The Leadership team within ES currently comprises the following members:

Gillian Hamilton - Chief Executive

Gillian was appointed as Chief Executive and Accountable Officer for Education Scotland in March 2023. As such, Gillian is responsible for the effective leadership, management and performance of the Agency and for driving quality improvement for learners across Scotland in order to raise attainment for all and close the attainment gap.

Gillian was, until her appointment as Chief Executive, the Depute Chief Executive and the Strategic Director for Corporate Services and Governance within Education Scotland. She was also the Delivery Director for the reform of Education Scotland, leading this on behalf of Scottish Government.

Gillian is an experienced and respected leader, with a wealth of experience not just corporately but also across the education sector, having worked in Scottish education for 34 years. She has held posts as a primary teacher, senior teacher, depute headteacher and headteacher in schools in Glasgow, North and East Ayrshire. Gillian was also Head of Educational Services at the General Teaching Council for Scotland (GTCS) for three years where she led on the revision of Professional Standards and the pilot of Professional Update, which was rolled out nationally in August 2014.

From 2014 to 2018 Gillian was the first Chief Executive of the Scottish College for Educational Leadership (SCEL), a national organisation responsible for the leadership development of teachers and school leaders. She was appointed as Strategic Director at Education Scotland when the roles and functions of SCEL transferred to the agency on 1 April 2018 and as part of this she established the Professional Learning and Leadership Directorate within Education Scotland.

Gillian is currently a member of the Scottish Education Council and the co-chair of the Curriculum and Assessment Board and the Scottish Attainment Challenge Programme Board. In addition to these roles, she is also the Chair of the Board for Glasgow North West Citizens Advice Bureau. She has been a member of a number of national educational groups with a focus on professional learning and leadership. She was a member of the Strategic Board for Teacher Education and a member of the COVID Education Recovery Group (CERG). She also co-chaired the two CERG sub-groups focused on head teacher and workforce support. 

Janie McManus - His Majesty’s Chief Inspector of Education

Janie currently holds the position of His Majesty’s Chief Inspector of Education for Scotland. She was appointed to this role in November 2023 on an interim basis of at least 18 months. Janie provides strategic leadership to the current inspection function within Education Scotland, enabling it to deliver on behalf of Minsters and maintaining the integrity of inspection as a constructive, evidence-led process, independent of all of the main interests. Janie has a critical role in driving quality improvement for learners across Scotland by providing strategic guidance and leadership to both the on-going programme of education inspection (ensuring that this is effective in providing assurance to learners and parents/carers and in building the capacity of the education system to improve) and leading the work to set up a new independent inspectorate for education, including its vision, values, purpose, functions and culture. She is responsible for leading and developing Scotland’s approach to the inspection and scrutiny of education as a directorate within Education Scotland. Janie is instrumental in the continued development of the operating model for the new inspectorate and its successful establishment as a new organisation. Additionally, she is Head of Profession of HM Inspectors of Education, a designated specialist professional group within the Scottish Government. Janie is the Delivery Director for the reform of the inspectorate, as part of education reform led by Scottish Government.

Alongside this role, Janie is President of The Standing International Conference of Inspectorates (SICI), with oversight for over 40 international inspectorates, focused on improving competency of inspectorates and inspectors in education. Previously, Janie was seconded to SICI to develop an innovative 3-year strategy setting out the future development of the organisation.

Prior to taking up post as HM Chief Inspector of Education, Janie was Strategic Director for Scrutiny, maintaining stakeholder confidence in the integrity and impartiality of the Scottish inspection and scrutiny model as set out in Education Scotland’s Framework document.

Janie serves on a range of national working groups and committees, to share her expertise and knowledge of the Scottish system and evidence gathered through inspection. Janie has authored and led the development of a variety of key national reports on the performance of Scottish education, drawing key features and trends.

Earlier roles with Education Scotland include: Assistant Director, covering a broad remit including strategic planning and working with Scottish Government developing the flagship Scottish Attainment Challenge programme, including establishing the national team of Attainment Advisors. Janie also led the work of Area Lead Officers who provided a support and challenge role to local authorities.

Janie is a passionate advocate for raising standards and improving the lives of children and young people. She has spent over three decades in the education sector and has a unique perspective gleaned from her experience as a teacher, headteacher and as an HM Inspector of Education.

Rob Strachan - Strategic Director, Corporate Services

Rob was recently appointed as Strategic Director for Corporate Services and Governance in Education Scotland. In his role, Rob is responsible for leading and directing the corporate functions of the organisation, including strategic planning, reporting and governance, organisational development and HR, financial management and budgeting, communications and engagement and the administrative functions of the organisation.

Prior to joining Education Scotland, Rob was Head of Strategy and Improvement for the Scottish Prison Service since 2015. Rob’s responsibilities included corporate planning, performance and risk, business improvement and analysis, research and development, policy and strategy, rights, equalities and engagement as well as strategic engagement with key stakeholders. 

Originally from Greenock, Inverclyde, Rob started his career with Inverclyde Council in 1988.  Rob was awarded a management traineeship in 1991 and held a number of operational and strategic roles across the Housing and Social Work department, before moving to the Home Office in London as a housing and local government adviser in 1999.  

Rob then led the Home Office Neighbourhood Renewal Policy Team, working across Whitehall Departments, until 2004, before moving to the North East of England as Head of Stronger Communities (2004 - 2006) and Head of Safer Communities (2006 - 2009). Rob was Assistant Home Office Director for the South East of England before returning to Scotland to become Chief Officer of the Lothian and Borders Community Justice Authority (2011 to 2015).

