Welcome

Dear Applicant,

Thanks for taking an interest in the post of Principal at Fullhurst Community College. If you are looking for a manageable job as the traditional head of a conventional school, you might as well stop reading now. Fullhurst is not for you.

Why do I say that? In December 2008, the school was placed in Special Measures. Even though it wasn’t entirely unexpected, it was still a shock. And it was difficult to see how things were going to get better, at least in the short term. The debate about the future status of the school seemed to be going round in circles, the staff were struggling with a hugely complex building programme, and, to cap it all, GCSE results were well below floor targets.

All of which means that you would be mad to apply for the job as Principal. Unless, of course, you have something a bit special about you.

Perhaps you are the kind of person who is not inclined to take the easy option when you could do something a bit more difficult and, potentially, a lot more rewarding. And if you are that kind of person, it won’t take you long to work out that, far from being on the ropes, Fullhurst offers you a real opportunity to make the kind of difference that many school leaders talk about, but few achieve.

Since last year, we have moved into the new building, which has exceeded expectations, we have almost sealed the deal on becoming a National Challenge Co-operative Trust, and the place is buzzing with possibilities. We even have the results to prove it. The current Year 11 have already performed better in the November entry for English and Maths, than did their predecessors in the summer exams last year. That tells you an awful lot about the potential for improvement at the school.

Despite all that, we know that we are only at the beginning of a long journey… which is where you come in. We’ve had a brilliant leadership team in place for the last 6 months, but it’s been a temporary arrangement. We aren’t going to be able to sustain the improvement they have made without putting the leadership of the school on a more permanent footing.

What we are looking for is somebody with the vision and drive to keep the momentum going and move us onto another level. We don’t just want to be good, we want to be outstanding, even though we recognise that it might take some time to get there. The Principal we are looking for will genuinely like our pupils, will have what it takes to motivate staff, will be able to enthuse our community, and will know how to achieve and celebrate success.

We also know that nobody could achieve this on their own. We wouldn’t expect that, and we aren’t looking for the kind of person who thinks they could. That’s why the National Challenge Co-operative Trust is so important. For the last 12 months, the school has been in a partnership with Rushey Mead, an outstanding school on the other side of Leicester. This has allowed an exchange of experience and expertise at all levels which has made a real contribution towards the improvement that has already happened. If you are appointed to the Headship of Fullhurst, you will have the support of Carolyn Robson, the Headteacher of Rushey Mead, as Executive Headteacher. With this, and the support of the current senior leadership team at the school, all the cards will be stacked in your favour. One of the things about Fullhurst is that it’s the kind of school, with the kind of students in the kind of place that quickly gets under your skin. It could be just the thing you are looking for.

If you decide to put in an application, I very much look forward to meeting you,

Patrick Scott
Chair, Interim Executive Board