Ormiston Six Villages Academy has appointed a new principal

Ormiston Six Villages Academy has appointed a new principal.
New Ormiston Six Villages Academy principal Paul Slaughter. Picture contributedNew Ormiston Six Villages Academy principal Paul Slaughter. Picture contributed
New Ormiston Six Villages Academy principal Paul Slaughter. Picture contributed

Paul Slaughter, the current deputy head at Worthing High School, will join the academy in Westergate at the start of the new academic year, taking over from Pat Walters and Alan Westerman, the current co-principals.

A statement from the academy said Mr Walters and Mr Westerman had been overseeing the academy as co-principals ‘on an interim basis’, whilst the recruitment process for a new principal ‘was ongoing’.

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In June, Ormiston said the appointment of the co-principals was set to build on the excellent improvements made under principal Umbar Sharif, who left at the end of the academic year.

However, just over a month later, the academy has replaced the pair for ‘local man’ Mr Slaughter, who they said ‘shares the academy’s commitment to high standards’.

The statement read: “With nearly 18 years of teaching experience, Paul has been a key member of the leadership team at Worthing High School, which was rated ‘good’ with ‘outstanding’ leadership and management by Ofsted in 2016.”

It added that Mr Slaughter brings ‘strong local knowledge and understanding of the area’ and he will be working ‘to continue to build on the work of his predecessor, Umbar Sharif’.The incoming principal said he is ‘delighted’ to have been appointed.

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He added: “The academy has achieved so much over the last two years and I look forward to working closely with the students, staff, parents, carers, and the team at Ormiston Academies Trust (academy sponsor), to build on the fantastic legacy of my predecessor and ensure that Six Villages is the academy of choice in the local area.

“I believe strongly in the importance of getting to know every child as an individual and ensuring we provide all our students with an education tailored to their individual needs, helping them to achieve their full potential.”

Antonio Betes, chair of the governing body at Ormiston Six Villages Academy, said he ‘looks forward to welcoming Mr Slaughter’, who he feels is the ‘right person to take the academy to the next level’.