A headteacher who helped take a secondary school out of monitoring has left after three years for a new challenge.

From January, Caereinion High School headteacher Iona Davies will start a new position as a translator for Ceredigion County Council.

She said: “I’ve enjoyed working with the young people in the area, and the school as well. I’m confident that there is a bright future. I feel that I’ve done my best here at Caereinion.

“I’m proud of the fact that we’ve left Estyn monitoring and I think it’s time to move on and face a new challenge and pass the baton on.”

When she joined in 2015, it was a school that schools inspectorate Estyn said required ‘significant’ improvement.

“It’s been an interesting time, it’s been a challenging time as well. When I arrived here, the school was in monitoring and during that time we have come out of Estyn monitoring, so that is good news as well.

“It’s been teamwork. It’s been a matter of leading a team, a team of very dedicated and talented staff, governors, parents, and pupils. Every member of the team is important.

 

“Success isn’t possible without all members of the team pulling together and aspiring towards the same goal.”

Ms Davies will move back home to Ceredigion to start her new job in the new year which she describes as a different but positive challenge.

“It is going to be a complete change from what I’m doing at present. I studied languages at university and I’ve always had a love of languages, and now it’s an opportunity to do something different and to pursue an interest that I’ve always had anyway.”

She ends a 31-year-and-a-term teaching career at Caereinion High School. During that time, she taught in Cardiff, and spent 25 years at Ysgol Dyffryn Teifi in Llandysul, before moving to Caereinion.

Ms Davies says a real highlight during the three years is the school becoming a national finalist in the prestigious Rolls Royce Prize, which she described was a ‘privilege’ and quite an achievement for the school.

Philip Jones, from South Wales, will be taking the place of Ms Davies in January.

“He’s been a very pleasant man to work with and I know, and I trust that the school will thrive and go from strength to strength under his leadership,” she said.