New Peterborough headteacher ‘immensely proud’ to take over at school

Kate Pereira and Sean Hayes EMN-190325-104243009

Kate Pereira will become the new head at St John Fisher Catholic High School in Park Lane, Eastfield, on Tuesday, April 23.

Kate replaces Sean Hayes who is retiring after more than a decade in the role.

Sean, who turns 60 this month, took over after the school had been placed in special measures, the entire board of governors had been sacked and the previous head had resigned.

But rapid improvements saw the school turn its fortunes around and it is now rated ‘Good’, with results last year showing pupil progress at GCSE level was above the national average.

Kate was assistant head at the school for eight years until 2015.

She then went to St Thomas More in Bedford as deputy head, followed by St Benedict’s in Bury St Edmunds as head.

She said: “St John Fisher has been on a journey of significant improvement over the past 10-and-a-half years under the strong leadership of Sean Hayes.

“Having worked closely with Sean I feel privileged and immensely proud to be taking over the leadership of such a wonderful school. St John Fisher is very special and in many ways a unique school.

“I am delighted to be returning after four years in two other Catholic schools as deputy head and head. What I love is the family feel of St John Fisher because of its small size and the way everybody is known well.

“I am particularly looking forward to getting to know staff, students, parents and governors over the course of my first half term, some of whom I already know from my previous time at St John Fisher.

“I am also looking forward to working with the talented, dedicated staff body to establish our next steps for the school in order to take St John Fisher on into the future.”