Kate Fairbrother

Head Teacher

Having been ‘born’ into the teaching profession, with a real-life Mary Poppins as a mother, educating young people and offering the best possible opportunities and educational excellence to the children in my care has always been my greatest passion.

My early teaching career began in Inner City London in challenging schools, followed by a period in Bedfordshire where I progressed to Deputy Headship and Acting Headship in a large Lower School and then to a substantive Headship in another large Lower School serving a diverse community. For the last 13 years, I have been in the very privileged position of Headteacher at Landkey Community Primary Academy in North Devon.

During my time here, I have successfully led the team through several Ofsted inspections, including one judged to be outstanding in 2011. The parting comment from the Lead Inspector at our most recent inspection was that out of the numerous schools he had inspected, Landkey was the one he would choose for his own children!

In more recent years, from 2012, I was appointed as a National Leader for Education and have worked alongside several schools to support school improvement. Securing the best possible educational outcomes for the children in North Devon whilst working with such schools was very much a driving force when committing to join the Tarka Learning Partnership in 2018.

Working with such an incredible team within the Multi Academy Trust, in order to benefit and improve the life chances for our local children, further motivated and inspired me to progress to the unique and exciting opportunity as Headteacher of the new school, Rounsdwell Community Primary Academy – an honour that I am certain will be most rewarding. In addition, I will remain as Head Teacher at Landkey school until September 2021 and Deputy Lucy Mardling will be assisting to provide continuous provision and cover. We will ensure continuity and stability for the school during the transition period and subsequent appointment at Landkey.

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Andy Cotton

CEO and leading the recruitment of staff

Emma Stubbs

Business Manager