Noel-Baker Academy welcomes Kate Richardson as new Headteacher

Congratulations to Kate Richardson who began her first headship role at Noel-Baker Academy in Derby this month, having been the academy’s Deputy Headteacher since 2017.

As Headteacher, Kate has pledged to build on the good work of her predecessor and prioritise pupils’ confidence, resilience and ambition, celebrating success at every opportunity.

The former English teacher has been acting head of school for 12 months and, although the position is her first official headship, she does not plan to make any sweeping changes overnight.

Instead, Kate intends to continue to ensure that pupils at the Alvaston school, which is currently rated Good by Ofsted, receive the best possible education and co-curricular offering.

She said: “Over the last few years we have built really strong foundations for Noel-Baker Academy and so any changes we make must be sustainable and create strong building blocks for future successes.

“Although our pupils are drawn from a wide catchment, the school is situated in a diverse area and some of our children can lack confidence in themselves; they just don’t always understand how extraordinary they are and how extraordinary they can be in the future.

“This is something we need to cultivate in our young people and one way of doing this is to offer parents and carers the opportunity to gain qualifications too.

“I also want to look at extending our extra-curricular offering, with more opportunities for foreign travel and activities students may not access at home. We already have lots of clubs such as a choir, chess, gardening and cooking.

“I want to build on this and create even more of these viable opportunities for children to experience.”

Within the classroom Kate plans to ensure that lessons and learning are continually renewed and improved throughout the provision and aims to introduce pupils to a wider range of professions, so they are exposed to the many possibilities available to them after leaving the school, which is part of the L.E.A.D. Academy Trust.

As part of this Kate, who is also a mum of two, hopes to encourage Noel-Baker alumni to come forward and talk to children about their careers.

She added: “The Noel-Baker community is strong – we have some staff who have been here for 25 years and five members of staff who were pupils here themselves, there is a sense that once you are Noel-Baker, you are always Noel-Baker.

“But at the same time, I want our pupils to realise that anything is possible. We teach every child in keystage three Latin, and I’m keen that our children have as many opportunities open to them as anyone else – regardless of their beginnings.

“I want our pupils to feel that they can fit into any situation, that their destiny could be the top level of society. Education, confidence, ambition and resilience are the pathways to this and I want every child coming through the doors of Noel-Baker to have these in abundance.”

“The Noel-Baker community is strong. I want our pupils to realise that anything is possible. I want them to feel that they can fit into any situation, that their destiny could be the top level of society.”

Kate Richardson, Headteacher, Noel-Baker Academy