Broomfield appoints a new Headteacher for September 2022

The Board of Governors of Broomfield School is delighted to announce the appointment of Adele Christofi as our new Headteacher. Adele will lead the school from September 2022, taking over from Cate Seymour who has been Interim Headteacher for the past year.

Adele joins Broomfield following 12 years at Holy Family Catholic School in Walthamstow, in role as Head of the Upper School. Prior to that she was at Queen Elizabeth’s Girls’ School in Barnet, where she was a Head of Year and Acting Assistant Head Teacher.

Adele joins us with a background of drama teaching. She studied at the prestigious Royal Central School of Speech and Drama, which has trained the likes of Laurence Olivier and Dame Judi Dench. Whilst at Central she completed a degree in Drama and Education, followed by a PGCE in Drama. Most recently she has also completed the National Professional Qualification for Headship alongside the Institute of Education.

Adele says, "I am delighted and honoured to have been appointed as the Headteacher of Broomfield School and I am very excited to start meeting all of the pupils, staff and parents. I look forward to working together to ensure that all of our young people finish secondary school with an education and experience they can be proud of and look back on with fond memories."

A rigorous recruitment process

The Chair of the Board of Governors, Prof. Gregory Thwaites, began the recruitment process in December 2021, intent on finding a candidate with the requisite qualities to maintain, and build upon, the excellent educational standards already in place at the school.

"Adele impressed us all throughout the process with her vision, warmth, experience, attention to detail and passion for comprehensive education" said Mr Thwaites. "This is a new step on Broomfield's journey of continual improvement."

Q&A with Adele Christofi

Why Broomfield?

I was born and raised in Enfield, so Broomfield has always been a school that was well known to me. Some of my friends actually came to Broomfield for their secondary education and remember it with fond memories. They think it's great now that I have been appointed as the Head! I completed my Headship qualification three years ago, however I didn't immediately apply for headships because I was waiting for the 'right' school. I wanted to work in Enfield as I wanted to give back to my community that had served me so well with my education when I was growing up. When I saw the advert and did my research, I knew that this was the school that I wanted to lead. This was further supported when I visited and met students and staff. I was met with warmth, kindness and a clear sense of community.

What did you discover about Broomfield School during the recruitment process?

As expected, the recruitment process was challenging, as it should be. On the interview days, I was filled with a sense of pride. As I walked the corridors meeting different students I was greeted with young people who were curious, asked questions, smiled, laughed and who clearly loved being at school. I saw lessons where children were engaged, focused, and loved learning and where teachers had great rapport with their students.

What are the key aims and objectives for you as the new Headteacher of Broomfield School?

As the new Headteacher of Broomfield my key aims will be:

- To ensure that all pupils have a quality academic education and enrichment experience, that prepares them for 21st century life,

- To have a successful school that is built on the foundations of high expectations, mutual respect, support and celebration of identity,

-To be a beacon of excellence within the community that makes Broomfield the first choice for parents.

How will you judge if your first term has been a success?

There are so many ways that success can be measured. For me the most important measure will be based on the feedback from the students, teachers and parents. My overall approach to leadership is based on building positive relationships with everyone associated with the school. I want to hear about aspects of the school that are working well to develop them further, but also I want to hear about aspects that need to change so that I can work with my team to drive the school forward. The young people who pass through the doors at Broomfield have one chance at education and our moral purpose is to ensure we get it right for them.

What do you enjoy when you are not running a school?

Having two teenage children keeps me busy, my evenings are quite often spent taking them to a range of different clubs or social events! However, I also make sure that I make time for myself too. Being a drama teacher I love going to the theatre, watching plays by new playwrights and modern renditions of Shakespeare. I'm also very keen on keeping fit, so I go to the gym and do what I can to stay healthy.