An interview with…Head of Morecambe Community High School

Job role and main responsibilities…As Head Teacher of Morecambe Community High School I have overall responsibility for nearly 1500 students and around 150 staff. My work is both strategic and operational. Whilst I enjoy planning and development I gain just as much pleasure from witnessing and supporting the successes of students and staff.

Previous work experience…My first teaching post was a rural secondary modern school in a village called Wing between Leighton Buzzard and Aylesbury. Here I learned what it was to persuade young people who had failed the 11+ that they were bright, academic and could be high achievers. Prior to Morecambe I had been Headteacher for nine years at a large 11 – 16 Sports College.

Hopes for the school’s future…It is an exciting time for me to join the school. It has gained its specialist status in Maths and Computing and has had significant investment in new technology. I know that Morecambe Community High School is a good and popular school; I believe that it has the capacity to become an outstanding one.  My optimism about its future is based upon the high quality of the student body who deserve to be successful and a staff ambitious about the school and its prospects. It is a potent recipe for future success.

Achievement most proud of to date…Becoming a Head Teacher. It is a privileged position to be given responsibility to work with young people and to assist in their development. Any contribution I can make to help young people to achieve their potential whether it is academic, social or sporting is why I enjoy my work. Morecambe Community High School provided that opportunity for me and I am really pleased it did.

Hopes for Morecambe’s future…Prior to my post in Morecambe I worked in Blackpool. A major difference is the sense of community I feel in Morecambe and the surrounding areas. I believe the town has the momentum to achieve what the Government calls social cohesion. If the school can contribute to that then it is working for and with the community it serves.