Preston headteacher steps down after a year

The headteacher of Fulwood Academy in Preston has stepped down, leaving the school with its sixth headteacher in seven years.

David Lancaster, who has been headteacher of Fulwood Academy since April 2020, has moved on to a position at Buile Hill Academy in Salford, to be closer to his family.

Replacing Mr Lancaster for an interim period, will be the previous Vice Principal, Mr Lee McLinden, with a decision on a more permanent replacement being made in the near future.

In a statement to parents last week, Joan Dean, the Chair of Trustees for the school, said: “The most important thing is that Fulwood continues to make the excellent progress it has been making for the last two years.

“As parents you will know that at Fulwood we have built up a very strong Senior Leadership Team who are an impressive group of individuals who work well together.

“In light of Mr Lancaster’s news, it was an obvious choice to look to empower our existing leaders to give the school stability and ensure that momentum is not lost.”

The school, which has over 700 pupils, says that the change in headteachers has not disrupted their preparation for the new term, as their Covid safety measures were already planned before Mr Lancaster’s departure by a team who are still there to deliver them.

Fulwood Academy was previously led by headteachers Stephen Henry from 2014 to September 2018, and Philip Grant from January 2018 to June 2020, who were both replaced by interim headteachers following their departures.

Mr McLinden's latest appointment means in total 3 permanent and 3 interim headteachers have been in place since the current year 11s have been in school.

Fulwood Academy is a coeducational secondary school for children aged 11-16, and was previously Fulwood High School before becoming Preston’s first academy in 2009.