All change at All Saints: deputy is now the head!
A PRIMARY school in Wokingham is looking to the future as its new headteacher takes to the helm.
Tracey Stanton stepped into the headteacher’s role at All Saints CE Primary School on September 1, taking over from Jacqui Kearney who left the school at the end of the summer term.
Ms Stanton, who held the post of Deputy Headteacher at the Norreys Avenue school for four years previously, said she was looking forward to putting her stamp on the school.
She said: “I am really quite excited, as Deputy Headteacher I had a lot of responsibility within the school, but as Headteacher that responsibility now extends much further.
“I get to meet the new pupils and their parents, and get to know the children a lot more than I was able to before.
“Obviously, the school has been through some challenging times, but we are very much on a journey, which was started by Jacqui.
“Being rated as ‘Good’ by Ofsted was the first step on that journey, and I am very excited to be leading the school at such an exciting time.”
Ms Stanton is also keen to reinforce the community links that her predecessor worked hard to establish.
She said: “We have very strong links with the local community in Wokingham, be it through the groups who use our school for their meetings, such as the Brownies and the Guides, as well as other schools who we work with to provide the very best education and opportunities for our pupils.
“We are also forging some fantastic links with the older generations too, last Christmas we invited elderly members of the local church to the school for mince pies and carols, everyone had such a lovely time so that is something I would very much like to see happen again.”
Ms Stanton, who has worked at various schools in the local area in the past, has a strong connection with All Saints, prior to becoming Deputy Headteacher.
She said: “Before I was Deputy Head, I taught at Key Stage 2, but I actually spent time teaching here at the very beginning of my career, back when it was Palmer School.
“What I love about this school is that we also provide a lot of training for teachers, we have a new NQT starting this year, along with two other new teachers, and they are all bringing something new to the school.
“We have a Photography Club and a Zumba Club for the very first time which the children are very excited about.
“Last year we were also awarded a Silver School Games Mark so we will spend this year reinforcing that, and we are very keen to focus on our outdoor learning as well, taking as many opportunities as we can to take the children outside to make their learning more engaging and enjoyable.
“We are also going to rewrite our school rules to make them more personal, but we are keeping some of the important things, such as pride in the school and pride in the badge.
“I am really looking forward to seeing what the future brings.”
The school’s Chair of Governors, Mrs Anwen Page said: “The Governors are delighted with the many personal and professional qualities that Mrs Stanton brings to the role of Headteacher at All Saints Primary School and Nursery.
“She is absolutely focussed on delivering the very best outcomes and quality of education for all our children.
“She is supported by an amazing leadership, teaching and support team.
“The Governors are all excited about the future of the school which will continue to flourish under her leadership.”