Verulam School Appoints First Female Headteacher in its 83 Year History
Verulam School for boys, founded in 1938 as St Albans’ Boys’ Modern School, has appointed its first female Headteacher, Julie Richardson, who will take over from current Head, Paul Ramsey, in the Autumn term of September 2021.
Specialising in boys’ education, the school, which became part of the Alban Academies Trust in 2018, achieved an Ofsted ‘good’ rating from its recent inspection and promotes the values of excellence, character and respect. This appointment marks the growing impetus in the cultural shift in the school: inclusivity and relationships are the bedrock of the school, and Miss Richardson will add further dynamism to the vital focus.
London-born Miss Richardson, is the daughter of a former Deputy Head teacher, therefore teaching has always been in her blood. After graduating from Winchester University and completing a PGCE in English and Drama, she had the privilege of working in a number of London and Essex schools over the past 18 years. She has experience of single-sex education having attended an all-girls school herself and worked for three years as head of English at St. Ignatius College for boys. Miss Richardson is currently serving as the Vice Principal at Drapers’ Academy in the London Borough of Havering. Her experience to date, demonstrates her ability to form strong collegial links with school communities, something which Verulam strives to embed as part of the familial ethos of the school.
Miss Richardson said, “I am really proud to have the opportunity to lead and serve the staff, students and community into the next chapter of Verulam’s history. I was instantly struck by the warm and friendly welcome from everyone when I visited the school, and I feel honoured to be the leader of such a special community. I will be relentless in my drive to ensure that Verulam continues to be a place full of opportunities, experiences and where all pupils excel academically.”
John Acton, Chair of Verulam School Governors says “Julie was an outstanding candidate and the decision to appoint her was unanimous. Her vision and passion for boys’ education shone through during the interviews, as well as her in-depth knowledge and understanding of curriculum design, contemporary teaching and pastoral care of young people. She has a very inclusive approach to education and the highest of expectations for what can be achieved by everyone. We are confident that she will take the school to new levels of excellence and it will be a very exciting time for students and staff alike. We thank Paul Ramsey for all of the good work he has done and we wish him every success in his next role.”
“Verulam is now an integral member of the Alban Academies Trust, thanks to the work of Mr. Ramsey. We were looking for an exceptional person with the vision and passion to take over the reins and continue to lead Verulam to the next level in becoming a truly outstanding school. Miss Richardson meets all of our expectations and, in the years to come, will make a significant contribution to the development of the school and the Trust. This is an exciting time for Verulam, and I very much look forward to working with Miss Richardson in the future.” Alan Gray, Headteacher of Sandringham School and CEO of the Alban Academies Trust.
