willingness to address them.

"We have to be very focused. We need to be celebrating what we are doing well," he said.

"Standards as a whole are not as they should be and that's got to be the key issue.

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"There's no magic formula, otherwise it would have been done already.

"What we must do is demonstrate that every aspect of our work makes a contribution.

"Every individual working within the education department really needs to be constantly reminding themselves of that key issue."

Mr Jenkin has a long history in education - for the past three years he has acted as a troubleshooter, being parachuted in to steer struggling authorities in the right direction.

He said that part of the problem lies in a lack of good publicity for schools.

'Critical point'

"As a service, we're not very good at shouting about the things that we really do well," he said.

"Parents and teachers will be watching closely to see how much he can achieve in his short stay.

"My job within the education department is to be able to help individuals to be more focused in the job they do and to work on people's strengths."

Before taking on the job in Bristol he spent six months in Hull improving performance in schools there, moving the city from near the bottom of the league tables.

"Hull was at that critical point where it was about to turn a corner," he said.

"I'm not yet in a position to say where Bristol is. All I do know is there are a lot of very dedicated people who want to see Bristol move up those league tables."

Mr Jenkin will stay in Bristol until the end of May, when a permanent director will be appointed.