A NEW principal has been appointed at Cowes Enterprise College.
Rachel Kitley will take on the role from outgoing principal John Peckham in September.
Formerly a co-headteacher at Kingsbury High School, London — a school rated good by Ofsted, where 65 per cent of students last year achieved good GCSEs compared with the national average of 59.3 per cent — Ms Kitley will move to the Isle of Wight with her husband and two children.
She said: "I am thrilled to be joining Cowes Enterprise College and the Ormiston Academies Trust family. It is a privilege and an honour to be appointed as principal, to build on the amazing work that John has overseen at the academy in recent years.
"Like John, I believe in the power of education to transform lives for all and I will do everything I can to enable students at Cowes to achieve excellent outcomes at school."
John, who will remain at the school until February to provide advice and support, said: "Rachel Kitley is the perfect fit for our academy, and I look forward to working closely with her in the coming months as she settles in to the new role.
"I am proud of the solid foundations that have been put in place for sustained improvement at the academy, and I look forward to watching it continue to go from strength to strength.
"Cowes Enterprise College is quickly becoming a school of choice on the Island, with Year 7 applications up 13 per cent since 2014. The number of students completing Year 13 has trebled and more students than ever before are going on to Russell Group universities.
"Rachel is joining at a great time and I know the academy community will join me in welcoming her with open arms."
Ormiston chief executive Toby Salt said: "Rachel has the experience, passion and commitment to continue to drive the success of the academy and to build on the brilliant leadership team which has already achieved such great results."
Cowes' chair of governors David Sword said: "After a highly competitive recruitment process, we are delighted to appoint Rachel Kitley. She has the drive, ambition and vision to continue to build on the foundations that John has laid and take our academy forward."