Michael O'Neil, Associate Director of the University of Glasgow International Educational Consultancy

Recent Contracts

• Learning and Teaching Scotland - capacity building to deliver a Curriculum for Excellence in both LEA’s and LTS (Sept - Oct 2007)
• SOLACE Enterprises, Perth and Kinross Council - strategic education adviser to new director and team capacity building (Nov 2007 - March 2008)
• Edinburgh City Council - review of Organisational Structure (Dec 2007 - Jan 2008)
• The Scottish Government (Nov 2007 - present)
  - Delivering a Curriculum for Excellence
  - Leadership Issues
  - A Teaching Profession for the 21st Century Next Stages
• Tapestry Partnership - delivering a series of conferences “Leading Learning” (ongoing)
• Stirling Council - coaching/mentoring senior education directorate (ongoing)
• West Dunbartonshire Council - education adviser on appointment of new Director of Education / Children’s Services (Oct 2007)
• National Chartered Teacher Review - Chair, National Chartered Teacher Review (May 2007 - Dec 2007)

Positions/Awards

Following a successful career in teacher education, including appointments as Assistant Head Teacher, Senior Adviser, and Education Officer, Michael O’Neill was appointed Director of Education of North Lanarkshire Council in 1995. As Director of Education, Michael O’Neill was responsible for an annual revenue budget in education of £300 million and a capital budget of £50 million along with a Public Private Partnership school building programme of £150 million.   In addition, Michael O’Neill was responsible for 4,000 teachers and 3,000 non teaching staff.

Awarded Order of the British Empire in 2004 for services to education in Scotland; Past President of the Association of Directors of Education Scotland; Adviser to the Confederation of Scottish Local Authorities 1996-2007; Member of HMI External Reference Groups overseeing inspection of local authorities; Chair of Scottish Qualifications Authority Advisory Group 19 (core skills, cross curricular issues and special needs) 1998-2002; Chair (by invitation of the Ministers for Education, Health and Inclusion) of the National Expert Panel on School Meals which produced “Hungry for Success”, the national advice/regulation on healthy eating in schools and nurseries; Chair (by invitation of the Education Minister) of the Ministerial Review of Physical Education in Scottish Schools which produced the current national guidelines; Trustee (by invitation of HRH, The Duke of York) of the Outward Bound UK Trust; Member of Higher Still (later the National Qualifications) Steering Group 1997-2004; One of 4 directors commissioned by the Education Minister to investigate and recommend actions on the 2000 SQA disaster; Member of Ministerial SQA Monitoring Group 2000-2003; Member of the Scottish Football Youth Action Plan Committee 2003-2007; Chair of Scottish Education Directors Forum 2005-2007; Education consultant to the Bain Commission (Sir George Bain) – review of Northern Ireland education system 2006; Marker, setter, assistant examiner with the Scottish Exam Board (now SQA) 1979-1990; Member of Ministerial Steering Group on the inspection of local authorities 2000-2001; Chair of Sport 21 Review Group on school sport on behalf of sportscotland.

International Experience

Founder Member of Bertelsmann International Network of Innovative School Systems 1996-2003 (Scotland, Germany, Canada, New Zealand, Hungary, Switzerland, Norway, Austria, Belgium); Quality Partnership of the Regions 2000-2004 (Hesse, North Lanarkshire, Bavaria, Upper Tyrol, Lower Saxony, Holland); Co-operative Learning Partnership with Durham School Board, Canada 1999-2007; Arthur Anderson Schools of the Future, Chicago 2000; Partnership with the Balearic Islands 2003-2007; Partnership with Pistoia, Tuscany 2002-2007.

Recent Achievements with North Lanarkshire Council

North Lanarkshire has been recognised by HMI, Learning and Teaching Scotland, The Scottish Executive Education Department and Scottish Ministers as one of Scotland’s leading education authorities (in top 4), an outstanding HMI report in February 2003 was followed by an equally positive follow up report in November 2005.   The education department achieved Charter Mark, Investors in People, Scottish Health at Work Award and a Scottish Education Award for ‘Closing the Gap’.

A range of now established practices such as Easter Schools and Summer Schools began their life in North Lanarkshire.  Co-operative Learning, Enhanced Comprehensives, Genuine Vocational Education in school, imaginative use of curriculum flexibility and age and stage regulations have characterised the council’s approach.   Similarly under the banner of Raising Achievement for All and the motto “Aiming Higher” the council’s promotion of music, sport, art, drama and enterprise have been recognised nationally.