New appointments

ASCL has made four new appointments recently which will strengthen member support at a regional level and enhance ASCL's ability to influence policy nationally.

Parliamentary specialist

Anna Cole took up the new part-time position of parliamentary specialist at the beginning of September. While ASCL already has good relationships with ministers and civil servants in the DCSF, her role will be to work with MPs and parliamentary groups, such as select committees, so that ASCL policy is reflected in new legislation and reports that inform parliamentary debates.

Anna is based in Brighton. She trained as a solicitor and spent several years working in family law. Most recently, she worked for the human rights organisation Liberty, doing parliamentary lobbying.

Regional officers

Rosanne Musgrave and Lesley Cooper have been appointed as regional officers in London and the East of England, respectively. They join ASCL's other two regional officer appointments, Ed Collins in the North West and David Binnie in the East Midlands.

The regional officer positions are part of ASCL's work to strengthen the regional and local network. Regional officers still take on individual case work, as do field officers, but they have an additional remit to work with branch secretaries to support members more widely within their region.

Eventually there will be a regional officer for each of the nine government regions.

Education specialist

ASCL is pleased to say that this position will be filled by Sue Kirkham, 2005-06 president, who will be retiring as head of Walton High School in December. She will take up the post in January and will represent ASCL's views in meetings with the DCSF, QCA, the new exams regulator and other bodies on issues related to curriculum and assessment.