Worden boss rings the changes as he says a final farewell

The man credited with steering the transformation of what was once one of the area’s smallest, and endangered, high schools has rung the bell for the last time.

When he arrived as deputy head the Leyland school from Christ The King in Preston in January 2003 there were just 250 pupils on the roll - with just 35 in one year group - and it was in danger of being closed.

Now, 17 and a half years on, 10 of which he has been at the helm, Worden is packed , multi- award winning and a several-times winner of the Lancashire Post Education Awards.

Academic results have improved year on year with the best Progress 8 score in the town, but, the modest head says, success is all down to a good leadership team and the support of pupils and parents.

Chris recalls: “The biggest job was to improve results and get the reputation back on track.”

It was hard work which paid off and in 2013 Worden became Leyland’s first, and only academy.

He said: “ We did a lot to sell ourselves and it is very rewarding to see the numbers grow. We have some really fantastic staff and the team we have now is phenomenal.

“Growing the school has meant we have been able to extend the options offered to the young people of Leyland and we have had improvements to the school inside out.”

Chis said he never set out with the ambition of being a headteacher.

Born and raised in Wigan, he started out as a maths teacher in Northumberland. After around four and a half years he moved back to the North West so his wife could be nearer to family and got a teaching post in Runcorn before moving on to Preston.

After 10 years as head at Worden he said: “ There has been continuous improvement and this school is a nice place to be. I was never particularly ambitious to be a headteacher but am really glad things went the way they did and am proud of what we have achieved. It has been a real team effort but we were in it for the long haul.”

But, the father of three won't be leaving the world of education behind completely, his wife is staying on as careers adviser at Worden and his middle daughter is a primary school teacher.

He says he is leaving Worden in the capable hands of deputy Alan Hammersley.