Headteacher of St Bart's announces her retirement

Christina Haddrell announced that she would be bringing her 15 year-involvement with the school to an end in December, once the school’s building project is completed later this year.
Mrs Haddrell served as the deputy head before being officially appointed as the head in 2011 after serving as the acting headteacher since 2009.
In a letter to parents, Mrs Haddrell said: “The opportunity to contribute to the leadership and management of the school, at an important time of transition and exciting new development, has been especially rewarding.”
“No head could be more fortunate; St Bart’s is a superb school with wonderful students, highly committed and capable staff and exceptionally dedicated and supportive governors.”
Mrs Haddrell said that she looked forward to welcoming new students to the school in September and wished current pupils success in their upcoming GCSE and A-level exams.
The school’s GCSE and A-level results have improved under Mrs Haddrell’s leadership and its Ofsted rating of ‘good’ in 2010 was recently upheld after an interim inspection in January 2013.
The chairman of governors at the school, Ian Peddie, said that Mrs Haddrell had been an excellent headteacher and that the school was very sad she was leaving.
Mr Peddie said that the school had already begun the process of looking for a new head and they would begin advertising in a few weeks time.
“We’re very keen to find someone who can build on Christina’s legacy and who will fully exploit the new facilities at the school,” he said.
Although Mrs Haddrell announced her retirement this week, Mr Peddie stressed that she would still be in charge of the school and she had announced her retirement now so that the process of appointing a new head could begin as soon as possible and her successor had time to settle in to the role.
A new head should be announced by January 2014.