A VALE of Clwyd school will have a new headteacher in place later this year.

Ruthin School has announced that Victoria Gamble is to be its next permanent head at the 700-year-old establishment.

She will join the school in September at the start of the next academic year. Victoria will lead a senior leadership team including Nicholas Grenfell-Marten, bursar; Sue Frencham, the current interim head of the school who will become deputy head, Academic; and Kathryn Tipton, who will continue as deputy head, pastoral.

She is a highly accomplished educator with 11 years’ experience of school leadership.

A biology and chemistry teacher by training, she has taught in schools within Wales and elsewhere, including boarding schools where she has been responsible for pastoral care.

She has experience leading schools for high achieving pupils, as well as those that are inclusive to the full range of academic abilities.

Trained as an Estyn peer inspector, Victoria is well-versed with the regulatory requirements of Wales.

Currently, she is deputy head of JESS Secondary – a Microsoft Showcase School based in Dubai.

Prior to this, she was vice-principal of Cardiff Sixth Form College.

Commenting on her appointment, Victoria said: “I am really excited to be joining Ruthin.

"It’s a wonderful school with a strong reputation that has transformed its pastoral care under Sue Frencham’s interim leadership.

"I’m pleased to be joining Nick, Sue and Kathryn on the leadership team – my aim will be to provide them with the framework to bring further improvements to both the academic and pastoral provision.

"Ruthin is an amazing school that is justly proud of its reputation for academic achievement.

"Our approach will be to ensure that every pupil achieves their full potential, by offering a personalised approach to learning – this is how we will produce the best academic performances from children who are happy, engaged and with the resilience to succeed in the future.”

David Booker, the chair of Ruthin’s council of management, added: “We’re delighted that Victoria is joining the school.

"She has strong leadership skills and a passion for education that is infectious.

"Sue Frencham has brought stability to Ruthin in the interim role, and now with Victoria as head I am expecting the school to continue its fast pace of development – with a leadership team that is ideally suited to the task.

"We remain strong academically and are now strong pastorally. It’s this combination that pupils need and parents expect.”