PRACTICE Professional Friends


As my concluding CCLR article want to share the


Sheila Thorpe has played a very significant part in the journeys into leadership for many of those who completed National Professional Qualification


Integrated Centre Leadership (NPQICL) and has personally guided and mentored me in the early days of Early Excellence and Sure Start. From 1980 she led the first integrated centre in England: Hillfields in Coventry, before moving on to a key role advising and supporting the last Labour Government on developing integrated working in Early Years. Most significantly she has supported Heads of Centres to become effective leaders and to develop their confidence to improve standards of practice, benefitting children and families in every region of the country.


Never


challenge, Sheila’s was the very first centre to experience an integrated Ofsted inspection too. For those who have had the privilege to spend time with her, she listens and questions you wisely. Sheila is interested in our


frightened to take on a in “


experiences of the person I have followed most closely.


thoughts and I


teacher, it was clear to me that parents are key to children’s learning


As a parent before training to become a


work; she has a deep understanding of the context and can quickly help you to navigate a complex challenge and find a solution. Her empathy, critical friendship


sometimes-tough love ensures that you do


challenge bad ideas and keep true to your professional values.


development of the NPQICL working closely alongside Margy Whalley of the Pen Green Centre. For people who feel deep gratitude for the mentoring support available during the programme, Shelia is the person to thank. It was Sheila who championed and researched the idea of professional mentoring for children’s centre leaders and with Karen John she trained the first mentors and produced the guidance that has informed all NPQICL practice ever since.


During my discussion with Sheila, I asked her to share what value she felt that she had added to Hillfields by leading the practice of integrated working. She has trained as a teacher after the birth of her three children. Committed to education as a route out of poverty she knew that professionals had to work in a new way.


Sheila played a key


part in the the right thing, and


Sue Webster


“


When I took on the role as Head of the Centre, I understood that we needed to work differently. As a parent before training to become a teacher, it was clear to me that parents are key to children’s learning. But the problem I faced was that some parents had such a negative experience of education themselves that a nursery organised like a school would be less likely to engage with parents in a meaningful way. I favoured an approach where we offered additional services and worked in a more integrated way with


working with the family. In this way I believed that we would have more credibility with families.


19 other partners and agencies


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