Maryann Preston is an experienced educational leader whose career in North Lanarkshire spans more than two decades of system improvement, curriculum innovation and school leadership. Known for her commitment to equity, she has led transformational change at both school and authority level.

Maryann currently serves as Curriculum Manager with North Lanarkshire Council, where she works in partnership with Heads of Establishment and school teams to design and refine curriculum rationales aligned with national and local priorities. She leads professional learning for primary and secondary sectors and provides targeted support to leadership teams pre‑ and post‑inspection, strengthening leadership of change across the authority. In this role, Maryann also leads a team focused on supporting pedagogical improvement across the local authority, building collective capacity and consistency in high‑quality learning and teaching. Her work includes leading the development of new progression pathways for Curriculum for Excellence, ensuring coherence in learning, teaching and assessment, and co‑creating curriculum guidance informed by Education Scotland’s Curriculum Improvement Cycle.

Maryann’s substantive post is Head Teacher of a primary school. She has facilitated collaborative improvement across a network of schools and contributed to authority‑wide work on tackling poverty. During this period, she completed the In Headship postgraduate diploma, deepening her expertise in ethical leadership, equity and excellence. In 2024, she further advanced her professional learning by gaining a master’s in educational leadership from the University of Glasgow, focusing her research on ‘The role and practice of a networked headteacher’—an area of particular interest that continues to shape her leadership thinking and practice.

Across every role, Maryann is committed to collaborative leadership, evidence‑informed practice and an equitable curriculum that transforms life chances.

My research interests focus on strengthening headteacher leadership and building school cultures where collaborative approaches to improvement are transformative. I am committed to advancing research‑informed practice, ensuring that leadership decisions, professional learning, and school development are grounded in robust evidence. My interests further include developing effective coaching and mentoring models, enhancing curriculum and pedagogy, and promoting approaches that lead to more equitable outcomes for all learners.

The focus of my professional practice centres on leading learning and improvement across schools and at local‑authority level, working closely with headteachers, senior leaders, and practitioners to strengthen research‑informed approaches to leadership and pedagogy.

In my substantive role as Head Teacher, I lead a large primary school and nursery. My work is grounded in a commitment to equity, wellbeing, and inclusive education, and I have embedded research‑informed improvement approaches across teaching, learning, and curriculum development.

Currently, I am seconded as Curriculum Manager for the local authority, where I lead the strategic development of curriculum refresh in line with OECD recommendations. This includes supporting colleagues to enhance pedagogy, curriculum design, and professional learning through collaborative, evidence‑based approaches.

My role involves working with a wide range of partners including Education Scotland, HMIe, universities, and researchers to design and deliver professional learning, conferences, and system‑level improvement activity. These collaborations have strengthened approaches in curriculum development, pedagogical improvement, and leadership for improved outcomes.

I also design and facilitate leadership development programmes that support practitioners and school leaders to build professional learning communities, engage in critical reflection, and lead improvement with confidence and clarity.

Professional Associations

His Majesty's Inspectorate of Education in Scotland (HMIE)

• Associate Assessor 

University Of Strathclyde

• Into Headship Professional Verifier