Headteacher Carla Ferla
Carla Ferla- Headteacher at Peareswood Primary School
What attracted you to Woodland Academy Trust?
The Woodland Academy Trust values community partnerships, with an emphasis on one community working together to improve the life chances for all. There is an embedded culture of inclusivity and accessibility with an ambitious ethos threaded within all aspects of school life. It is a Trust family, where everyone is supported to be the best versions of themselves through consistent quality first teaching approaches, financial investment in initiatives to enhance learning and teaching, encouraged professional development opportunities, and an appreciation of the importance of spending time with family and friends.
Why did you want to become a Headteacher?
Firstly, I think it’s important to outline why I wanted to become a teacher; this was a career I always aspired to from a time when I attended my own primary school in Glasgow. Even at a young age I would always look for opportunities to support others and engaged in roles in school which enabled this. Over the course of my 25 years teaching experience, I have served communities in both inner and outer London areas and have been lucky enough to have gained experience in a variety of leadership roles. Through these experiences, I was able to deepen my skills as a teacher and servant leadership which supported me in my transition to becoming a Headteacher. I had the privilege to work alongside trusted leaders who demonstrated kindness, honesty, integrity, and high accountability within a culture of trust. I could see the positive impact this had on the school communities and the possibilities which were created as an outcome of this approach. This was my blueprint and what I wanted to share with others to improve the lives of people within a school community.
What three things bring you most joy about your role?
1. Working collaboratively with the school team and knowing what we do collectively makes a difference. Seeing the impact in real time and celebrating this as a school family.
2. Having the privilege to spend time with children from Nursery to Year 6. I enjoy the times when our children share their proudest moments with me. This could be academic achievements, using strategies to self-regulate, achievements from activities outside of the school setting and seeing them develop their leadership skills within roles of responsibility in school.
3. Seeing first hand the development of colleagues as they progress and develop within their roles and supporting them to identify their own career ‘pathway’ which is bespoke to them.
What does school community mean to you and which aspects of your school community are you most proud of?
An effective school community is working with stakeholders to improve the life of all people. It’s about collaboration and fully utilising the skills, experiences, and the culture of others. Our school vision underpins what an effective school community is and how we embrace this at Peareswood Primary School: Learning together we grow as one, ensuring each child achieves their potential and feels happy and safe in school, with differences celebrated.
We value the importance a primary school plays in the life of a child and collectively we strive to cultivate positive experiences and memories for both children and parents and carers to cherish in future years. This is equally true for our staff team members where a culture of embedded trust is paramount to provide a safe environment where people can grow and develop. I am extremely proud of the school community relationships we have with all stakeholders; this has contributed to the shared success of our school family.