A HEADTEACHER has drafted in a crack team of deputies to drive up standards and achieve his goal of creating an outstanding school.

James Hornsby, in Leinster Road, Laindon, has gone from strength to strength since straight-talking Yorkshireman man Jason Carey took over in March 2013. It is now over-subscribed, and this year achieved its best GCSE results.

Mr Carey has now bolstered his senior management team with Rowland Freeman, David Back and Richard Poddington.

Mr Freeman, appointed deputy head, decided to become a teacher after taking a gap year in Brazil and working in a slum.

He said: “There were really bright kids who didn’t have access to a decent education. It got me thinking there a lot of communities in Britain where that is the case. As soon as I looked around James Hornsby, I thought it was fantastic. It’s a place going from strength to strength."

Mr Back, who shares the assistant headteacher role with Mr Poddington, previously worked at the Cornelius Vermuyden school, Canvey.

He attended Southend High School for Boys, so values the importance of a good education.

He said: “It’s such a privilege to have a grammar education, but why shouldn’t it be the same for all children?

“I was looking for the next step in my career, and James Hornsby shares my vision.”

Mr Poddington, born and raised in Essex, previously taught in London.

Of his decision to move to James Hornsby, he said: “I loved the direction the school is going in. It’s a really positive place focused on families and every student achieving their potential, regardless of background.

I felt that was something I wanted to be part of.”

Despite being just one week into their new roles, Mr Carey is confident his new management trio will help the school bag an outstanding rating in its next Ofsted inspection.

He has worked hard to get parents on board, and has set up a panel which regularly meets with him to make suggestions.

Mr Carey said: “Rather than change, our focus is on further improvements. The wonderful thing about this school is that everyone wants to be here.

People want to be a part of James Hornsby. I’m over the moon that we’ve got a waiting list, that reflects positively on us.

“Staffing seems to be an issue at a lot of schools, but we’ve had our pick of the best teachers. I would be happy for all three of my children to be taught by any of our teachers.

“There’s a feeling we are heading towards outstanding.”

Mr Carey, who began his teaching career at Shoebury High School, took over James Hornsby when it was suffering from falling GCSE results and poor attendance.

A year in, Ofsted told him the school, which opened as an academy in October 2012, and is now sponsored by Thundersley’s King John School, needed to improve.

Despite the disappointing rating, the report was full of praise for Mr Carey and his vision to improve the school.

He overhauled the school day, with four, 75-minute lessons replacing five, one-hour lessons, and made it mandatory for Year 11 pupils to stay for an extra lesson once a week.

He introduced a new school uniform, and has a zero-tolerance policy to those who breach it.

His efforts saw James Hornsby bag a Leading Parent Partnership Award earlier this year, a nationally-recognised accolade for schools committed to the achievements of pupils.