ONE of the country’s leading headteachers is to take on the role of executive principal at an Essex academy in September.
Julie Bloor, a National Leader in Education, has forged a strong partnership with Ormiston Park Academy principal Huw Derrick since she started at the school working one day a week three months ago.
In September Julie will increase her involvement with the school and officially take on the new role of executive principal. She will be working alongside Huw, who was praised in the school’s most recent Ofsted for ensuring that teaching at Park Academy is improving.
The school is sponsored by Ormiston Academies Trust (OAT) which supports 30 schools in England, three of which are in Essex. OAT was also picked out by Ofsted as one of the school’s strengths for providing leaders with effective support and challenge. The Trust will continue to work closely with the senior leaders, including Huw and Julie, to ensure the school continues on an upward trajectory.
Julie began her teaching career 24 years ago, starting out teaching history. She now has 15 years’ experience as a senior leader and has been the headteacher at two schools in the North of England.
She was selected by the Government last year as an exceptional school leader when she was made a National Leader of Education for her work at Wisewood School and Community College in Sheffield, and Shirebrook Academy in Mansfield.
Shirebrook Academy, where Julie is currently headteacher, has gone from strength to strength since she joined them in 2010.
In 2008 the school’s results were below the government’s “floor target”, meaning that fewer than 30% of its pupils achieved at least five GCSEs including English and maths at grade C or above.
The school re-opened as an academy in 2010 and under Julie’s strong leadership, its GCSE results have always been above the floor and in its last inspection, in 2013, Ofsted rated Shirebrook Academy outstanding in all four assessed areas (achievement of pupils, quality of teaching, behaviour and safety of pupils and leadership and management).
Last year the school also received the SSAT Education Outcomes Award, after the progress that its students made between the end of primary school and GCSE stage was in the top 20% in England.
Julie will be bringing this experience and her high expectations of staff and students to Ormiston Park Academy, and will work closely with Mr Derrick and the senior leadership team to raise standards at the school.
Ormiston Park’s incoming Executive Principal, Julie Bloor said:
“I’m extremely excited to be joining the Ormiston Park Academy team and continuing to work so closely with Huw. The school is full of talented and enthusiastic students, as well as hard-working staff and teachers who are working tirelessly to improve standards and build on the significant progress that has been made at the school since last September.
“School improvement is a marathon, not a sprint – this ensures that success is sustained and not short-lived. During my time at two schools as the headteacher, we took each school on a journey of improvement, and that’s how we got to outstanding.
“I look forward to my increasing involvement with the school and bringing my ideas and experience to the table.”
Ormiston Park’s Principal, Huw Derrick said:
“It’s great to have Julie on board and we look forward to welcoming her officially in September.
“We’re a really strong team, driven by the same motivation – to work to provide an excellent education to students in Thurrock.”
Chief Executive of Ormiston Academies Trust, Toby Salt, said:
“OAT believes that the success of schools is centred on great leadership and having the very best teachers.
“Julie is a really talented leader and we are thrilled she will be joining the senior team at Ormiston Park in September and teaming up with the hard-working staff and leadership team to provide an excellent education to all students.”
