Education

Shebbear College appoints new head

Shebbear College’s new head said he is ‘extremely honoured’ to be leading the school into its next chapter. Charlie Jenkins, the current senior deputy head at the school, will start his new role at the college in September. Mr Jenkins, who was selected from a strong field by a panel of Shebbear Governors, Methodist Independent School Trustees and leaders, will take over from the current Head, Caroline Kirby, who announced earlier this year that she would be standing down at the end of the 2021-2022 academic year to relocate to the Cotswolds, with her husband and three children.

With more than a decade of senior school leadership, coupled with extensive teaching and pastoral care experience, Mr Jenkins joined Shebbear College in September 2020 from Licensed Victuallers’ School in Ascot where he was the deputy head (academic and co-curricular). Before that he worked at Pangbourne College, Berkshire, where he was head of geography and assistant boarding housemaster.

Since being at Shebbear he has worked alongside Mrs Kirby and the rest of the senior leadership team in implementing the school’s five-year strategic development plan as well as being a key player in achieving the recent outstanding Independent Schools Inspectorate (ISI) report, which concluded that the quality of pupils’ academic achievements and pupils’ personal development are ‘Excellent’. ‘I feel extremely honoured to be leading Shebbear College into its next chapter,’ he said. ‘The foundations laid by Caroline are extremely strong and I know the school is in an excellent place to continue to move forward with characteristic Shebbear courage and compassion! We have a fantastic team of staff and pupils here and I am thrilled to have the opportunity to continue working with them as the next Head, developing the further success of our wonderful school, whilst also preserving all that we know is so special about it.’ Mr Jenkins graduated from Exeter University with a BA (Hons) in geography and moved back to Devon when he accepted the senior deputy head role at Shebbear College. In his free time he can be found enjoying the outdoors, dog walking, running and learning to kite surf.

‘I am really happy that Charlie has been appointed as my successor’ said Mrs Kirby. ‘I know that he will continue to drive Shebbear forward as a 21st century school, with the added advantage of knowing it inside out already. Since Charlie joined our school, he has gained the respect of pupils, staff and parents alike, as well as being a huge support to me during my tenure as Head. I have thoroughly enjoyed working alongside Charlie and wish him the best of luck in the future.’

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Powerful partnerships benefit the community

A new cardiovascular training suite based at Okehampton College has recently opened for local students and residents.

Dartmoor Multi Academy Trust’s community team was successful in its applications to access grants, focusing on opening school facilities to the community after the pandemic. The grants were Lottery funded and delivered by Active Devon. Derrick Brett, DMAT’s executive director of civic leadership, was able to use local contacts and partnerships with Okehampton College and OCRA to purchase reconditioned gym equipment which would be used by college students for lessons and after school clubs and by local community groups during out of school hours through independent bookings made via the OCRA booking service. In due course, the Primary Care Network will aim to work with OCRA to provide supervised prescribed exercises sessions, using the new equipment. This project will enhance the opportunities for young people and members of the local communities to be more physically active beyond the school day and remove barriers to participation. The launch was attended by Rebecca Skinner programmes manager at Active Devon, Ian Blythe OCRA general manager, Christine Marsh, trustee of OCRA and town councillor, Mr Brett and Melissa Trudgill, DMAT’s community engagement manager. Both the trust and OCRA are looking forward to working with Active Devon in the future. Mr Brett said: ‘We are most grateful to Active Devon for their support in developing this facility which will be valuable to both college and the work of the OCRA in the community.’

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