Ambition Institute appoints Natalie Dixon as Executive Director for ECF and NPQs

Natalie joined the national education charity in 2022 as Senior Director of Programme Delivery. In this role, she has supported Ambition to deliver National Professional Qualifications to more than 19,000 teachers and school leaders, and the Early Career Framework programme to more than 29,500 teachers and mentors.

In her new role as Executive Director, Natalie will continue to lead the nationwide ECF and NPQ programmes through our network of 53 delivery partners.

Before joining Ambition, Natalie held national senior leadership roles across public services. She advised on policy for NHS Improvement, driving the organisation’s work on service transformation. In policing, she oversaw the successful implementation of a national apprenticeship programme and led other major educational and development interventions. Natalie is also a trustee of Northamptonshire Primary Academy Trust.

With the departure of Tom Rees to take on the role of Chief Executive at Ormiston Academies Trust, and to reflect Ambition’s growth and plans for the future, two Executive Director roles have been created. Natalie’s role will focus on the delivery and development of our ECF and NPQ programmes, building on the success of our recent ‘outstanding’ judgement by Ofsted for ECF.

The other Executive Director role will: lead the development of our new Initial Teacher Training programme to be delivered from September 2024; oversee our suite of other programmes including Instructional Coaching, Transforming Teaching, and other teaching programmes; and help oversee the ongoing development of our offer to schools and school leaders across the country. Recruitment is currently live for this role and we look forward to sharing more details shortly.

Natalie Dixon said: “Growing up in a socio-economically deprived area, I’ve seen first-hand the difference that education can make in creating opportunities for people. We believe all teachers should have access to high quality, evidence-based professional development. I’m looking forward to continuing Ambition’s excellent provision across both programmes, supporting early career teachers through to CEOs leading multiple schools, and all the crucial roles in between. Helping our network of brilliant delivery partners and participants to keep getting better will enable us to have the biggest positive impact for pupils.”

Hilary Spencer, Chief Executive of Ambition Institute, said: “We are thrilled that Natalie has taken on this role as Executive Director for ECF and NPQs. We want every pupil to be taught by an expert teacher in a school led by an expert school leader, and these important programmes provide a strong framework of professional development to help achieve this. Natalie’s valuable experience in a range of public sector organisations and her expertise in these specific programmes will help us continue delivering the ECF and NPQs to a high standard across the country, so that every child can thrive, no matter what their background.”