Gail Tolley, Strategic Director of Brent Childen and Young People to retire

I understand that Gail Tolley, Strategic Director of Brent Children and Young People department, is to retire on August 31st 2022. This follows the Operational Director, Brian Grady's move to Reading so  the department will have two major changes over a short period.

Gail Tolley has been with Brent since 2014, a period in which most of the borough's secondary schools have become academies but nearly all primary schools have remained with the local authority. During that time the School Improvement Service shrunk with some of its functions being taken over by the Brent Schools Partnership. Both academies and local authority schools can buy into the BSP.

During that period education standards have risen in Brent with most schools judged as Good or Outstanding by Ofsted, well above the London average. In 2018 Brent Children's Services were judged overall Good  by Ofsted with Children in Care and Care Leavers achieving Oustanding.

Interviews for a successor are expected to take place in July.