Stromness Academy needs a new head teacher, and they’re hoping to avoid the fate of other island schools that have spent months – sometimes years – trying to find the right candidate.
Staff and parents have joined the campaign to try to entice a new head teacher to their corner of the north.
The school has had an acting head teacher since July of this year, and after two rounds of advertising, the right candidate hasn’t come forward yet.
But council staff and the school community are confident that Stromness Academy is an ideal place to work, and they can still avoid the long periods of leadership limbo that have plagued many other island schools.
School and community together
Parent Lianne Taylor has had two daughters at Stromness and she sang the praises of the school and community.
One of her daughters, Jayden, was recently crowned queen during Stromness Shopping Week, a well-respected honour within the community.
Giving students a chance to grow within the school and the wider community are part of what makes Stromness Academy a great school, she said.
And it doesn’t hurt that its surroundings are gorgeous, she said.
“Stromness Academy is set in beautiful surroundings with views of the harbour from most departments.
“The community as well as the school staff are supportive and encouraging of the pupils who attend there and there are many opportunities offered both in and outwith the school day.”
And the right leader is critical to success, she added.
“A strong approachable head teacher is so important for a school. They are the person, along with their teaching staff, that you put your child in the care of for the majority of the day.
“It is important that they are always striving for the best for the pupils, teachers and community and are adaptable to the everchanging landscape that young people negotiate.
“They are what holds a school together.”
Community for life
Former Stromness student Hamish Flett loved the academy so much that he couldn’t help but return. Mr Flett is now the principal PE teacher. He said that the academy has plenty to offer students and staff.
His ideal candidate is someone who is willing to learn about what makes the community tick and meet students and staff where they are.
“It’s not just the pupils and community that make the school special, there’s also the staff. Because it’s a smaller school there is a real team feeling. Teaching can be hard work, but you get out what you put in and I come away with a high level of job satisfaction.”
“We need someone who is willing to understand the pupils and the communities they come from, to be aware of the challenges to ensure equal opportunities for all and to strike up positive relationships from the off.
“Stromness Academy is a fantastic school with pupils who are respectful not just within school but also if you happen to bump into them within the community. I think that speaks volumes about the kind of kids we are nurturing.”
Interested in the job?
If you think you might be the right fit for Stromness Academy, the job details are available online.
The positions pays £73,620 per year, including a Distant Islands Allowance. The six-year secondary school hosts roughly 350 students. The catchment area covers the town of Stromness and the West Mainland, plus the islands of Hoy and Graemsay.
More than two-thirds of the student population travel in by bus or ferry.
To learn more about the job or living in Orkney, contact Jane Partridge at jane.partridge@glow.orkneyschools.org.uk.
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