Meet the team

Maggie Kalnins

Maggie Kalnins became the leader of governance services after an extensive career as a science teacher and school leader within complex urban secondary schools. Maggie provides strategic advice and support to Chairs of governors and school leaders, across a mixed economy of maintained and academy schools. She has developed an Hackney governance system review and risk assessment to support school boards in developing their effectiveness and also leads and delivers a comprehensive governance training programme and our popular and highly successful annual governors’ conference.

Maggie previously served as the CEO of an education charity which develops alternative models of learning. During this tenure, she introduced the term ‘pushed out’ to provoke a debate amongst practitioners focusing on the weaknesses in our education systems rather than the ‘abnormality’ of the individual child. Aware of the excuses used to explain student disengagement from mainstream education, in 2015, Maggie commissioned the publication of ‘The alternative should not be inferior: What now for ‘pushed out’ learners?’, which called on schools and alternative providers to find innovative solutions that support England’s overlooked pupils.

Maggie has dedicated more than 20 years to serving as a school governor. For the past 15 years she has been a member of the Mossbourne Federation Governing Board in Hackney. With a clear understanding of how strong governance can play a crucial strategic role in supporting and challenging leaders to drive school improvements, Maggie offers knowledge and expertise on how governance can make an exceptional contribution to ensure that no child is left behind their peers.

Maggie Kalnins - Head of Governance Services - Maggie.Kalnins@hackney.gov.uk