Gordano School will have a new headteacher from September.

North Somerset Times: Tom Inman.Tom Inman. (Image: DAVE PRATT PHOTOGRAPHY 2015)

Current incumbent Gary Lewis is changing roles and will become the chief executive of the Lighthouse Schools Partnership (LSP) – a body which oversees five academies in Portishead and Portbury.

Tom Inman, Gordano’s head of school, will step up as acting headteacher.

Gordano School believes the changes will enable it to succeed both in and out of the classroom.

A school spokesman said: “Gordano School and its governors are confident Mr Inman’s heart for community education and commitment to excellence will successfully carry the school forward over the coming months.

“Mr Inman has a track record of active involvement within the school and staff, students and parents are all familiar with his enthusiastic and visible style of leadership.

“A letter regarding this decision from Adele Haysom, chairman of governors, was issued to parents at the end of June.

“The driving force behind this temporary change of leadership is to allow a full-time commitment to the LSP from Mr Lewis, while fully maintaining the focus on community and standards at Gordano.”

The LSP appears set to grow with several other schools potentially joining it. Consultation with parents from Backwell School, Backwell Junior School, West Leigh Infant School, Flax Bourton Primary School, Yatton infant and junior schools, Northleaze Primary School and the Federation of Hannah More Infant and Grove Junior Schools ended last month.

A final decision has not yet been announced about whether they will all join the LSP.

Mr Lewis is however confident Gordano’s pupils’ future is in safe hands with Mr Inman.

He said: “Tom will provide clear, forward thinking leadership whilst in post as headteacher at Gordano. He is deeply committed both to the community in Portishead and Portbury and to our ethos of providing a broad and exciting education for the whole person.

“The secondment decision will ensure both the LSP and Gordano School will receive maximum time, attention and leadership resource over the coming months and this is especially important as the trust grows in terms of the number of schools that it serves.”