As I tidy my office, pack away all that has been so important to me and prepare for a significant handover, I would like to take this opportunity to say a big thank you to all members of our ‘family of schools’: pupils, parents, staff, governors and trustees.
I am immensely grateful for your support during my tenure as the Corinium Education Trust’s Trust Lead (CEO) since its inception in 2018, a role I initially fulfilled alongside my substantive post as Headteacher at Cirencester Deer Park School.
It has been an absolute privilege to serve as an education leader in Gloucestershire for 31 years, initially as an Assistant Head, then Deputy Head, before moving into Headship in 2003, and as a teacher for 10 years before this at Cirencester Deer Park School and Katharine Lady Berkeley’s School.
I have been especially touched by the exceptionally kind words and generosity of so many. This made my final farewell on Wednesday 17 December 2025 so special.
It was lovely to meet up with present and former colleagues, trustees and members of our wider community with whom I have worked closely for so many years to make more good things happen for children, young people and school staff in our locality.
‘It has been a pleasure to work with you and to learn from you over the years; it goes without saying you will be an enormous loss to the leadership of education in the county, but you leave a significant legacy.’
I very much welcomed the opportunity to speak to staff from all of our schools on Friday 28 November 2025. This in-service training day provided a final opportunity to convey some key messages for the Trust going forward and to reflect on my own personal journey, thank those who have inspired me and share the impact, I have learnt from my departure, that we have as teachers on shaping the lives of others. It also provided some ‘closure’ for me personally.
Subsequently, colleagues have kindly played back how consistently I have ‘championed pupils’, believed in ‘fresh starts’ and given people ‘repeated chances’. They have thanked me for sharing my experiences and motivation.
A recent tour of Cirencester Deer Park School in the company of a former pupil to whom I taught English to in the late 1990s, bought back fond memories and we both reflected on our experiences at the school.
As teachers we are all in privileged positions: we should never underestimate the positive impact we have on the learners in our class. However, we may also never know until such time as we leave or retire. It has been incredibly humbling to learn that former pupils are very grateful to me for using my skills to help them ‘shape’ themselves into the individuals they have become and that I was ‘that teacher’ who made a difference to their lives.
Similarly, I have learnt more about the impact I have had on colleagues too. I have supported so many of you through your careers, both professionally and personally, and I am immensely proud of all of you and what we have been able to achieve together.
As I reach the end of my time as a school leader, I wish to express my gratitude to all those who have inspired and coached me. You have provided both challenge and support. You have kept me grounded and focused on our core values.
‘As all of us who have worked with Chiquita know, she has a really strong work ethic, amazing resilience, endless optimism, great courage and huge ambition for children and young people of all backgrounds… thank you for your years of service.’ Martin Doidge, Vice Chair of Trustees
I am extremely grateful for the opportunities I have had as a result of choosing to pursue my career in Gloucestershire. It has been an enormous privilege to teach and touch the lives of so many of the county’s young people, as well as to work alongside so many inspirational colleagues and to be able to contribute to a range of different networks and forums over time, locally, regionally and nationally.
I am very pleased to hand over the reins to Claire Graham as my successor. I wish her and every member of the Trust every success in the future. I will watch with interest.
While I do not have a clear plan for my retirement yet, I aim to continue to contribute to education locally and will continue to put children and young people at the heart of all I do.
I was very pleased to reconvene the Local Heads Group on Thursday 4 December 2025 where we had the opportunity to listen to Senior HMI, Matthew Barnes, talk about the ‘renewed’ Ofsted framework and those from within the group with recent experience of Ofsted inspections.
In their feedback, members of the group kindly expressed the value of this network and the opportunity to learn from each other. They appreciate the ‘professional dialogue’ and ‘meaningful conversations’ we have had and will continue to have.
Consequently, I have offered to continue to coordinate this group, as a volunteer. I have scheduled a further meeting on Thursday 5 February 2026, when we will have the opportunity to hear from another inspiring leader in education, Gary Aubin, who sat on the expert panel for the National Curriculum and Assessment Review and led on inclusion and SEND.
Thank you all again.
With best wishes for the festive season and the New Year, 2026.
Chiquita Henson
Trust Lead (CEO)