He is a recent graduate of the Civil Service Future Leaders Scheme and is an active board member of Scottish Community Development Network (SCDN).  He was awarded a Master of Philosophy (M.Phil) in Housing Studies by Glasgow University in 1996. 

Rob has a keen interest in politics, history and education.  He lives in Edinburgh with his wife Claire and enjoys good food, good wine and seeing Scotland win (sometimes) at Murrayfield. 

Patricia Watson - Strategic Director, Inspection

Patricia has over 35 years’ experience in Scottish education. A graduate of University of Stirling and with an MEd from University of Edinburgh, she started her career in 1986 as a secondary teacher of religious and moral education in the Scottish Borders and progressed to a senior role within the local authority.

Prior to becoming HM Inspector of Education in 2007, she worked with Learning and Teaching Scotland on the introduction of Curriculum for Excellence. She was a principal assessor for the Scottish Qualifications Authority for a number of years, leading the introduction and development of intermediate 1 and 2 qualifications in RMPS. Within HMIe and with Education Scotland, Patricia led a range of significant national initiatives including some key recommendations from Teaching Scotland’s Future, the development of the current (4th edition) of the quality indicator framework “How Good Is Our School?” and as Senior Regional Advisor, the development of regional improvement collaboratives, working with Tayside RIC and the West Partnership. Between 2019-2024 she led our work on the Scottish Attainment Challenge as senior responsible officer working closely with the Attainment Advisors.

As Strategic Director for Inspection from February 2024, Patricia has responsibility for the inspection of early learning and childcare settings, as well as the wide range of public schools, including primary, secondary, Gaelic, and all-through schools. She is responsible for inspections of health and nutrition in public schools. A crucial part of Patricia’s remit is to lead the inspectorate’s response to the Scottish Attainment Challenge. She will also be responsible for developing our contribution to the Curriculum Improvement Cycle, including gathering evidence about curriculum areas. Additionally, Patricia oversees the performance of local authorities, including changes in school estates.

Ollie Bray - Strategic Director

Ollie has responsibility for curriculum, pedagogy and innovation at Education Scotland. This responsibility includes major national initiatives, such as the ongoing implementation of Curriculum for Excellence; Glow; STEM; Developing the Young Workforce; Digital Learning and Teaching; the Learner Journey; 1+2 Languages; Inclusion, Wellbeing and Equality and Curriculum Innovation (including pedagogy and assessment).

Immediately before re-joining Education Scotland he was Global Director: Connecting Play and Education at the LEGO Foundation where he led the Foundations work related to education improvement through the use of technology and play. Prior to joining the LEGO Foundation he was headteacher of Kingussie High School, Highland. He started his career at the Glenmore Lodge (the sport Scotland national outdoor training centre) before becoming a geography teacher and going on to hold a number of promoted posts in East Lothian.

Dr. David Gregory - Strategic Director

David was born in Stafford and went to school in England. Moving to Scotland, he graduated from Aberdeen University with an honours degree and embarked on a career in education which spans over thirty years. Starting as a teacher of History and Modern Studies he held a variety of posts in secondary school education, including leadership roles, in a number of schools.

In 2005, he joined HMIE and held a number of positions over the next 14 years, including National Specialist for History, Area Lead Officer, Lead Officer for Independent Schools, Head of Scrutiny and Lead Officer for Inspection. In this latter role he led the teams which introduced the changes to school inspection in 2008 and 2011, cementing the ‘with not to’ approach to inspection. For the last four and a half years David has been a Senior Regional Advisor in Education Scotland, leading the Northern Regional Improvement Team and having responsibilities for collaboration with local authorities in the Northern Alliance. His corporate responsibility was linked to the use of data. In November 2023, David was promoted to his current role as Strategic Director for the Scottish Attainment Challenge.

David has a PhD in education, with his research interests lying in Pupil Voice and in aspects of the curriculum. He is an Associate Fellow of Stirling University, promoting and supporting the Stirling Centre for Research into Curriculum Making. David is a big advocate of citizen science and, in his spare time, he is the British Trust for Ornithology Regional Representative for Aberdeen, supporting other volunteers to take part in ornithological surveys which add to the understanding of the impact of climate change on nature and the planet. Being an animal lover, he has three dogs and two cats. When not outside, David enjoys reading about ancient history and historical novels.

Gill Ritchie - HM Inspector, Strategic Director  

Gill leads the inspection of post-16 sectors, work-based learning, careers, prisons and community learning and development for youth and adults. Her responsibilities extend to special schools, independent schools, grant-aided schools, colleges, and independent training providers. She coordinates joint activity with scrutiny bodies such as His Majesty’s Inspectorate of Prisons Scotland (HMIPS), Care Inspectorate and QAA Scotland, and liaises with the Registrar for Independent Schools, the Scottish Funding Council, Student Awards Agency Scotland and the Home Office (UKVI). A critical aspect of her role includes overseeing child protection and safeguarding.

Gill also manages the inspectorate's enabling functions, encompassing the administration of all inspection programmes, workforce planning and deployment, as well as handling official correspondence.

Non-Executive Board Member (NEBM)

Independent non-executive board members are selected and appointed by the Chief Executive. Their role is to provide constructive advice and support to the Chief Executive, including contributing to reviews of strategic direction and operating and business plans. NEBMs will be expected to offer, as appropriate, constructive critical challenge to the Advisory Board.