Inspirational Headteacher leaves Outstanding Southport primary school after 14 years

An inspirational Southport Headteacher is leaving his school after 14 and a half years to take up a new role with OFSTED. 

Mr Gary Bevin leaves St Patrick’s Catholic Primary School in Marshside with an Outstanding Ofsted rating.

St Patrick’s was rated the best primary school in Merseyside last year, while pupils numbers have shot up from 248 in 2006 to 365 this year. 

Mr Bevin said: “I will be leaving at the end of this term to take up a new post as one of Her Majesty’s Inspectors (HMI) with Ofsted.

“It has been a privilege to have been the school’s longest-serving headteacher.

“I have been extremely fortunate to work with excellent staff; teaching and non-teaching.

“The Covid-19 experience has demonstrated the immense value of every member of the school. We are truly an interdependent community.

“I fully appreciate the vital part played by families; not least since I became a Dad and chose St. Patrick’s Primary for Charlotte’s early education.

“My sincere thanks to the many parents who have been a huge support over the years. I feel blessed to have been part of our school community since 2006 and what a great team we are!

“We can celebrate two successful Ofsted inspections, achieving ‘Outstanding’ in 2013, many enhancements to our school environment including the ICT suite and additional classrooms, as well as improvements to the outside areas, providing a wonderful learning environment for our pupils.

“We are a consistently high-achieving school, rated the top-performing primary school in Sefton according to the ‘Real Schools Guide’ for 3 of the past 5 years and Number 1 in Merseyside in 2019.

“Our school has also been ranked in the top 1000 attaining schools in England (out of over 15,000) for 11 of the last 13 years by the DfE during which time pupil numbers have increased from 248 in 2006 to 365 in 2020.

“Throughout my time as headteacher, I have received unswerving support from the governing body and wish to acknowledge my debt to them all. Collectively, they constitute a body of knowledge and wisdom about our school and its history which is invaluable, while individually they give unstintingly of their time.

“I am personally delighted that they recognise the need for stability in the current climate and have consequently invited Mrs Halsall to lead our school as the Acting Head for a period of 12 months from January. She will fulfil this role wonderfully.

“I will be sad to leave and will miss being with many dear friends and, above all, our children.

“I look forward to enjoying my final few weeks in school and wish St Patrick’s continued happiness and success.”

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