New Bridgnorth headteacher tells of excitement at top role

Barry Worth, deputy headteacher at Wolgarston High School in Penkridge, will be taking over from Phil Loveday at Bridgnorth Endowed School.

Mr Worth said: "I started my teaching career in challenging circumstances in Birmingham, before moving to Shropshire to become head of department in 2005.

"After four years in Shropshire, I joined future leaders, a fast-track to headship training programme. As part of the programme I moved to Walsall as assistant headteacher in a large secondary school, where I spent two-and-a-half years.

"I completed the National Qualification for Headship in 2014. For the past five years I have been working in a school in Staffordshire, first as deputy headteacher and later as associate headteacher.

"My vision for an outstanding school is one where the traditional values of discipline, courtesy and good manners underpin a strong drive for academic success for every child.

"I believe every young person should have the opportunity of going to university.

"I am excited to be the next headteacher at Bridgnorth Endowed School, and I look forward to working with staff, pupils, parents and governors."

Mr Loveday will be taking up a new role as headteacher of The Earls High School in Halesowen on June 1.

He said: "It is an outstanding school of 1,200 11 to 16 year old students, and it is one of the founding schools in a Multi Academy Trust- Severn Vale Academy Trust.

"I have been at BES for eight-and-a-half years and that has been a very pleasurable time, we have built a highly skilled teaching staff, a dedicated leadership team and a school where students perform well, behave well, are developed as full and rounded citizens and are cared for.

"There have been some bumps along the way but generally the trajectory has been upwards and I know that we have built strong foundations for Mr Worth to build upon."

From the date of Mr Loveday's departure, governors have appointed Mr Worth to take over.

Chairman of Governors, Mark Freathy, said: "I am delighted to announce that governors have offered the post of headteacher to Barry Worth, following a two-day selection process, and he has accepted."

Mr Worth joined Wolgarston in 2012 and in the past 12 months, he has taken on an additional challenge, deputising for Wolgarston High School's headteacher Phil Tapp, enabling Mr Tapp to take on a new mantle as the Principal of The Penk Valley Federation of Schools.

Since joining Wolgarston, Mr Worth has been implementing Visible Learning, a teaching approach which has seen results rise to record levels and now places Wolgarston in the top five per cent of state schools in England for progression at GCSE.

Mr Worth said: "I have enjoyed my time at Wolgarston High School immensely. It has been my privilege to have worked with students, staff, parents and governors in creating a school we can all be proud of. I am excited by the challenge ahead, and I wish everyone at Wolgarston every success in the future."

School leaders at Wolgarston said they would now be looking for a replacement to Mr Worth in time for the start of the new year in September.