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• New Headteacher

  Mon 04 Apr 2022 Dr James Inglis

  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.

• 1st April 2022

  Fri 01 Apr 2022

  Unbelievably, the time has come for me to write my final head's lines. Two terms have passed by in a flash. I have lost all track of time today and have been running in some sort of parallel universe.

  I must thank the school community for your kind words and extremely kind gifts—I was very touched by your generosity and shall miss being part of Northaw on a daily basis. However, I am delighted to be able to continue supporting the school in the capacity of Associate Governor.

  Despite the great challenges that COVID has brought, the start of the year was an incredibly challenging time for the school. Mrs Whales was an impossible act for anybody to follow. She was unique, highly respected and irreplaceable. I feel very privileged to have been trusted to support the school during such a challenging time. Because of the great vision and the strong ethos that Mrs Whales had built, the staff were so welcoming and supportive to each other, unwavering in their commitment to ensure that this legacy continued. I am so grateful to have been a part of this and have learnt so much. Thank you to everybody for making me feel so welcome and valued during my time at the school. It has been such an inspiring place to be.

  As I hand over the reigns of the good ship Northaw to a new captain, I am delighted that the school is in very safe and capable hands. Dr Inglis will bring an abundance of dedication and a passion for enabling every child to thrive. It is a the beginning of a great new era for Northaw.

  Thank you for everything. Until we meet again, keep Going for Gold!