Thursday, May 21, 2015

Harington School Oakham announced the appointment of Mrs Dyl Powell as Headteacher for the new Sixth Form Free School

Harington School Oakham announced the appointment of Mrs Dyl Powell as Headteacher for the new Sixth Form Free School, which opens in September.

Dyl is moving from her current position as Head of Stamford High School.

“We are delighted to have recruited such a successful and talented leader as Dyl to be Harington’s first Headteacher,” says Dr Robert Guthrie, Chair of Trustees. “Her experience in leading roles in both the independent and the state sector, as well as her demonstrable passion for holistic education and academic excellence, is precisely what we have been seeking.”

“Appointing an outstanding Headteacher is the final piece of the jigsaw,” says Nigel Lashbrook, Headmaster at Oakham School. “With over 200 applications from students, all of the full-time teaching posts now in place, and the building work scheduled to start in June, Harington School is now poised to offer excellent Sixth Form education to the students of Rutland.”

“I am certainly looking forward to being able to blend academic excellence with a holistic approach to education,” says Mrs Powell. “To have the chance to lead Harington, from the very beginning, is a superb opportunity. I’m looking forward to shaping the future of not only the School, but also the hundreds of pupils from Rutland who will benefit from having a rigorously academic Sixth Form education on their doorstep.”  Dyl, which she has been known as instead of her name of Yvonne since aged 11, is also local, living in Stamford with her husband and her Jack Russell, Barney.

Dr Guthrie adds “We are extremely pleased with the high quality of teaching staff we have recruited and with an impressive Board of Trustees, including the Lord Lieutenant of Rutland and leading academics from local universities, all of which forms the basis of a very strong team to support the new Headteacher.”

Stuart Williams, Principal at Catmose College where Harington is to be situated, describes how he is “delighted with the excellent appointment of Dyl Powell, who will further build on the work already completed by the sponsor schools, and will help ensure that Harington School becomes a very successful academic Sixth Form”.

Jan Turner, Principal at UCC, says that “Whilst the level of demand for places has been extremely high, I have no doubt that Dyl’s appointment will provide applicants and their parents with even greater confidence about the school’s future”.

Students wanting to study at Harington in September are being urged to accept their offers to ensure they don’t lose out on a space, given the high volume of applicants. 

An induction day will be held on Thursday 2 July, where all students will have opportunities to meet their new teachers.