John Catt Educational makes newsy buys

Suffolk-based indie publisher John Catt Educational has acquired two titles with media hooks: one, by the brothers who form the senior leadership team at Harrop Fold School, set to be featured in the upcoming Channel 4 series “Educating Salford”; and a book from controversial former Ofsted chief inspector of schools Michael Wilshaw.

Paying Our Debts; Harrop Fold and the Educating Manchester Story by Harrop Fold School, with Drew Povey and Ross Povey (head and director at the school, respectively), will tell the school’s “amazing” story, to be revealed in the TV series, set to start this autumn. John Catt m.d. Alex Sharratt described the brothers as “very engaging characters who will undoubtedly become star names during and after the show”.

Provisionally titled Wilshaw’s Way: Lessons from the Dirty Harry of Education, Sir Michael Wilshaw’s book - written with the Sunday Times journalist Sian Griffiths – is said to cover the lessons learned during his career as a maverick headmaster in London, and then as chief of Ofsted, including his battles with secretaries of state such as Michael Gove. The book is planned for publication in September. Sharratt said: “Sir Michael Wilshaw was a maverick headmaster at Mossbourne Community Academy, before five successful years as chief inspector of schools at Ofsted. He was often controversial, and never afraid to say what he thought, and this first book…is certain to cause more waves when published in the autumn.”

Sharratt said his publisher was “on an exciting trajectory at the moment”, with sales revenue projected to reach £350,000 by the year end (end of August 2017), up from £120,000 for the financial year ending August 2014. “We’ve achieved that growth by increasing the number of publications from around 15 a year to somewhere around 40, and by focusing on respected and recognised authors that have a wide appeal to educators in the state sector,” he said.

Authors publishing with John Catt in the past three years have included Dame Sally Coates, director of academies for United Learning; Sir John Dunford, Pupil Premium champion for the Department for Education; and Barnaby Lenon, former head of Harrow School and chair of the Independent Schools Council.

Distribution is by Gardners.