New Headteacher at Bourne Community College is set to build a strong future on past achievements

She may be a new name at Bourne Community College, but Aparna Sharma has plenty of connections to education along the south of England, having worked at Bishop Luffa School and Ormiston Six Villages Academy.

Now, she is excited to begin a new chapter, with plans to build on the great work from her predecessor.

Aparna said: “I’d firstly like to thank Yvonne for all her hard work here at Bourne. It’s a privilege and an honour for me to be leading the next stage. I’m looking forward to building on our strengths. This is a successful school with a thriving community of very welcoming students, parents, staff and Governors.. I am very proud to be a part of this community.”

Looking to the future Aparna, who is a scientist at heart, has a clear vision for the future: “I want us all to pursue excellence in character & in learning and strive to be the best version of ourselves.”

She is committed to creating a positive learning environment rooted in mutual respect, and to build effective communication skills for all.

Aparna added: “I am very excited about the future of the school. We have a team of inspirational teachers and a dedicated governing body. We are a growing school with a strong sense of community that fosters a safe and inclusive space.

Fond farewell

The outgoing head has some great memories to take away with her but is equally excited about the school’s future, which she says is “looking very bright and very promising”.

Yvonne first arrived at Bourne Community College in 1990 as Head of German, and from there a strong bond began to develop.

She left when she had children but returned in 2001 and helped to build up the school, first as a head of year, then Head of Languages, before taking on senior leadership roles and then Headship in 2016.

“I know the school back to front,” she said as she prepared for her final few days. “It has got bigger and with 780 pupils at the moment, we are at a good size – but it will continue to grow.”

Expansion

Part of the expansion during Yvonne’s leadership has been a brand new STEM building with specialised food tech, technology and mathematics rooms.

“We needed to invest in our technology provision and now have,” says a proud Yvonne. “We have been able to keep all our STEM areas together.”

There is also a new Astro pitch which provides a great resource to both the school and the wider community, and continues to be open for hire.

Special highlights

Yvonne’s passion and expertise in languages have always been important to her and she has been pleased to develop international links. This month alone, five Korean teachers have spent a week in the school, learning about the English system and teaching students about Korean language and culture.

Yvonne added: “I started teaching in Sierra Leone so have always wanted to foster links with Africa. We have had two trips to Ghana in the past few years and more are planned for the future, which I am also really pleased about.”

There are also regular visits from Indiana University and trips to partner schools in Europe, with international visits to the Bourne. These add further enrichment to the students’ curriculum.

Final farewell

With all this behind her, Yvonne is pleased that her successor Aparna Sharma is stepping into her shoes.

Yvonne added: “Aparna is going to further build the school, I am sure of it. And, as I have languages, her expertise is in the sciences, so she will bring a new dimension. There is lots to work with and be hopeful for in the future.”

Find out more

To find out more about Bourne Community College, events and applications, visit bourne.org.uk