It gives us great pleasure to welcome you to Higham Lane School! 

My name is Michael Gannon and I am delighted to introduce myself as the Headteacher at Higham Lane School. My journey through the world of education has been nothing short of an incredible adventure, it is a privilege to now play a crucial role in the further development of this wonderful school and to be a member of the Central England Academy Trust (CEAT) family.

Nelson Mandela's words resonate deeply with me - "Education is the most powerful weapon to change the world." I come from a humble background, where education served as the key to unlocking doors that seemed closed to me. It was the catalyst that allowed me to access a better life.

My philosophy is simple - it's all about changing lives and making this world a better place, one child at a time. As the Headteacher at Higham Lane School, I am excited to embark on this journey with the wonderful staff, students, and parents and carers, and working hand in hand with CEAT, I aim to create a nurturing environment where every child flourishes. Together, we will continue the important work of transforming lives through education and making a lasting impact on our world.

Our school is a very special place. Higham Lane School is a very high-performing 11-18 comprehensive Academy with approximately 1,430 students on roll, based on an attractive site in the north east of Nuneaton on the Warwickshire-Leicestershire border. The School is judged as Outstanding by Ofsted. We were awarded the prestigious World Class Schools accreditation in July 2021 and we were designated a Lead School for School Direct in 2018.

We want all our students to work hard, be kind, follow the rules and to be part of an inclusive and nurturing learning community where everyone belongs. We want the very best for everyone in our learning community, so our students can develop the learner skills, knowledge and strong moral principles to prepare them to be active citizens in an ever-changing future.

We make no apologies for the high aspirations we have for all our students, we want them to be active citizens both inside and outside of the classroom. We want our students to be proud of their achievements and to have every opportunity to fulfil their potential and excel. Achievement in all forms: artistic, academic, social, cultural, sporting and intellectual are equally valued. Our wide curriculum gives scope for students to express preferences and enhance their abilities. They revel in the wide range of opportunities we offer them: taking part in our annual school drama production and music concerts; a huge range of trips that enhance curriculum understanding; ski trips to North America; Duke of Edinburgh Award expeditions, theatre trips, visits to museums and galleries, outside speakers who visit Higham Lane to inspire our students to be as ambitious as they can be as part of our Able and Ambitious programme - a super-curricular opportunity that is open to every student. Our students all take part in charity events where they also have the opportunity to give back to the local community. There is also a plethora of leadership opportunities for students, such as our AntiBullying Ambassadors and our Junior Leadership Team.

We are especially proud of our sporting traditions which have seen netballers and footballers regularly reach national and regional finals. All of these activities widen our learners’ life experiences. We also have students who have honed their sporting prowess at Higham Lane School and have now signed professional contracts with sports teams and are playing for their country! We are immensely proud!

The overwhelming majority of our students continue their studies at post-16 level and we were delighted to open our own Sixth Form in September 2016. We have very strong attainment at A-level with many students meeting the entry requirements for the top universities in the UK.

We have extremely high expectations of student behaviour and expect our students to always be kind and respectful to each other. Young people only get one chance and we take our responsibility in educating your children extremely seriously.

Higham Lane School is more than just a place of work - it is a thriving community, proud of its past and confident of its future. Enjoyment and achievement go hand in hand. The same applies to our staff; they enjoy working here and it is that, more than anything else, which underpins their ambition and fuels their success. Many of our staff are ex-students; Higham Lane School is such a lovely place that people want to return!

If you require any further information about our school, please do not hesitate to get in touch! Our relationship and partnership with you as parents and carers is vital and we very much look forward to undertaking this special journey together.

Best wishes

Michael Gannon

Headteacher