New head appointed who turned Mile End’s Solebay Primary academy round

A school that turned itself around from a poor Ofsted inspection in London’s deprived East End to become an academy has appointed the woman behind its improvement as its new head-teacher.

Janet Baker has been made permanent Principal at Mile End’s Solebay Primary by the Paradigm Trust that now runs it.

She has been at the school in Solebay Street as assistant Principal since September, 2014, when the trust took it over, then became its interim Principal last September after having worked on its radical transformation.

“We have made much-needed improvements for our pupils,” she said.

“But we need to continue to work hard to ensure they receive the education they deserve and are entitled to.”

Ofsted gave Solebay Primary an overall rating of ‘good’ only last month, with most assessment categories marked as ‘outstanding’.

A previous Ofsted inspection two years ago said it “could do better”, but has now improved as a result of new early years provision after the trust took over the school management.

Pupils aged three and four joined for the first time with the new nursery opened in September and an additional 73 pupils joining older year groups.

Paradigm Trust’s executive Amanda Phillips said: “Janet was an obvious choice as permanent Principal and was unanimously appointed by the Board. She has overseen some remarkable transformations during her time at Solebay and we’re confident we have more developments to look forward to”.

Janet, previously Assistant Principal at Poplar’s Culloden Primary, also run by Paradigm, has worked for the trust since 2013.