Katherine Mathieson is the British Science Association’s new director of education. She took up her post at the start of this week. Miss Mathieson was formerly with Nesta, the innovation investment body, initially as the learning programme manager and latterly as head of the future innovators programme. She will oversee the association’s science, technology, engineering and maths enrichment activities that aim to inspire 5 to 19-year-olds.
Sean Hickey has been named the director of business and enterprise at Milton Keynes Academy, which is to open in September. The former chief executive of Milton Keynes Chamber of Commerce has been a consultant for the past two years, working with FE colleges to push their engagement with business. The Pounds 27 million academy, sponsored by Edge, will specialise in business and enterprise, with a strong emphasis on vocational learning. It will replace Sir Frank Markham Community School.
Barbara Cook, the headteacher of Guillemont Junior School in Farnborough, Hampshire, is retiring at the end of this term after 24 years as head; before that, she was the deputy head for five years. Kate Fuller, her deputy, has been appointed to the top job. Miss Cook will continue at the school temporarily to support Mrs Fuller in her new role.
Claire Evans has been confirmed as headteacher of Wednesfield High, a specialist engineering college in Wolverhampton. Miss Evans started as a geography teacher at Moreton School in the city, where she was promoted to head of geography and then deputy head. In 2007, she was seconded to Wednesfield High as senior deputy head to support the school following its notice to improve. After nine months as deputy head, she became acting head in September last year.
Caroline Clark from Greenwich has been named Trainer of the Year by Speakersbank, a company that trains children in London and Essex in public speaking. Since 2006 Mrs Clark, who is also a governor at Brooklands Primary in Blackheath, south-east London, has trained more than 7,000 Year 10 pupils as part of Jack Petchey’s Speak Out Challenge, which is now in its fourth year.
John Matthews retires as head of Chatham House Grammar School in Ramsgate, Kent, today after 17 years. “It has been a huge privilege to lead the school,” he said. His first post was at Thorne Grammar in Doncaster, South Yorkshire. After three years he became head of history at Backwell Comprehensive, south of Bristol. He moved to Kent as deputy head at Simon Langton Grammar in Canterbury. After six years there, including two terms as acting head, Mr Matthews moved on to become head of Barton Court Grammar in Canterbury, before joining Chatham House in 1992. David Smart moves from Queen Elizabeth’s High in Gainsborough, Lincolnshire, to be the new head of Chatham House Grammar.
Brian Hoare
A design and technology teacher at Acle High in Norfolk recently marked his 69th birthday. Brian Hoare trained in the Sixties as part of a bid to introduce more craft teachers. But he became a professional drummer for 15 years, working with the likes of Roy Orbison and Stevie Wonder. After the glamour of rock ‘n’ roll, he returned to his roots and, since going back to school, has taught music, art and maths. He has now settled to teaching about resistant materials, and his students have achieved the best results in the county. That really is something to drum on about.
