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Charley O'Regan

@charleyo.bsky.social

1.2K followers 440 following 180 posts

Senior Schools Engagement Manager at the Sutton Trust. Former school leader. NPQH. MEd Educational Leadership. Passionate about improving education for all our children.

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Charley O'Regan @charleyo.bsky.social · May 21

2️⃣Applications for our Fair School Admissions Awards are now open for 2025/2026 🏆

Awards are given at Bronze, Silver and Gold level to those who can demonstrate tangible efforts to improve access to their school for all children in their communities.
✨Apply by 18th July✨

www.tfaforms.com/5173344

Fair School Admissions Award 2025/2026

www.tfaforms.com

Reposted by Charley O'Regan

The Sutton Trust @suttontrust.bsky.social · 17d

🗣️ "They're facing the disadvantage of their low-income and the potential challenges that brings, as well as having to navigate that SEND system."

@charleyo.bsky.social touches on the double disadvantage facing low-income pupils with SEND on BBC Woman's Hour 📻

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Charley O'Regan @charleyo.bsky.social · 19d

This has been one of those reports that makes you feel worse and worse as you uncover the layers of a system that just isn't working. Change is desperately needed so that all children can thrive in education without having to rely on parents spending money they may not even have to get support.

The Sutton Trust @suttontrust.bsky.social · 19d

🚨 NEW: Children from low-income homes are more likely to have special educational needs and are also less likely to get the support they need, we have found.

Our new research reveals massive socio-economic inequalities in accessing support from a SEND system in crisis 🧵⤵️

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Reposted by Charley O'Regan

The Sutton Trust @suttontrust.bsky.social · Sep 30

This morning at Labour Party Conference, our panel is looking at the attainment gap and asking why disadvantaged pupils are behind their peers.

Chaired by @nickharrison73.bsky.social, we are joined by @sarahsmithlab.bsky.social, @childrenscomm.bsky.social, and @danielkebedeneu.bsky.social

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Reposted by Charley O'Regan

The Sutton Trust @suttontrust.bsky.social · Sep 29

Today we are at the Labour Party Conference to explore findings from the Sutton Trust's latest report, Elitist Britain.

We are joined by @lindseymacmillan.bsky.social, @peter4bracknell.bsky.social, @lewisgoodall.com, Lord David Evans, and our own @carlcullinane.bsky.social.

⬇️ Follow updates below

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Reposted by Charley O'Regan

The Sutton Trust @suttontrust.bsky.social · Sep 11

🆕 We recently polled almost 7,000 teachers with @teachertapp.bsky.social to better understand how the education sector sees the issue of school admissions.

Our Senior Schools Engagement Manager, @charleyo.bsky.social, discusses what we learned 👇

www.suttontrust.com/news-opinion...

Five things we’ve learnt about School Admissions - The Sutton Trust

What does the education sector think about the issue of school admissions?

www.suttontrust.com

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Charley O'Regan @charleyo.bsky.social · Aug 24

🔜 Next time: Bringing the data together to identify themes.

❓What information or data have I missed? ❓(7/7)

#SchoolLeadership #NewLeaders #EducationalLeadership #SchoolImprovement #MiddleLeaders

Charley O'Regan @charleyo.bsky.social · Aug 24

3️⃣Data isn't perfect
Every type of data has its pros and cons.

The key is not to rely on any single piece of data in isolation and be deliberate:

Think about what information you actually need.
Consider different methods of gathering it.
Reflect on how robust your conclusions will be. (6/7)

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Charley O'Regan @charleyo.bsky.social · Aug 24

2️⃣Data Sources
You’ll likely be pulling information from:

Exam and assessment data
SEF and SIP documents
Stakeholder voice and surveys (students, staff, parents)
QA evidence (work scrutiny, lesson observations, reviews)
Behaviour logs
Financial data and budgets
Ofsted reports
Conversations (5/7)

Charley O'Regan @charleyo.bsky.social · Aug 24

1️⃣ Data Types
Not all data looks the same.

Hard Data : numbers, facts, and figures. It shows you the outcome.
Soft Data : - qualitative information about people or situations. It offers insight into the cause of an outcome.

You’ll need a mix of both to get a clear picture. (4/7)

Charley O'Regan @charleyo.bsky.social · Aug 24

The challenge? There’s a lot of information out there, and it can feel overwhelming to know where to start.

📚 Lets start with a list - that always helps! My New Leader Checklist (linked below) should help you get going.

