The new principal of St John’s Marlborough has been announced as Nicky Edmondson.

Mrs Jane Butler, chair of governors at St John’s Marlborough, said the appointment came at the end of a recruitment process culminating in three days of interviews at the end of October,

Mrs Edmondson will take over the reins of the academy, rated Outstanding in all areas earlier this year, in September 2015 following the retirement of Dr Patrick Hazlewood after almost 20 years in the post.

She moves to St John’s from Penair School, a secondary academy with 1,100 students in Truro, Cornwall and brings a wealth of experience to the role.

Mrs Edmondson was born in Hereford. Her career began as an English teacher at Saintbridge School in Gloucester in 1990.

In 1998, she became head of English at Tewkesbury School and went on to become deputy headteacher of Kingsdown School in Swindon in 2001.

She was appointed headteacher at Henry Box School, Witney, in 2007, then moved to Cornwall in 2013 as headteacher at Penair School, Truro.

Mrs Edmondson is married to an art teacher who retired when the couple moved to Cornwall.

The couple will return to this area next year to enable Mrs Edmondson to take up what she describes as “a dream job”, with the added benefit of being closer to their family.

She said: “I am absolutely delighted to have been appointed as principal of St John’s from September 2015.

"It is a privilege to be joining such an innovative, forward-looking school with an outstanding reputation as an international academy.

"It was a real pleasure to meet the students and staff during my visit, and I am very much looking forward to working with them as well as parents and governors, as the academy moves into the next stage of its exciting development." 

Mrs Jane Butler, chair of governors at St John’s, led the recruitment process during which candidates were put through a rigorous series of interviews and presentations meeting representatives of staff, students, parents and governors.

She said: “I am delighted that Nicky Edmondson has accepted the position.

"I believe that her strong track record will enable St John’s to maintain its position as an outstanding academy, while at the same time she will bring her own style of working, to the benefit of our students. I very much look forward to working with her.”

Dr Hazlewood will retain close links to St John’s as he continues as chief executive of the Excalibur Academies Trust, of which St John’s is a founding member.

Following Dr Hazlewood’s retirement as principal at Easter next year, senior vice-principal Miles Whittaker will lead the academy through the summer term.