Stephen Chamberlain

Stephen is Executive Principal of the Clacton Coastal Academy and, more recently, the Executive Principal of the new academy in Felixstowe, which opened in September 2011. Clacton Coastal Academy was one of the top fifteen most improved academies nationally in 2010 and in the top three in the Eastern Region.

Ofsted commented:

‘The Executive Principal has wasted no time in delivering immediate improvements by sharing his vision for the academy and raising the expectations of students and staff about what young people in Clacton can achieve.’ Ofsted: October 2010

Stephen is currently leading a project to establish a studio school in Clacton for September 2012 and is overseeing one of two extended field trials nationally with the DfE and the Studio Schools Trust.

In 2010, Stephen led a project to open a Skills, Enterprise and Apprenticeship Centre in Clacton with a range of business, education and skills sector partners. There are currently over 150 apprenticeships operating from within the centre. He is currently Chair of the Executive Board.

Prior to joining AET, Stephen was a Headteacher of a large comprehensive school in West Essex and Chair of an Education Improvement Partnership of 45 primary and secondary schools. As Chair, he was responsible for leading the development of a Children’s Centre Network in West Essex, the establishment of sixth form provision in 11-16 schools and the opening of the Essex Jiangsu Centre to promote Chinese language and culture across Essex. During this time he was also a tutor on the NCSL Associate Headteacher Programme and currently delivers a number of sessions on PGCE and GTP programmes for the Coastal SCITT Programme.

Stephen is an experienced Ofsted Inspector and trained Lead Inspector and has extensive experience of the inspection framework and the processes of school improvement. He has worked as an Accredited Consultant for the Specialist Schools and Academies Trust for over ten years working in the areas of re-designation, schools in challenging circumstances and the arts nationally. Stephen is also an experienced Associate Adviser working for Essex Local Authority on leadership, information and communications technology and music technology, working with a wide range of schools in Essex.

Outside of education, Stephen trained as a cellist as well as a choral and orchestral conductor at Brunel University and a major London conservatoire and has conducted a wide range of orchestras and musical productions in the UK and abroad.