Headteacher Clare Robinson

A message from Mrs Robinson:

I am proud to be the Headteacher of St John the Baptist Church of England Primary School, a role I have held since January 2021. Leading this wonderful school community is a privilege, and over the past few years we have worked together to bring about significant positive change and success for our pupils, staff and families.

Before joining St John’s, I held a number of leadership and teaching roles across Cambridgeshire. Earlier in my career I worked at Bourn Primary Academy, where my teaching was recognised as outstanding practice. During my time there, I supported the school in its journey towards achieving an overall Outstanding judgement. Working in such a high-performing school provided invaluable experience of what exceptional teaching, learning and leadership look like in practice, and it continues to influence my expectations and aspirations for the schools I lead.

Prior to becoming Headteacher at St John’s, I was Deputy Headteacher at St Mary’s Church of England Primary Academy in St Neots. When I joined the school it had recently been placed in special measures, and as part of the senior leadership team I helped lead a sustained programme of school improvement. Within four years the school was judged by Ofsted to be Good in all areas, with inspectors noting that leadership had raised expectations and significantly improved teaching and learning. The school was later graded Excellent in its SIAMS inspection, recognising the strength of its Christian vision and ethos.

Throughout my career I have been passionate about developing high-quality teaching and creating a curriculum that inspires children to learn. I have led a range of initiatives to improve outcomes for pupils, including implementing the Read Write Inc phonics programme to accelerate early reading progress, and leading mastery approaches to mathematics as a Professional Development Lead for the National Centre for Excellence in the Teaching of Mathematics.

Since becoming Headteacher at St John’s in 2021, we have focused on strengthening our curriculum, improving outcomes and ensuring that every child feels valued and supported. In recent years the school has seen strong academic progress, with Key Stage 2 attainment in several areas exceeding national averages, including a combined expected standard of nearly 70% compared with the national 62%.

Alongside academic achievement, we have also developed a wide range of opportunities that enrich children’s experiences, including Forest School, outdoor play initiatives and inclusive provision such as our Acorn room to support pupils with additional needs. External monitoring has recognised the positive impact of these developments and the commitment of staff to ensuring that every child is able to thrive.

My philosophy for education is simple: schools should nurture both the mind and the heart. At St John’s we are committed to helping every child grow academically, socially and spiritually, underpinned by our Christian values and strong sense of community. I feel incredibly proud to lead this school and look forward to continuing to build on the many successes we have achieved together.

Mrs Robinson can be contacted by emailing clare.robinson@st-john.lincs.sch.uk