Headteacher to leave James Calvert Spence College in Amble as part of 'significant staffing changes'

Neil Rodgers is stepping down as part of a restructuring of the school’s leadership team as it prepares to move to a two-tier structure.

In a letter, he said: “After the best part of nine amazing years at JCSC I’ve decided the time is right for me to pass on the baton and I am moving to a school in Gateshead from September.

"It’s not been an easy decision, but I think now is a good time for me to take on a fresh challenge and it’s also a good time for the school to have a new headteacher.”

He added: “I am confident that the post of headteacher at JCSC will attract a very competitive field – whoever my replacement is will take over a good school with superb students and amazing staff team, moving into an exciting new phase with a new building.”

Governors have held an initial meeting to discuss the recruitment process.

Mr Rodgers also revealed a number of other ‘significant staffing changes’ to meet the ever-changing needs of students and challenges faced in the wider community.

He said: "Given that we are transitioning from a 9-18 into an 11-18 secondary school by September of next year, now seems like the perfect time to put structures in place that we can be confident will be appropriate for our school.

“As a result, one of the main changes we will implement from September is to no longer have a ‘Head of School’ - a role linked to the days of a split-site JCSC.

"Instead, we will have a deputy headteacher who will perform very similar tasks and be a key figure in both the strategic direction and operational running of the school.

“Additionally, we have further increased our leadership capacity by creating some new roles. We are currently recruiting nationally for an additional assistant headteacher, head of behaviour and pastoral, and second in humanities and modern foreign languages. These new positions will further enhance our ability to deliver high quality education to all students. Key to the wider development of our students will be the appointment to another new post - leader of personal development and character education.”