We are delighted to announce that Mark Bennett has joined Woodlands Primary School as our new headteacher. Here’s a little bit about him:

Mark brings to Woodlands a strong background in primary education, starting his career as a Year 1 teacher in Rotherham and later moving to Year 6, where he overcame significant challenges to help his school perform above the national average and achieve high attainment in Yorkshire.

He then served as deputy headteacher at Brinsworth Manor Junior School, where he led curriculum development and teaching strategies, fostering a supportive and inclusive school environment.

In 2020, he became headteacher of Blackburn Primary School, where his leadership helped the school thrive despite various challenges, consistently achieving above the national average.

Mark is excited to bring his experience and passion to Woodlands Primary School. He looks forward to working with our wonderful staff, children, and the entire community to continue our journey of excellence.

Neil Miley, CEO of Mercia Learning Trust said:

We are delighted that Mark has joined us as the new headteacher at Woodlands Primary School.

His experience of headship in another setting, and his focus on supporting children to be successful in all areas of their education will mean the whole community at Woodlands will continue to flourish and grow.

The governors at Woodlands said:

We're really excited that Mark has joined us. He brings a wealth of experience and is already spending time in school finding out about the school and getting to know people.

We're looking forward to him beginning to lead us on the next stage of our Woodlands journey.