Our Headteachers (ID 1109)

• Lucie Hernandez
  Headteacher: Stowmarket High School
  Lucie Hernandez

  Lucie has been a school leader for over fifteen years and has experience of senior leadership in a range of contexts including Ealing, Camden, Northolt and now Suffolk.

  Lucie has worked in contexts with high levels of deprivation, challenging behaviour, and challenges with SEND provision. She has supported a local all-through academy as the Chair of the education committee and SEND link trustee, and has reviewed outstanding schools through the Challenge Partners programme.

  As part of her NPQH, Lucie supported a primary school within her trust to improve processes, procedures, and overall outcomes. In her time as a leader she has a proven success rate of improving schools, in both student outcomes and Ofsted grades. As Headteacher at Stowmarket High, her leadership has been recognised as driving significant improvements in its most recent Ofsted monitoring visit.

  Lucie's colleagues describe her as a passionate leader with a strong moral purpose and a relentless work ethic and a belief that all students should have the opportunity to thrive at school.

• Rob Lee
  Headteacher: Roman Hill Primary School
  Rob Lee

  Rob's journey to headship began in 2009 when he volunteered in a local primary school. He went on to become a teaching assistant then HLTA, then qualified as a teacher and became a key stage lead. He then spent three years at a primary school in Norwich as part of their senior leadership team, both as Assistant Head and Deputy Head. He joined Roman Hill during the pandemic year of 2020 in a newly-created Deputy Head role before being appointed as Headteacher in Autumn 2022.

  Having grown up just a stone's throw from Roman Hill and inside the school's catchment area, Rob strives to build positive links with the community. Alongside this commitment his passion is maths, having gained both a BSc degree and a TSS (teacher subject specialism) in this area.

• Sarah Gallagher
  Headteacher: Snape Primary School
  Sarah Gallagher

• Sarah Hartshorn
  Headteacher: Sir John Leman High School & 6th Form
  Sarah Hartshorn

  Sarah was appointed as Headteacher of Sir John Leman in April 2024. She has over 25 years of experience working in education, with over 16 of those years as a senior leader. She spent 19 years working in inner London schools before moving to Norfolk to continue her work on school improvement.

  Having taken her previous school in London from 'Special Measures' to 'Good', her school was awarded an SSAT Education Outcome Award for being in the top 10% nationally, in recognition of the progress made. Her last headship in King's Lynn saw her take a failing school onto achieve the best results in the area. Sarah's colleagues describe her as a transformational and tenacious leader and as a leader who works tirelessly with her colleagues. Sarah believes that all children who attend Sir John Leman should receive the best possible education, allowing all to reach their desired destination.

• Susan Bacon
  Headteacher: Northgate Primary School
  Susan Bacon

  Susan has been Headteacher at Northgate Primary School since January 2024. Prior to this, she was Headteacher at Southtown Primary School for several years. She has a particular passion for SEND and for raising the aspirations of children in the Great Yarmouth community.

• Ben Newstead
  Headteacher: Southtown Primary School
  Ben Newstead

  Ben has held senior leadership roles in schools of varying sizes since 2012 across Lincolnshire, Peterborough and now Norfolk. Ben is an advocate for the use of the arts and technology within education; he is passionate about financial education, educational visits and enrichment opportunities to develop the life skills of all. Ben has a degree in Drama & Education Studies, a PGCE, NPQH and he completed a Master’s in School Based Leadership and Management during the pandemic, graduating with this in 2022.

  Ben joined Southtown Primary School in November 2024 and is excited to build wider community links whilst maintaining the fundamentals of the school day.

• Gavin Hetherington
  Headteacher: Alde Valley Academy
  Gavin Hetherington

  Gavin has been a school leader in Suffolk for the past nine years, predominantly leading on behaviour, safeguarding and attendance, but also responsible for curriculum and student progress. Previously Deputy Headteacher at East Bergholt High School, he was part of a leadership team who delivered sustained improvement to student outcomes.

  Gavin has previously been a trust appointed governor at a large sixth-form college and is now Vice-Chair of Governors at a primary school in Ipswich. Gavin is highly motivated by improving the life choices of students, particularly those who face challenges in early life. Colleagues would describe him as committed and driven by a strong moral purpose.

  Gavin is passionate about improving the outcomes for the young people of Leiston as well as establishing the school at the heart of the community.