New Principal for Bowerhill Primary School – Experienced school leader outlines his vision for the school

BOWERHILL Primary School recently appointed Chris Light as their new school principal, following the departure of Rachel Skates earlier in the year. 

The new principal has over 12 years of experience in education, including three years teaching in Dubai. Most recently, he held the position of headteacher at St Thomas a Becket School in Tilshead, where he led the school to a Good Ofsted rating in September 2021. 

Asked what skills he hopes to bring to the school as an educational leader, he said, “As a school leader, I have built excellent relationships throughout the school communities I have worked in. I believe I am open and transparent as a school leader, putting the needs of the children at the centre of everything we try to achieve. 

“I have high ambitions for Bowerhill and I want to work towards becoming a beacon of excellent practice within The White Horse Federation and beyond.”

Living very close to the school, Chris Light hopes to strengthen his connection with parents, staff and pupils over the period ahead. 

He said, “The school community can expect a great deal of visibility from myself and communication moving forward. I have already met lots of parents and have the first Parent Forum booked in for early July.

“I want to be outward facing and celebrate the amazing work that goes on every day at Bowerhill. I think everyone has had a difficult time during the pandemic, schools especially have needed to adapt and form new ways of working, and I am looking to make the most of the limited restrictions we have to adhere to now and look towards the future.”

About his first impressions of the school community, he said, “The staff have been brilliant since I arrived. I have met with all groups of staff already and everyone is really enthusiastic about the future of the school. Considering we are getting towards the end of the year and they have dealt with a lot of change this year, I couldn’t have asked for a more cohesive, committed group of staff who always put the children first.

“The children have also been fantastic. Whenever I walk into a classroom the children have been so welcoming and warm. I’ve been inundated with cards and pictures from lots of children and have a constant stream of children wanting to share their work that they’ve put so much effort into which have been the highlights of my days so far.”

About what inspires him most about teaching, Chris said, “Teaching really is a very noble profession and I feel is a career that people can feel incredibly proud to be a part of. Throughout the pandemic it has become clear that the perception of schools and the education sector has changed. I believe that many people now see school and education as the pillar of society that it is. Teaching goes so far beyond reading, writing and maths.  

“We have an obligation to provide the best academic opportunities to our children alongside the best pastoral care. I find inspiration in the relationships that teachers build with children and their families and seeing them flourish. We all have stories of our favourite teachers at school and the impact they had on our lives, even though they have no idea the impact they had. It is the unspoken legacy of educators that makes it the best job in the world.”

Bowerhill Primary School is a member of The White Horse Federation, a Multi Academy Trust of over 30 schools in the South West of England.