Personal statement

Ever since I was appointed to my first headship in 1987 I have been an active member of the NAHT, initially with various roles on the East Riding of Yorkshire Branch; with a real desire to work closely with colleagues and develop my leadership capacity. My role as Branch Secretary has enabled me to work on behalf of members with the L.A., County Councillors and Governing Bodies. It enabled me to see the vital role that our organisation has provided for all its members. It was a real honour and a privilege to be elected on to the National Executive in 2006 and see at first hand another dimension of the work that elected members and officers continuously provide, in challenging times for our schools and their leadership.

During my time on the Yorkshire Region, I have seen the ever-increasing role played by Life Members in ensuring that our organisation continues to thrive and provide a vital support network for our members. So much so that I truly believe that the NAHT would be in serious difficulty without the commitment of large numbers of our Life Members, who hold key positions in branches and regions. It is getting harder for branches and regions to elect serving school leaders to positions on their local committees. Ideally, we would like the role of Life Members to be more of a supporting capacity in branches, but fully realise the pressures that members in schools are under.

When the opportunity arose to stand for a position on the National Life Members Committee, I thought hard before putting myself forward. But I realise that Life Members will increasingly play a key role in the future of this association and they deserve to be supported by an active, professional and dynamic committee. I believe my time on National Executive has provided me with the knowledge of our organisation, which will help to put in place the structures and support that active Life Members need.

I am also aware that for other Life Members retirement is about getting away from the job and its stresses. However, I want to see that the NAHT delivers an excellence service for all and not just a legal safety net! Life Members who pay an annual subscription should see genuine benefits for this payment from a range of affinity partners; who will provide better value and opportunities than we might get by just trawling the internet.

I look forward over the next three years to work hard for the benefit of the many thousands of Life Members who have given and continue to give so much to this association.

Personal statement 

Since joining the Association in 1983, I have taken an active part in its work. I served on the National Deputy Heads’ committee and then, on the Executive Committee of Branches within Surrey, Hampshire and Dorset I kept abreast of current issues affecting members, providing support to colleagues.  Alongside work as a Branch Secretary I also served on both South Central and South West Regional Committees. 

Since taking early retirement as Headteacher at St. John’s Primary School in Gosport and becoming a Life Member in 1995, I have remained active within the NAHT, initially as Branch Secretary in Poole and then South West Regional Secretary. When I stepped down as Regional Secretary I became Regional Treasurer and Conference Co-Ordinator which I am still fulfilling.  I have been involved with the support of Life Members for over twenty years, having been on the original Life Members Working Party set up in 1998. 

I still count it a privilege to continue to serve the needs of Life Members as a member of the National Life Members Committee. We have come a long way since 1998 and will soon be taking on our new status as a Sector Council, as agreed at the AGM last year, which means we have an official representative on the National Executive Council. 

As Vice Chair I will continue to promote the needs and wishes of all Life Members within the Association and actively encourage retiring members to maintain their membership within the Life Members Sector.   

Post retirement roles/employment

1. Chair of Governors (Merley First School)
2. Wimborne Academy Trust Trustee
3. Poole Grammar School- Secretary of Old Grammarians Association
4. Poole Grammar School- Secretary of Trust Fund Management Committee

Personal statement

1. It’s good for me
NAHT Volunteering provides physical and mental rewards.
Experts report that when you focus on someone other than yourself, it interrupts usual tension-producing patterns.
It helps make you healthier: Moods and emotions, like optimism, joy, and control over one's fate, strengthen the immune system.
2. It brings people together
As an NAHT volunteer I can assist in:
Uniting NAHT membership groups to work toward a common goal / campaign
Helping to build camaraderie and teamwork-
3. It’s a chance to give something back to an NAHT cause I believe in
As an NAHT volunteer I can:
Support NAHT members in my local branch
Promote NAHT campaigns with the local media
4. It's a further chance to make a positive difference
As an NAHT volunteer I can focus on:
Helping school leaders
Supporting NAHT growth

Post-retirement role(s)/employment

1.    NAHT Wigan Branch Secretary (annual election)
2.    NAHT North West Region Life Member Representative (annual election)
3.    NAHT Life Member Sector Council Communication Officer (annual election)
4.    Judicium Education School Governance and Clerking Professional (2019 to date)

Favourite quote

"Family is where life begins and love never ends."

Name: Ralph W Magee

Northern Ireland representative on NAHT life members' sector council

NAHT history

• Chair of Northern Ireland Primary Committee 2022/23
• Member of Northern Ireland Regional Executive (current)
• Member of NAHT since 2006

Recent employment history

• Education Authority (Northern Ireland) Associate

• Principal, Andrews Memorial Primary School, Comber, 2008-2023 (retired)

• Acting principal, Stranmillis Primary School, Belfast, 2006-2008

• Vice principal, Stranmilis Primary School, Belfast, 2004-2006

• Vice principal, Newtownbreda Primary School, Belfast, 2001-2004

Personal statement

While coming late to a more formal role within the structure of the NAHT in Northern Ireland, I have been an active member since 2006. The union has always been a source of support, on both a personal front as well as a collegiate one. It is undoubtedly the primary union for leaders in education and a consistent and robust support for all its members.

Chairing the primary committee last year brought more focus to my understanding of the union’s work across the whole Province; membership of the regional executive added significantly to my understanding of the sectoral structure and issues for school leaders as well as providing that all-important insight into the lobbying and campaigning strategies or discussions so central to driving and informing the union’s actions. I am pleased that my role with the Life Members’ Sector Council will allow me to continue to sit on the regional executive in Northern Ireland.

My own leadership journey has been dominated by a dedicated approach to team-building and professional development at all levels of leadership within the schools I have worked in – as a subject coordinator, a deputy and a head. Teachers’ professional development leads to a sense of being valued and trusted; and allows their classroom skills to flourish.  In essence, happy teachers make for happy children.

I believe that the NAHT offers opportunities and advice for leadership journeys for all its members, as well as having the membership strength to advocate dynamically on pay and conditions.  In addition, I feel that the union can and does benefit from the knowledge and experience of committed life members who, while ‘retired form the day job’, are still enthusiastic and able leaders willing to support, mentor and learn.

Sir Ken Robinson gave me the most motivating 19 minutes of professional development in my career. I commend everyone to watch his seminal TED talk from 2006, Do schools kill creativity? It is inspiring and brilliant! Robinson flourished as an educational/motivational speaker on the global stage. His passion was for promoting creativity and instilling in us a belief that creative curriculum areas, such as dance or drama, are of equal importance to the traditionally valued (and more easily measurable) areas of literacy and numeracy. There are many quotes that I could use here, but this one is as relevant as any: “Creativity is the process of having ideas that have value.”

Whether working in schools or retired from the day-to-day running of them, I hope we never lose our sense of duty to provide creative opportunities for leadership development.