NEW PRINCIPAL JOINS JUDGEMEADOW COMMUNITY COLLEGE
New principal joins Judgemeadow Community College
Judgemeadow Community College (managed by the Lionheart Educational Trust since 2018), welcomes Alex Grainge as the new principal. He is replacing the former principal, Jason Smith, who has retired. Alex said he was delighted to return to Judgemeadow, having previously taught P.E., English and IT at the College from 2017 to 2022. He was also a vice principal then. Alex spoke to me at length, discussing the changes and transformations that have taken place and welcoming a change in attitude to Ofsted reports that previously graded schools with just one word.
Alex said that the values upon which Judgemeadow builds its vision are ‘HEART’ – Happiness, Excellence, Ambition, Respect and Teamwork, and went on to explain the way their well-resourced staffing enables them to have non-teaching staff committed to wellbeing and pastoral care. This approach emphasises the need to listen to all people – parents, children and other stakeholders to collaborate and correct. Judgemeadow is a city-wide college with a varied catchment and student base, for which the school works hard to meet individual needs. With the school rules codes of behaviour are about proportionality, focusing on fairness whilst also setting the highest standards possible to ensure children leave education equipped with the knowledge, skills and values that will help them flourish.
Commenting on his new role, Alex Grainge said:
“I am delighted to be returning to Judgemeadow Community College; I have missed the students, community and staff. As a father of three children, I am aware of the importance of a good education where children are socially and academically happy and successful.
“Having grown up in a working-class town in the North-East of England, the value of teachers who believed in me, encouraged me to be ambitious and supported my aspirations has always been of high importance in shaping my leadership and the schools I work in.
“I care passionately that connection and joy is still the experience of children today; being happy at school is the critical emotion that shapes your experience. I am incredibly excited to be returning to continue the school’s work to promote excellence and ambition, and am looking forward to working closely with families, colleagues and most importantly, the students to achieve this. An educational journey is a path that requires immense teamwork and collective effort; pulling in the same direction and sharing the same ethos is profound.”
Alex and the Judgemeadow team will also be working alongside local primary schools to develop more opportunities for pupils to visit the school and make use of its high-quality facilities, through science and technology discovery sessions to enjoying student music shows in the school’s auditorium.
Kath Kelly, CEO of Lionheart Educational Trust, said:
“I am delighted that Alex Grainge has returned to lead Judgemeadow, having seen the positive difference he has made to Lionheart schools across Leicestershire. He is both a knowledgeable educationalist and an experienced leader, Alex is well respected by students and staff alike. I know that academic achievement and wellbeing will be at the heart of his approach, to ensure the very best education for Judgemeadow’s students.”
Helen Pettman.
