ALISON Duffy has been appointed West Kirby Grammar School's new head teacher.

The mother-of-two becomes the school’s 10th head teacher in its 100-year history. She succeeds Glenice Robinson, who retired at the end of last year after 12 years in charge.

Mrs Duffy, 51, began her working career as an interior designer and sales manager after graduating with honours from Leicester University.

Her first full time teaching role was as an art, design and technology teacher at a high school in South Harrow in 1988.

She has worked at schools across England and Wales including London, Oxfordshire and Warwickshire. She was previously head at Dinas Bran School in Llangollen, a position she held for more than eight years.

During her time in charge, Dinas Bran rose to the top of the Welsh school league tables and won excellence awards for improving academic standards, international work and introducing innovation into the classroom.

Mrs Duffy was also nominated as a finalist in the national head teacher of the Year Awards.

On her new position, she said: "My vision is that West Kirby will be considered as the Number One school in the country.

"I want every child to be happy and successful – to have their eyes opened to the breadth of opportunity available to them both within school and beyond.

"I also want to develop mindfulness and well-being to enable students to cope with the pressures of everyday life - help them to be flexible, thinking young people who are able to adapt, problem solve and be multi-skilled.

"I want to ensure that facilities for teaching and learning are the best - introducing new technologies including hand-held devices, interactive learning and industry specification equipment."