Peterborough academy trust appoints secondary education advisers

Greenwood Academies Trust (GAT) runs Bishop Creighton, City of Peterborough, Dogsthorpe, Medeshamstede, Newark Hill, Stanground and Welland academies.

It has hired Claire Leitheiser from Academy Transformation Trust where she was principal at The Dukeries Academy in Nottinghamshire, helping the school transform from ‘Special Measures’ to being rated ‘Good’ by Ofsted.

She previously was a deputy principal in Guernsey at a school which also went from ‘Special Measures’ to ‘Good, and prior to that was a teaching and learning adviser and executive senior leader for 22 schools across Germany, Cyprus and Gibraltar.

The trust said: “Claire has extensive experience in supporting disadvantaged pupils, as well as a Master’s degree in educational leadership.”

Peter Kirkbride joins GAT from Brooke Weston Trust where he was head of Brooke Weston Teaching School and principal of Brooke Weston Academy, in Corby, an ‘Outstanding’ academy which is among the top five per cent of the best performing non-selective secondary schools and sixth forms in the country.

Prior to that, Peter was a teacher for many years at a secondary school in Leicester where he specialised in safeguarding, student care, data and raising standards. He has a Master’s degree in educational leadership and innovation.

As SEAs, Claire and Peter will monitor and support academy performance through leadership, pupil progression, behaviour and teaching and enrichment opportunities in order to try and deliver good or better outcomes.

Wayne Norrie, chief executive of Greenwood Academies Trust, said: “We are delighted to welcome Claire and Peter as our new secondary education advisers. Their experience will be such an asset to our pupils and staff and I very much look forward to working with them.

“We believe that all pupils across Greenwood Academies Trust deserve the highest quality education, and Claire and Peter will play vital roles in continuing this provision in our secondary academies.”

Claire said: “I am delighted to join the team at Greenwood Academies Trust. The vision for the trust’s secondary academies is an exciting opportunity to make a real difference to the pupils in our care, and I am very much looking forward to working across the trust to support in delivering this.”

Peter said: “Greenwood Academies Trust is underpinned by the philosophy that the curriculum in each academy should meet the needs of pupils and enable them to fulfil their potential.

“I am thrilled to be part of a trust that is committed to raising standards for all pupils and I look forward to getting to know the academies over the coming months.”