After kindly staying on for two extra terms to give the school time to recruit a great replacement, Maureen Cobbett has now officially retired and is very much looking forward to not putting her feet up and travelling the world, amongst other things. 

A big thank you to the alumni who sent her lovely messages during her week-long sendoff events, she was particularly touched by them. Everyone suitably surprised (and possibly embarrassed) her at different events and Maureen took it all with good humour. 

Having celebrated with staff, governors, trustees and parents, it was only right that the last event was led by the student themselves. As Maureen explains "Students treated me to a surprise assembly of 'This is Your Life at Latymer', which was both emotional and very moving, a true representation of why I have loved being the Headteacher at Latymer." The very final event was at her last lunch duty, when the students did a special guard of honour to lead her to the Dining Hall. 

So, after almost 10 years at the helm of the Latymer School, we were all sad to say 'Au revoir' but are now delighted to welcome Maureen into the Latymer Links community for alumni and former staff!

Our community is delighted to welcome Joseph Gilford as the new Headteacher of the Latymer School. Having worked in three successful secondary schools across the country, Joseph brings a wealth of experience and a tremendous respect for the Latymer School's rich history of academic success and commitment to a liberal education where students achieve their full potential and show consideration for others. He took part in a short Q&A to help us get to know him better.

What did you do before joining the Latymer School?
Over the past two decades, I have worked in three secondary schools. These have all been quite different but have always had a real focus on high academic standards, coupled with developing students socially and emotionally so that they understand the role they play in society now, and more importantly, in the future.
I taught in Leicestershire for nine years in a 14-18 upper school eventually becoming Assistant Principal in charge of Teaching and Learning. I then moved to Orleans Park School, an Ofsted outstanding school, where I was Deputy Headteacher overseeing the Quality of Education. More recently, I have been Vice Principal and then Acting Principal at a new 11-16 school in Newcastle which was an exciting and rewarding opportunity to really shape and develop a brand-new school.
This means that I have a range of experiences to draw upon, but I also know that Latymer has its own unique history and identity, therefore my focus will always be on ensuring that everything we do reflects the needs and context of the Latymer School. 

What attracted you to Latymer?
I was very impressed by the Latymer approach of putting students at the heart of everything. The staff clearly work hard to ensure that the teaching is of the highest standard and that students are supported to become experts in what they are learning. However, I could see it went further by also ensuring that the young people here are well-rounded individuals who are emotionally intelligent and socially aware.
It has been lovely to hear staff and students talk so proudly about being part of the Latymer community, and I feel immensely honoured to be part of this. 

What subject do you teach?
I am an English teacher and have taught students from Year 7 to 13. I enjoy teaching GCSE English Literature and am excited to be teaching Year 10 at Latymer. I particularly enjoy teaching poetry and am also quite a fan of historical fiction so my class can expect to see a few English Language extracts which reflect this genre. 

Why did you become a teacher?
It's mostly because I absolutely love my subject and really enjoy working with young people. My father and my sister are both primary school teachers and my grandad was a secondary school music teacher, so I grew up seeing how rewarding it was for them, so I think that influenced me quite a bit. I don't think I could imagine myself doing anything else now! 

We look forward to seeing Joseph at various school and alumni events in the near future!