Brendan Tapping CEO of Bishop Chadwick Catholic Education Trust
What were your career ambitions growing up?
I wanted employment that I would enjoy going to each day, that made me want to get out of bed on a morning. I wanted a varied working day. Working in schools with children, staff, parents and the wider community, I have really enjoyed being part of education as a teacher, middle leader and senior leader. Growing up, I would not have imagined I’d be a CEO of a multi-academy trust (MAT). I enjoyed being in the classroom, but I knew that if I really wanted to influence the processes, it would be in a leadership role.
Tell us about your current role and what do you most enjoy?
I am the CEO of Bishop Chadwick Catholic Education Trust, one of four Catholic multi-academy trusts in the Catholic Diocese of Hexham and Newcastle. We have 30 schools in the Trust – 25 primaries and five secondaries. Our mission is to help develop better schools, better communities and better futures in Christ. We want every child to be the best version of themselves. In terms of my role, I work with headteachers and our department heads to achieve our mission through co-creation, collaboration and cohesion. If we become too uniform, we stifle creativity.
What is your proudest business achievement?
Leading the Trust through exceptional rapid growth. We have managed to grow rapidly despite the disruption of Covid. We had to come together even more as a family during Covid and we did a lot of that via a screen not face-to-face. We had to make sure that our children got the best education they could despite the pandemic and are still working hard to fill in any knowledge gaps.
How has your industry evolved in the last decade and what changes do you see in the next decade?
The landscape in education is changing constantly, and what has changed significantly recently is the way education is structured. Ten years ago, there were community schools and voluntary-aided (VA) schools. Now we have community schools, VA schools, standalone academies and MATs. There has been a lot of change around curriculum expectations, for example, EBacc [English language and literature, maths, sciences, geography or history, a language] and changes to the Ofsted Framework. We have had numerous changes in government and a lot of different secretaries of state for education in the last ten years. Each has their own areas of priority. It’s up to MAT leaders in education to respond effectively to those changes, while focusing on providing the best education we can to ensure pupils grow up to be well-rounded adults and contribute positively to society.
What are you currently working on?
We are working on closing Covid gaps of knowledge in our children. We are also focusing on agile strategic planning and developing our organisational culture as a relatively new and rapidly growing organisation.
Tell us about the team you work with.
Fantastic people. Despite daily challenges, I thoroughly enjoy coming to work. I work with a group of highly skilled people that are very patient and focused on giving children the very best chances that they can. I am humbled by the level of commitment and hard work I see every day.
What is the best piece of business advice you have been given?
Concentrate on a very small number of priorities at a time. There’s real challenge in that. The other thing is remember that no one person has all the good ideas.
Where do you see yourself in 10 years’ time?
I will be nearly 70 in ten years’ time so hopefully, I’ll be outdoors walking my dog, an 18-month-old yellow Labrador called Merlin, and spending more time with my wife Sarah. We love to walk along the North York Moors.
Who would be your four ideal dinner guests, alive or dead?
Socrates, Sir Alex Ferguson, Emmeline Pankhurst and Inger Andersen (executive director of UN Environment Programme).
How do you unwind outside of work?
Having a workload charter for the Trust, looking at workload and wellbeing, is vital. We have 110 mental health first aiders across the Trust, including me. I think it is very important that I walk the walk and talk the talk.
In terms of relaxing, I enjoy spending time with Sarah, walking, and I’m a season ticket holder for Sunderland. I enjoy cooking – my wife says I make a mean omelette! I like to cook and would have a go at anything if there’s a recipe and fresh ingredients. My philosophy is ‘It’s only a meal’.
Favourite book and boxset?
My favourite book is The Fields of Death by Simon Scarrow, but any decent historical fiction. My favourite boxset is The Sopranos.