SCHOOL TRANSFORMATION
A brief history of 3es
Valerie was a passionate science teacher and an experienced headteacher before being appointed by Kenneth Baker in 1988 as the Principal of Kingshurst CTC in Birmingham, the first ever City Technology College. The CTC grew from a ‘failed school’ and Valerie transformed the reputation of the school, raising exam results from 4% A-C to over 90% and gaining the Ofsted rating ‘Outstanding’.
Kingshurst was the first school to adopt the vocational route for 14-year olds and was the first state school in the country to introduce the International Baccalaureate for post 16 students. Read more
In 1990, Valerie founded 3es, the first commercial enterprise within the state school system that was able to generate funds to improve vocational educational provision for students at the school.
In 1998, 3es won a ten year contract to improve a very poor school in Guildford – the first public private partnership in schools. Its success was highlighted in the Government’s Green Paper Schools Building on Success. Kings College, Guildford’s GCSE results improved from 7% grade A*-C in 2000 to 80% in 2008.
Prue Leith, then chair of 3es, writes in her autobiography Relish: My Life on a Plate:
'Subsequently, 3es won contracts to run or set up more state schools. Eventually we sold the compny and Valerie went with it. By then 3es was responsible for thirteen schools and had radically changed the lives of many thousands of children.'
Valerie was then chosen to create the Business Academy in Bexley, the first ever Academy. In 2017, the school joined the Harris Federation and became the Harris Garrard Academy.
The Langley Academy is one of Valerie's recent innovative projects. Sponsored by the Arbib Foundation, the new building was designed by Foster + Partners and opened in 2009. The academy was the first UK school to pioneer Museum Learning. Valerie project-managed the entire project and was Chair of Governors from 2012 to 2014. Read more
The Langley Academy