Shoreham primary school appoints new head teacher

Naomi Welsh will take up her post at the beginning of the autumn term following the retirement this summer of the incumbent, Lawrence Caughlin.

For Ms Welsh – who grew up in Southwick – it’s a dream come true. As a little girl, her family used to meet up for sunny get-togethers in the Swiss Cottage garden.

“I would tell everyone I was going to be the headteacher of Swiss Gardens one day,” she said.

In a letter to parents announcing the appointment, Ms Welsh said: “Professionally, my vision for education is clear: I want it all for the Swiss Gardens children!

"Every decision I ever make is with the children at front and centre of everything we do.

“I want for us to have the best results, the best library (true already!), the best sports teams, the best teachers, the best trips….my dreams are as big as yours and know we can work together to make Swiss Gardens super!”

Ms Welsh has been working in education for nearly 20 years and has a ‘real range of leadership experience’.

The current headteacher at Ferring CE Primary has led the school to achieve a ‘good’ Ofsted rating after many years of being told it ‘requires Improvement’. The school currently has a waiting list for pupils to join.

Ms Welsh has 20 years of experience across five schools teaching across all age groups.

Prior to her time at Ferring, she has been a literacy lead, a KS2 leader and assistant headteacher. She spent four years at Glebe and has a degree in law.

Alastair Reid, chair of governors said of Ms Welsh: “Beyond her credentials, what made her stand out during the recruitment process was her incredible energy, fun, and enthusiasm.

“This combined with her professionalism and absolute passion for children and the belief in the positive impact of well-rounded education, made her the standout and unanimous choice.

“The recruitment panel felt she was more than well placed to protect and grow the unique ethos of Swiss Gardens that we all hold dear.”