Headteacher, Mr M.Capel, is bidding a fond farewell to Highfields as he retires after almost a decade at the helm.
Mr Capel took over as Headteacher of the school in 2007 and led the huge project to move it into its state-of-the-art £44 million building in 2012.
Under his leadership, Highfields has seen academic standards improve year on year, with it celebrating record GCSE results last year and being heralded by Ofsted as Good with outstanding features. It was recently named the most popular school in Wolverhampton, with 747 pupils applying for 252 Year 7 places this September.
Graham Tate, who has been Deputy Headteacher at Highfields for the past 12 years, will take over as Headteacher from September.
Mr Capel is one of a number of a number of long-standing members of staff retiring from the school ahead of the summer break. They include English teacher Mrs L.O’Shea, Religious Education teacher Ms G.Neale, History teacher Mrs C.Hall and Product Design teacher Mr S.Mark, who have worked at the school for a combined 95 years.
Mr Capel said: “It has been a real privilege to work with so many dedicated and outstanding colleagues, with students who want to learn and develop and with parents who want the very best for their children.
“I would like to say a huge thank you to them for the tremendous support and goodwill they have shown to both me and the school over the last nine years.
“It will be difficult not being at Highfields every day. I will miss the people, the atmosphere, the energy and the enthusiasm of a truly unique establishment but I am looking forward to retirement to spend more time with my grandchildren, working in my garden and walking around the golf course.
“My nine years at the school pale into insignificance against the combined years of service of Mrs O’Shea, Ms Neale, Mrs Hall and Mr Mark. It has been a privilege to work alongside such colleagues and I wish them all a very happy retirement.
Mrs O'Shea, Mr Mark, Mrs Hall and Ms Neale are retiring after a combined 95 years at Highfields
“I will take my retirement knowing that the school is in very safe hands under Mr Tate. I have every confidence that he will be an outstanding Headteacher in ensuring that Highfields continues to be an excellent school where every child really does matter.”
Mr Tate, who worked as Acting Headteacher at the school last year while Mr Capel was on secondment to Ofsted, said: “Mr Capel’s legacy is a school that works to give each and every one of our students the best possible foundation to go on to succeed in their lives. The Highfields community that he has played such a huge part in shaping is one that staff and pupils are proud to be a part of.
“I wholeheartedly share Mr Capel’s values as a Headteacher and will take these forward as Highfields moves into the next stage of its development as we work to make a great school even better.”
