The eight regional managers, a head of policy and a head of quality, announced earlier this month (News, 10 May), will take charge of Ofsted's new responsibilities from September. Maggie Smith, director of early years, said, 'We are extremely pleased to welcome this team whose leadership and professional skill will provide a strong foundation as we steer our new early years role forward.'
Dorian Bradley will be moving from head of Ofsted's early years programme to early years head of quality and will be responsible for the quality assurance systems, childcare regulation and early education. Denise Hevey leaves the Open University after 18 years to join Ofsted as early years head of policy. She will advise the chief inspector and the early years director on childcare regulation and the inspection of funded nursery education.
The Eastern regional manager, based in Harlow, Essex, is David Gane, who currently works as specialist advisor at the DfEE. Toni Smith leaves a position as technical advisor with the Inland Revenue to become East Midlands regional manager in Nottingham. Marion Witton will leave her role as head of the joint inspection unit at the London borough of Barnet to become South East regional manager in Woking, Surrey. Clive Bramley moves from five years as head of the Ofsted Contracts division to be London regional manager.
Former headteacher and early years advisor Elspeth Davis has been working on setting up the Early Years Directorate and will be South West regional manager in Bristol. Heather Mytton-Sanneh has been named West Midlands regional manager, based in Birmingham. The North West regional manager in Manchester is Maurice Smith, who has been an Ofsted inspector since 1996. Nancy Palmer, a principal officer in children's services at Calder-dale metropolitan borough council, becomes Yorkshire and North East regional manager in Leeds.