But here are a few key things to keep in mind as you gather information: (3/7)

Charley O'Regan @charleyo.bsky.social · Aug 24

Day 1 - The first thing you need to do as a new leader is get your hands on some information.
Part of this is so you know how your new school functions. It's also the first step in being strategic. You can’t make decisions about moving forward until you understand your context. (2/7)

Charley O'Regan @charleyo.bsky.social · Aug 24

💫 The First 100 Days as a School Middle Leader💫

I love supporting and coaching new leaders. As we approach September, I hope to do a weekly post to support you in your first 100 days as a new leader. If this isn’t you, perhaps there will be still be something interesting along the way! (1/7)

Charley O'Regan @charleyo.bsky.social · Aug 18

"you’re a parent; you’re someone who likes to wear makeup but doesn’t have time; you’re a control enthusiast; you’re time-poor in the mornings; and you’d like fresh dinners, but don’t have time to cook them"

Yes to all, especially makeup! I dream of having the energy for makeup!

Charley O'Regan @charleyo.bsky.social · Aug 18

Great blog! @claireharley.bsky.social is so relatable and brings the 'Instagram Sunday Reset' into something we can all achieve ❤️‍🔥

Claire Harley @claireharley.bsky.social · Aug 17

Seems appropriate to share this on a Sunday!

Sorry if this is early for you, but those of us in Leicestershire are getting ready to go back!

The Sunday Reset - tips I've learnt over the years to make term time less chaotic!

www.researchtoclassroom.com/post/the-sun...

The Sunday Reset; Tips I've learnt to rise above the chaos during term time

A summary of tips I've learnt about balancing working, studying and being a mum during term time.

www.researchtoclassroom.com

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Charley O'Regan @charleyo.bsky.social · Aug 18

I know GCSEs aren’t the only KS4 story, but this is where my expertise lies. Hopefully there is something for everyone analysing results this summer.

💫 What are your top tips for managing results day without the overwhelm? 💫 (8/8)

#GCSEs #GCSE2025 #EduSky #MiddleLeaders #GCSEResultsDay

Charley O'Regan @charleyo.bsky.social · Aug 18

1️⃣ You don’t have to do it all yourself! Delegation if your friend.
2️⃣ Only do the steps that fit your context.
3️⃣ You don’t need to do it all at once! Prioritise!
4️⃣ Focus on impact - progress over perfection. Even one useful action is better than none. (7/8)

Charley O'Regan @charleyo.bsky.social · Aug 18

In the weeks that follow

Exam results are a bridge between two work streams : what worked well last year, and what needs to change this year.

My Results Reflection Framework helps turn data into action, but remember: (6/8)

Charley O'Regan @charleyo.bsky.social · Aug 18

During the day
1️⃣ Communicate with your team. Celebrate the successes and thank them for all their hard work.
2️⃣ Make sure you have all the data you need for later analysis.
3️⃣ Peruse the national press and social media for relevant trends. (5/8)

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Charley O'Regan @charleyo.bsky.social · Aug 18

On the morning
1️⃣ Grab some quick headlines. This will put your mind at ease.
2️⃣ Celebrate the pupils. They deserve your time, attention and praise - it’s their day.
3️⃣ Start thinking of remarks. Speak to the pupils whilst they are in the building. (4/8)

Charley O'Regan @charleyo.bsky.social · Aug 18

Beforehand
1️⃣ Set your success criteria. Have your targets to hand.
2️⃣ Plan for Post-16 progression decisions. These conversations immediately and you’ll think more clearly away from the emotions of the day.
3️⃣ Write your to-do list for the day so you can enjoy the day without forget anything (3/8)

Charley O'Regan @charleyo.bsky.social · Aug 18

...it completely changed the experience. I felt calmer, more in control, and enjoyed supporting my pupils and team much more.

If you’re a middle leader feeling the pressure this week (and whether you are looking at results now or the first day of term) here’s my plan for GCSE Results Day 👇 (2/8)

Charley O'Regan @charleyo.bsky.social · Aug 18

💫 GCSE Results Day was the most nerve-wracking day of my first year as Head of Science.💫
I was so worked up that I opened the spreadsheet without a clear plan and couldn’t figure out whether I should be celebrating or worrying. In later years, I went in with a clear plan of action and... (1/8)

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Charley O'Regan @charleyo.bsky.social · Aug 17

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Charley O'Regan @charleyo.bsky.social · Aug 17

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Charley O'Regan @charleyo.bsky.social · Aug 17

(8/10)