Farewell.. and welcome

Farewell to Graham Norris...

Graham Norris, SHA field officer for the Midlands, will be retiring at the end of September. He started as a field officer on New Year's Day in 1996, having come from headship of Guthlaxton College, a large comprehensive on the outskirts of Leicester.

Graham's infectious humour and easy air belie a steely determination to get the best for his clients. Members who have been assisted by Graham are effusive in their praise. He has the ability to talk his way into solutions which frequently surprise those whom he has persuaded.

Graham also spent many years as a 'hotliner' at SHA headquarters, where his advice was eagerly received by those who rang in. Additionally, he was a MAPS consultant where he showed his skill in his calm but persuasive, canny and subtle solutions.

We will miss the services of Graham and wish him and his close-knit family well in his next retirement.

...and welcome to Ian Brown

Ian Brown is extremely well equipped to take over the reins from Graham as field officer, having retired in August as head of The Duston School in Northampton.

He started his teaching career in 1969 and took up his first headship 12 years later at Park Barn School in Guildford, one of the first to integrate physically disabled students into a mainstream comprehensive.

From 1991 to 2003 he was head of Sponne School in Towcester, which became a technology college during this period. In 2004 he joined The Duston School in an advisory capacity, as the school had been placed in special measures, and took over as head in January 2005.

Ian has worked as an external adviser to governing bodies on headteacher performance management for several years. He is married to Mary and they have two sons, a daughter and one baby grandson.