National Institute of Teaching appoints three new Trustees

Three experienced education experts have joined the Board of the School-Led Development Trust, the charity which runs the National Institute of Teaching, enhancing its membership to include specialist knowledge of the wider education sector.

The current Wonkhe Editor Dr Debbie McVitty has been appointed alongside Mike Nicholson, Director of Recruitment, Admissions and Participation at the University of Cambridge, and Tiffany Beck OBE, Head of Education at communications agency PLMR.

All three appointees bring considerable experience of education and policy to the organisation and will play a pivotal role in shaping the Institute as it works towards becoming a specialist, school-led university for the teaching profession.

Commenting on the appointments, the Chair of the School-Led Development Trust’s board, Sir Dan Moynihan, said:

“I’m delighted to welcome Debbie, Mike and Tiffany onto the board at such a pivotal moment in our history. Having recently gained new degree awarding powers, their knowledge of education policy and practice adds invaluable expertise, while we know they also share our ambition to bring the best quality teaching to children facing the greatest disadvantage. I look forward to working with them in the years ahead.”

New appointment profiles

1. Dr Debbie McVitty is currently editor of the higher-education news agency Wonkhe, where she oversees the publication of commentary and analysis on UK higher education across the website, email briefings, weekly podcast and events. Debbie is interested in the social impact of higher education, learning, teaching and curriculum, institutional change and innovation, and strives to amplify diverse and under-represented voices in the HE policy debate. She has previously worked in policy and communications roles at Universities UK, the University of Bedfordshire and the National Union of Students, and is an honorary fellow of the School of Education at the University of Birmingham.
   
2. Mike Nicholson joined the University of Cambridge as Director of Recruitment, Admissions and Participation in October 2021, having previously worked in similar roles at the University of Bath (2014-21), the University of Oxford (2006-2014), and the University of Essex (1998-2006). Alongside his role at Cambridge Mike is Chair of the UCAS Council, the stakeholder advisory group that advises the UCAS Trustee Board on sector issues. He just completed his time as a Trustee and Treasurer of the Council of International Schools (Chairing the Finance Committee) and a Trustee of the AQA Exam Board. He sits on the Sutton Trust’s Education Advisory Board, and the Rethinking Assessment Advisory Board.
   
3. Tiffany Beck OBE is Head of Education at PLMR. PLMR is one of the UK’s leading communications agencies, providing strategic advice, reputation management and crisis communications, PR and media relations, public affairs and wider communications disciplines across the education sector, including maintained schools and academy trusts; early years; further and higher education institutions; charities; sector bodies; and edtech companies. Further information can be found at www.plmr.co.uk. She is also Chair of Trustees of Maritime Academy Trust, where she has obtained in-depth understanding of the opportunities and challenges for schools and trusts around the country. She was awarded the OBE for services to education in the King’s New Year Honours List 2024.