I am writing to introduce myself before joining Northaw Church of England Primary School as Headteacher after Easter. It is a great honour to have been selected for this role, and I look forward to getting better acquainted with you all soon.

 

Let me begin by sharing a little of my background. Having come to love teaching while completing a doctorate in history at Edinburgh University, I decided to change my career. I subsequently trained in London before spending four years in Harlow. I then moved to a popular, two-form entry school in Hemel Hempstead where I was promoted Assistant Headteacher in 2017. There is little to beat the buzz of equipping children to drive their learning on, identifying needs and addressing these effectively, while also nurturing general well-being, so they become responsible future citizens.

 

This will be my first headship, and I have been especially keen to find a school with an outlook particularly chiming with my own. Northaw’s vision, combining a passion for learning with preparation for life, perfectly sums up the essential role a child’s primary school can play in their growth and development. Similarly, shared values powerfully set a school’s ethos, and I admire how the six Northaw have chosen form a golden thread running through everything undertaken while also embracing Christian beliefs. Northaw’s link with Kiyunga Primary School provides students with an extraordinary and invaluable window on the wider world.

 

Having attended voluntary-aided primary and secondary educational settings myself, and as a confirmed Anglican, I fully appreciate what it means to be a church school, firmly rooted in the gospel message and closely linked to parish life. A church school rightfully enjoys a unique place at the heart of a community, providing pupils with the essential foundations for both lifelong learning and burgeoning faith.

 

My first priority is to bring stability to the school community as we finally emerge from the shadow of coronavirus and following changes in senior leadership. I wish to spend the summer hearing the views of all stakeholders, celebrating what makes Northaw so special while identifying and preparing to meet the inevitable challenges ahead.

 

Please join me in leading Northaw Church of England Primary School confidently forward, building on the progress already made.