Two Copeland schools on one dual site have welcomed two new headteachers as they kick off the new academic year.
Mayfield School and St Benedict’s Catholic High School, both housed on the new £30 million Campus Whitehaven development, welcome Mrs Samantha Kidd and Mrs Emma Jackson respectively, as they both help lead their schools on a new and exciting era.
Speaking of her new appointment at Mayfield, Samantha said “I am very excited to lead Mayfield School forward as it embarks on a new chapter in its life. There have been significant achievements here from both its students and its staff and I look forward to welcoming everyone here as we go forward together. It is an exciting time to be joining with the amazing new facilities on offer, and I want to build on the wonderful sense of community and togetherness I feel in this school”
Prior to her role, Samantha was executive headteacher of Northside and Dearham, as well as being headteacher of Bransty Primary School in Whitehaven and Ashfield Junior School in Workington.
Equally excited to be bringing her school forward in its new era is Emma, who recently left her post as headteacher of St Gregorys & St Patrick’s Catholic Infant School in Whitehaven, and St Patrick’s Catholic Primary School in Cleator Moor.
“I am absolutely delighted to be taking over at St Benedict’s Catholic High School. The staff are enthusiastic and the children are keen to learn. I want to lead with one word: compassion. As a Catholic school, I am eager to continue fostering an ethos that every child in our school matters and I want to ensure that every child, from Year 7 to Year 13, will succeed in achieving their maximum potential”
Both Mayfield School and St Benedict’s Catholic High School moved onto the dual Campus Whitehaven site in January 2019. Both schools had previously been led by Mrs Gillian Temple, who retired from Mayfield School this summer, and Mr Steve Bridgman, who was Acting Headteacher for St Benedict’s. Steve is currently Acting Deputy Headteacher for the school. Campus Whitehaven is £30 million investment from a range of partners, including Cumbria County Council, Sellafield Ltd, the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority and Copeland Community Fund. The Campus has a range of state of the art facilities available for public hire, including leisure, sporting and performing arts. To find out more, please email lettings@st-benedicts.cumbria.sch.uk
