Three new Nottingham headteachers appointed for city schools

Three headteachers have shared their ambitions for the schools across Nottingham and their pupils. New headteachers have settled in at Djanogly Strelley Academy, Langley Mill Academy and Springfield Academy, all of which are in or close to the city centre and run by the Djanogly Learning Trust.

The leaders took on their new roles in January 2023, and have revealed what their aspirations are going forward. These include changes to the curriculum, new resources and community projects.

Vonny Shelley is the new headteacher for Springfield Academy on Lawton Drive, Bulwell. She has over 30 years of experience in education and was previously a deputy headteacher at the school.

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She explained: “Being a Headteacher is the best job in the world. It is an extremely exciting time for me and the school. We have a new, enthusiastic senior leadership team and staff with ideas.

“We are working together to make Springfield Academy an excellent place of education and we have support from Djanogly Learning Trust to achieve it. My key priorities include making changes to our curriculum and resources to include more retrieval strategies so that children know and remember more.

“We will be building links with our parents and the community to feed into the culture of Springfield Academy as a ‘place to grow and a time to shine’. We will be developing our behaviour and wellbeing policies with a strong focus on mental health and implementing continuous professional development to empower staff to address the ever growing diverse needs of their classes.”

Similarly, John Rirchardson is also looking forward to the year ahead. He was appointed as Headteacher of Langley Mill Academy, on Bailey Brook Crescent, Langley Mill, and has 18 years’ experience in schools in Nottingham.

John said: “I am excited to join Djanogly Learning Trust and work with the staff, pupils and families at Langley Mill Academy. This is my first headship and there is a lot to learn, but my experiences in primary school and special education will stand me in good stead.”

He added: “I am excited for the challenge and to ensure the best quality education for the pupils of Langley Mill Academy. My priorities include continuing to develop an ambitious, knowledge-rich and sequenced curriculum as well as consistently high-quality teaching.”

Fellow headteacher, Beverley Walker-Gordon has also settled into her post as Headteacher of Djanogly Strelley Academy on Helston Drive, Strelley. Beverley has previously worked as a Specialist Teacher, Staff Coach and Mentor for Teaching and Learning, Head of Mathematics, Deputy Headteacher and Acting Headteacher, with over 13 years experience in education.

She said: “I am delighted to work alongside a wonderful team to ensure that our young people are beacons of their communities and well-rounded, successful citizens in their locality and beyond.

“I am excited about getting to know the Strelley community. We are designing a brand-new school library for the central hub of the school. We will also be working on an exciting community project involving pupils, families and the wider community.”

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