A Letter to our Community from Mrs Groocock

4^th June 2025

Dear Parent(s) / Carer(s), 

 I would like to take this opportunity to introduce myself as the new Head of The Hinckley School and provide you with some information about my route to this position and my ambitions for the school. 

 Since I was appointed in March, I have been working closely with school and Trust leaders and I am already struck by the friendly and welcoming atmosphere in school and the wonderful energy exhibited by students and staff. I am looking forward to working with students, staff and of course you, our community of parents, to further develop The Hinckley School. 

 I bring with me almost 30 years of teaching experience. I have worked in a number of schools, teaching all age groups from Year 7 to Year 13 and being a senior leader in the local area for 8 years through many challenges and developments in education. I am also an ex-student of The Hinckley School myself, so I already have a deep connection to the school. I am proud to have a strong track record of successful school improvement which, in my experience, is best achieved when school staff work in partnership with parents in the interests of young people. As a parent myself, I know that you are your child’s best advocate and champion and you deserve a school which has high standards and limitless ambition for your child. We all want our children to attend safe, calm, successful and exciting schools of which we can be proud. 

 However, I firmly believe that school should feel like hard work at times to the students, as learning which challenges is also the most worthwhile. Schools depend on teamwork and clear routines, but our young people are also individuals, each with special talents and contributions to bring to the school. I make it my mission to know what those are! When education is done well, it inspires a real love of learning, but a good school also develops confident and sociable citizens, equipped to hold their own in a complex and competitive world. My ambition for all students is that they graduate from The Hinckley School proud of their qualifications and with personal confidence in their own unique strengths, as well as many happy memories of their time at secondary school. 

Schools are very busy places - rightly so - and I am writing to you in my first week at The Hinckley School with a lot that is unfamiliar. However, though always busy, I pride myself on being communicative, responsive and approachable, should you wish to speak with me. With that in mind, we are planning many events where you can get involved in school life and also discuss your thoughts on what the school does well and what can be done better. More information on these parent events will follow shortly. I am keen to meet as many of you as possible, in person. 

In the meantime, you can contact me by calling the school or emailing lhackett@thehinckleyschool.co.uk.

Finally, I feel very privileged to be taking up the position of Head of The Hinckley School and working in partnership with you for the benefit of the students in our school community. 

With kind regards, 
Kate Groocock