Sean O'Regan (educator)
Seán O'Regan | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Chief Education Officer and Director of Education of Jersey | |
| Assumed office July 2024 | |
| Headteacher of Edith Neville Primary School | |
| In office September 1996 – August 2012 | |
| Succeeded by | Ruby Nasser (acting) Amanda Szewczyk-Radley |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 1964 Jersey |
| Nationality | British |
| Spouse | Nasima Rashid (m. 1998) |
| Children | 3 |
| Alma mater | University of Oxford, University of London, University of Reading |
| Occupation | teacher, educator, civil servant |
Seán O'Regan (born 1964) is a British educator and senior civil servant, currently serving as Chief Education Officer (also titled Group Director of Education) within the Department for Children, Young People, Education and Skills (CYPES) for the Government of Jersey. He also notably served as Headteacher of Edith Neville Primary School from 1996 to 2012.
Early life and education
[edit]O'Regan was born in Jersey in 1964. O'Regan attended De La Salle College in Jersey. He studied Philosophy, Politics, and Economics (PPE) at Oxford University. O'Regan was one of the few university students interested in pursuing a career in primary education at the time, and the sitcom Please Sir! inspired him to pursue a career in teaching.[1][2] He also holds a Master's in Education from the University of London and a Postgraduate Certificate in Education (PGCE) from Reading University.[3]
Career
[edit]In 1990, aged 26, O'Regan joined Edith Neville Primary School and Children's Centre, a multicultural but disadvantaged inner-city primary school located in Somers Town, Camden, London, initially as a teacher. He became headteacher in 1996 after the death of the deputy headteacher and held the role until 2012. Under his leadership, the school, on the brink of closure and a school building on the brink of collapse, dramatically improved, transitioning from a challenging environment and failing school to being rated "outstanding" by Ofsted, and survived significant local authority pressure to impose structural changes. Under O'Regan's leadership, Edith Neville had no school uniforms (as O'Regan did not believe school uniforms would improve student behaviour) and encouraged pupils to use the first names of teachers and resisted an attempt to relocate Frank Barnes School for Deaf Children onto the site where Edith Neville Primary School sat.[1][4][5][6][7][8][9]
In September 2012, O'Regan was appointed head of early years and primary education in Jersey, a new senior position covering nursery and primary schooling across the island. He advanced within the government sector and now leads on education policy, the school system, and strategic initiatives at CYPES.[1]
In April 2024, the Jersey Government under O'Regan's role as an education minister launched a school inclusivity strategy, which aims to support children in education.[10]
In November 2024, it was announced that he would retire from his post on 31 July 2025, during which time he will focus on updates to the Education (Jersey) Law 1999.[11][12]
Personal life
[edit]O’Regan and his wife, Nasima Rashid, married in 1998, having met while both were working at Edith Neville Primary School. The couple have three children and have resided in Jersey since 2012.[5]
References
[edit]- ^ a b c Adopstar (2012-09-08). "Top Education role for an award-winning head". Jersey Evening Post. Retrieved 2025-06-12.
- ^ Berg, Sanchia (2011-12-28). "Tracey Emin's 'brilliant teacher'". Retrieved 2025-06-14.
- ^ O'Regan, Sean. "LinkedIn Page".
- ^ Smithers, Rebecca (2002-10-29). "Private passion". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 2025-06-12.
- ^ a b "Teachers who turned round Edith Neville Primary School bid a reluctant farewell to pupils past and present". Camden New Journal. Retrieved 2025-06-12.
- ^ Beckett, Francis (18 March 2010). "Rainbow warrior: How a head battled to save his inner-city school from the council". Independent.
- ^ Wallace, Wendy (2005-09-21). "'We could do phenomenal things...'". The Telegraph. Retrieved 2025-06-12.
- ^ "Camden Letters: Forum - Edith Neville School | Frank Barnes School for the Deaf". www.thecnj.com. Retrieved 2025-06-12.
- ^ "Primary school hit by teacher exodus as 30 members of staff quit". Camden New Journal. Retrieved 2025-06-14.
- ^ Emma-Jayne Blackman & Georgina Barnes (2024-04-27). "School inclusivity strategy launched by Jersey government". BBC News. Retrieved 2025-06-12.
- ^ Team, Bailiwick Express News (2024-11-26). "Director of Education to leave role early next year". Bailiwick Express News Jersey. Retrieved 2025-06-12.
- ^ Davies, Megan (2024-11-27). "Chief education officer to step down from role in early 2025". Jersey Evening Post. Retrieved 2025-06-12.