Governors are pleased to announce that Paul Ryan has been appointed as the successor to Jane Le Poidevin as Head of Crackley Hall from September 2008.

Paul Ryan is currently the Head Teacher of St Gregory’s Catholic Primary School in Coventry, where he has been for the last eight years. He comes with a wealth of experience of education in the primary sector and is excited about the challenge of leading Crackley Hall.

Chair of Governors, Eddie Tolcher said, "Paul is someone who aligns wholly with the aims of the school and is keen to build on its successes. We are delighted with the appointment."

Married, in his early forties, with three teenage daughters, Paul Ryan has a first class honours degree in chemistry from Swansea and spent a short time in industry before taking a Post Graduate Certificate in Education at Warwick. He has taught for twenty years and lists his interests as sport and music. He is also an active member of his local parish in Coventry. Shortly after accepting the post, Paul Ryan said, "I am delighted to have been offered the job and am looking forward to starting at Crackley Hall next September”.

"Over the next few months I will be working closely with Jane Le Poidevin and the staff to ensure a smooth handover. I also look forward to meeting the children and parents and plan to do this by attending some school events during the next two terms."

Jane Le Poidevin, who has led the school since 2001 when it became the junior school to Princethorpe College, has built numbers from around 80 to well over 140. Such is the popularity of the school that two Year 6 classes were needed from September 2007.

Mrs Le Poidevin has been appointed to the role of General Secretary of the Independent Schools’ Association, federated to the Independent Schools Council which represents 1,280 of the UK’s independent schools. The independent sector as a whole educates just over half a million children. She takes up her Saffron Walden based post in September 2008.