Hi, I’m Mary Bousted.

Teacher, academic and union leader

I am an Honorary Professor at UCL Institute of Education, London, and a fellow of the Chartered College of Teaching, an education consultant and commentator. 

I was the joint General Secretary of the National Education Union, the largest education union in Europe and third largest union in the TUC with over half a million members. My term of office ended in August 2023.

I draw on over 20 years of successful leadership of two big unions to provide consultancy advice on the effective strategic and operational leadership to membership organisations

I give key note lectures on a range of topics (please contact me directly to discuss) including:

• Developing supportive school cultures: How education leaders can successfully support teachers, recruiting and retaining teachers in their schools and supporting their professional development including flexible working.

• The teacher supply crisis: What are the causes and the solutions to the teacher recruitment and retention crisis?

• Inspection and accountability: How should Ofsted be reformed to regain the trust of the profession?

• Labour education policy: What should leaders expect from a Labour government and how should they prepare for this likely outcome?

• Knowledge versus skills: It's not a choice! We need both. How to incorporate skills and knowledge in the curriculum and in teaching and learning.