Insights with NetSupport: Dr. Alexandra Gray - Driving improvements in the alternative provision sector

In each episode, we bring you an interesting guest who shares their wealth of expertise, knowledge and insights around a relevant topic. 

Our aim is simple: to inspire and equip you with new insights that will empower your teaching and learning or leadership activities. So, get ready to dive into this conversation, exploring exciting topics such as school leadership, learning and the importance of parental engagement and the impact it can have on progress.

In this episode, we are delighted to be joined by Dr Alexandra Gray who is an author, researcher and consultant working in the Alternative Education sector. She is also MD at Huis Technologies and co-founder of LearnTrek, an MIS for Alternative Provisions and Independent schools. 

Alexandra advocates strongly for no-restraint approaches to behaviour management and supports “unregistered” provisions to work with the most vulnerable learners in the UK and beyond. 

The 2023 SEND and alternative provision improvement plan won’t have escaped the attention of people involved in education and, in the show, Dr Gray examines some of the good and potentially problematic areas highlighted in the plan. 

On top of that, Alex shared a variety of insights into innovation in Alternative Provision around curriculum, and her own innovation responding to a need found in her workplace. She discovered that there wasn’t really an MIS fit for purpose for those settings that has a tighter focus on tracking and supporting learners who don’t always conform to the mainstream norms; it was interesting to learn about how she and her husband have developed LearnTrek, an MIS for Alternative Provision settings. 

Dr Gray wrapped up the episode by sharing her secrets to success in alternative provision, which, for those working in the sector and beyond, made so much sense – you’ll have to listen to the episode to find out more!

You can find Alex on Twitter @GrayHuis, on LinkedIn here and more about her work on her website here: www.huistechnologies.com/learntrek