POLLY Matthews has been appointed as the permanent headteacher of a school in Wellington.

Mrs Matthews has been acting headteacher at Court Fields School since Easter 2019.

She said she was "over the moon" after receiving the news.

"I felt a real emotional connection with Court Fields School from the moment I first walked in," she said.

"I'm thrilled to be able to continue working with our fantastic staff, students, parents and the wider Wellington community, as part of our ongoing school improvement journey.

"I'd like to thank all those who have been so supportive, and worked tirelessly, despite the challenges of the Covid pandemic, to build a thriving school community and support our students."

Originally from the South West, Mrs Matthews started her teaching career in London. She spent some time in the Royal Navy and had a career in IT.

Court Fields School is part of The Castle Partnership Trust.

Sarah Watson, CEO of The Castle Partnership Trust, said: "Mrs Matthews has done an excellent job of taking the school forwards.

"It is clear that she has the support of the staff, parents and the community. "I have no doubt that Court Fields will continue to provide the excellent standard of education to our students seen by HMI inspectors when they visited.

"The Trust is very committed to Wellington and has three schools in Wellington. It has enabled us to deploy resources where they will make the most significant difference.

"We have been able to secure significant capital sums to improve the school buildings of all our schools. Our aim is that the children in our Trust receive the very best education and support when it is needed.

"We are determined to ensure that every child makes better than average progress and that we are able to help and support families when they need it."