A NEW headteacher has taken over at a Basingstoke secondary school to help bring support to its students.

Philip Avery will take over as acting headteacher of The Costello School, in Crossborough Hill after former head Leigh Adams left the school just before Christmas.

The move to bring in Mr Avery to the Costello School comes as Bohunt Education Trust (BET) has agreed to provide short-term resources, advice and support to the secondary school.

Mr Avery is also the director of education at BET

BET says it has a reputation of running successful academies, including in Portsmouth, Worthing and Wokingham, as well as championing outdoor education and learning, with students widely participating in the Duke of Edinburgh award scheme, bushcraft camps and on expeditions to Mongolia, Greenland and the Himalayas.

On his appointment as acting headteacher, Mr Avery said: “All of us at Bohunt are looking forward to working with The Costello School and its pupils in this interim period.

“Our schools are characterised by high standards and a real focus on achieving across all areas of school life, and Costello is therefore an excellent fit for both parties.”

Mr Avery is also responsible for BET’s cross-trust curriculum and assessments, and has driven major BET projects including and designing a new STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) curriculum in partnership with industry.

The partnership between BET and The Costello is a temporary agreement in a bid to strengthen resources for the students at the school.

Chair of governors at The Costello School, Hilary Todd, said: “We are delighted that Bohunt will be providing strategic and managerial support to our senior leadership team in the short term. “

“Like Costello, they are passionately committed to inspiring children and young people and have a track record of success. I have every confidence in their ability to deliver a high quality of education.”