Alsop High School appoints new associate headteacher and acting headteacher

Mr Brendan Conboy has been appointed associate headteacher and Mr Paul Masher as acting headteacher at Alsop High School.

Mr Conboy has been a teacher for over 40 years, mainly teaching RE but also English and maths in schools across Lancashire. He has been headteacher of three different schools and has also been chair of Lancashire Secondary Heads’ Forum for three years, plus Lancaster Diocesan Heads’ Group.

Speaking about Alsop High School, Mr Conboy said: “I visited the school in November 2019 and was immediately struck by the warmth of the welcome and the richness of the relationships.

This is ‘my sort of school’ where values and a deep respect underpin some excellent classroom work. I just knew I would enjoy being a part of this community.

“It’s always fascinating and really enjoyable to get to know the context of a city that I know very little about. I have passed the school several times watching my beloved Burnley FC play at the local football grounds, but it’s a real privilege to get ‘under the skin’ of a school and local community.”

As associate headteacher, his vision for the school looks promising. He said: “I plan to continue the steep trajectory of continual improvement, whilst protecting the ethos of care and mutual respect that Alsop is renowned for. I want the school to play a huge part in our local community as we develop and grow the leaders of the future generations.

“I am looking forward to getting to know our pupils and their families better, and to see all this potential for success come to fruition!”

Mr Masher, who is from Liverpool, began teaching in 2002 at a school in Warrington. He was appointed by a former headteacher of Alsop High School, Mr Alan Yates, who used to talk fondly about his time at the school.

As a PE teacher, Mr Masher has a passion for pastoral support and student development. He was fast tracked to a middle leader pastoral role within the early stages of his career.

He said: “As I progressed through senior leadership to deputy headteacher at one of the largest schools in the North West, I was able to further develop my leadership skills and an outward facing approach to school-to-school support via many successful specialist leader of education deployments.”

Mr Masher is determined to ensure Alsop students have the best possible school experience and to develop them academically and socially based upon the three pillars of The Alsop Way; Knowledge, Opportunity & Respect.

He added: We will develop the learning habits and raise the aspirations of our young people, so they can positively take their place in further education, an apprenticeship or employment and contribute positively to their community. As our Trust core values encapsulate, ‘Inspiring our Future’.”