10:45 - 11:20 AM | Outstanding for Whom? A Conversation Between Two School Leaders
PANEL DISCUSSION
The Conversation
Two school leaders, one honest conversation. Rather than a panel built to represent every stakeholder in the system, this fireside chat strips things back to what "outstanding" feels like from inside the building, the daily decisions, the trade-offs, and the moments that don't show up on an inspection report.
Rebecca Gray and Amy Falhi bring their own lived experience of leading schools to a conversation about what it really means to build something outstanding, closing with a deliberately human question: what would we build differently if we started with the student in mind, rather than the inspection framework?
Key discussion points include:
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What "outstanding" looks like from inside a school, not on paper
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The decisions and trade-offs that don't show up on an inspection report
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Leading with the student in mind, rather than the framework
Speakers
Jessica Werner, Ph.D. Founder, Northshore Learning She has worked with schools worldwide as a professor, instructor, and consultant. Dr. Werner specializes in behavior support, social-emotional learning, student regulation, and educator wellbeing. She is passionate about helping schools meet diverse student needs and support and retain great teachers.
Rebecca Gray Chief Education Officer, Taaleem Teaching School Rebecca graduated in Psychology in 2002, completing her PGCE at the University of North London. She began teaching in Tower Hamlets, later holding senior leadership roles in Peterborough. As Deputy Head in Huntingdon, she earned her NPQH, then became Headteacher in Northamptonshire, founding Principal of a Preparatory school, and Improvement Cluster Lead for the David Ross Education Trust. Moving to Dubai in 2016, she led Kings’ School Al Barsha and served as Director of Education for Kings’ Group. In August 2023, after seven years with Kings’, she joined Taaleem as Director of Education and is now Chief Education Officer.
Amy Falhi Founding Principal, Dubai British School Mira