Principal Appointed for Proposed Accrington Academy

Following a rigorous national recruitment exercise, the United Learning Trust (ULT) has announced its intention to appoint Mr Andrew Bateman as the Principal of its proposed Accrington Academy.

Mr Bateman is currently Head Teacher of Accrington Moorhead Sports College which the proposed academy would replace.

Mr Bateman has been Head Teacher at Moorhead since 2001 and, under his leadership, the College has made considerable progress trebling its percentage of students with five or more A* - C grades in the past three years.

His extensive career in education began as a teacher of maths and special educational needs and has included leadership roles in a series of schools in Calderdale, Yorkshire. Mr Bateman studied at Coventry College of Education and has an Advanced Diploma from Leeds University and an MSc in Educational Research from Bradford University. He is married with two grown-up sons.

Announcing his appointment, Sir Ewan Harper, Chief Executive of the United Learning Trust, the educational charity which will operate the proposed academy, said:

"We have had the pleasure of working with Mr Bateman over the past year in his current position. His considerable experience in education and his drive and commitment shone through in a very strong field of applicants for the post.

"He is a strong and popular leader and has been critical to the progress made by the College over the past few years. We are delighted to have appointed him as the academy’s Principal."

Mr Bateman said:

"I am very excited by the opportunity to lead Accrington Academy. I have been closely involved with the United Learning Trust over the past year in developing the academy proposal and am delighted to have the chance to take forward what we have been planning. We have achieved a great deal in the past few years at Moorhead. But there is still a long way to go and this can be accelerated by the investment, independence and support that we will receive by becoming an academy". Home