Stapleford Community Primary School says farewell to headteacher Christine Spain

A long-serving headteacher has been thanked for her seven years of dedicated service to Stapleford Community Primary School as part of her 35-year career.

Christine Spain began her teaching career in 1988 at a primary school in North Weald in Essex. She has since taught in a range of schools across Cambridgeshire, Essex, and Hertfordshire.

Christine was appointed to her first headship in 2006 and moved to Stapleford Community Primary School in 2015. In September 2018, Stapleford became a founding member of the primary hub of Anglian Learning multi academy trust.

Christine has recently seen the primary through another ‘good’ report from Ofsted and repeating the success of their 2013 inspection.

She is a founding member of the Chartered College of Teaching and is as enthusiastic and passionate about teaching now as she was in the 1980s.

Christine said: “I realised my dream to become a teacher, and it has been a real privilege to work with children for the past 35 year. I have loved seeing them learn and develop into such amazing young people. I can recall collecting my first class from the playground with their expectant faces looking at me on my first day.

“I have worked with some amazing colleagues who have supported me, encouraged me and allowed me to continue to flourish. Working at Stapleford has been amazing. The whole school community have invested so brilliantly in the school to make it the success it is. It has been a privilege too, to work with the brilliant Prue Rayner and my colleagues at Anglian Learning.”

Christine has overseen the school’s takeover of the breakfast and after school club, the successful opening of a brand new nursery six weeks before lockdown and working on numerous projects with the PTA.

Jonathan Culpin, CEO of Anglian Learning, said: “On behalf of all at Anglian Learning, I thank Christine for her leadership of Stapleford Community Primary School and over many years her service of education in Cambridgeshire and Essex. It has been a pleasure to work with and support Christine as she has inspired both staff and pupils and established a school where pupils are proud to learn and are empowered through the many opportunities available to them.”

Anglian Learning have appointed Laura Rawlings to the position of headteacher at Stapleford Community Primary School. Mrs Rawlings, who is currently deputy headteacher at an all-through academy, will take up the role in January.