Over thirteen years, Eric Halton’s leadership in primary headships significantly improved inclusive provision, high-quality outcomes for children, and outstanding Ofsted ratings. During this time, he also held a number of school-to-school system roles as consultant to individual schools and building professional practice networks.

For 9 years he was a School (4-18) Improvement Manager, in two school districts with significant socio-economic disadvantage, shaping support and influencing improvements in schools and colleges, both individually and collectively, to secure better outcomes for all children and young people. Subsequently, he was responsible for the strategic direction and leadership of a large and well supported school improvement traded services offer across Hampshire and the wider region to maintained schools and academies.

In his most recent role, he was accountable for outcomes and quality of education achieved in over 400 primary education school settings, leading a school improvement workforce of 60 professional school improvement advisers, in a challenging educational landscape with multiple accountabilities to Councillors, Ofsted, DFE and the Director of Children’s Services. He retired from his LA role in late 2022 to make time for family, friends and enjoys being able to contribute more to the AoEA, having been a founding participant and supporter.