Rachel was delighted to be appointed Head of School when Priestnall joined the Laurus Trust in September 2023, having begun her teaching career at Priestnall school some twenty years ago. Rachel brings with her a wealth of experience in education, having played a central role in raising and maintaining a high standard of teaching and learning at the Laurus Trust’s founding school, Cheadle Hulme High School (CHHS).

During her time at CHHS Rachel has had several roles including Head of Maths. She has been a Senior Leader for five years initially as an Assistant Headteacher and most recently Deputy Headteacher. Rachel graduated from Newcastle University BA (Hons) before completing her PGCE at Manchester Metropolitan University. Rachel is a specialist Leader in Education (SLE) and has a Masters degree in Education and is passionate about improving the opportunities for young people.

Rachel is committed to ensuring the students at Priestnall achieve the best possible outcomes and develop the skills to succeed in the future of their choice. Rachel is a mum to two high school aged children.  

Priestnall is situated in Heaton Mersey, a suburb in the Metropolitan Borough of Stockport, bordering the Manchester Local Authority – notably, Burnage. The school serves the communities of the ‘Four Heatons’: Mersey, Chapel, Moor and Norris. Priestnall is a non-selective, non-denominational, ten form entry 11-16 secondary school, there are approximately 1315 students roll. The school is part of the Laurus Trust (September 2023), a multi-academy trust, whose shared vision provides the framework and core values for our secondary schools.

The Class of 2025 saw nearly a third of all grades awarded reached Grade 7 or above, a remarkable milestone with an impressive 65% of grades achieving Grade 5 or above. Both GCSE English and Maths saw strong results, with 56% of grades at Grade 5+, while close to 80% achieved Grade 4+. These results reflect the genuine commitment and perseverance shown by our students throughout their studies.

Priestnall is very much a part of the wider community and the partnership between students, staff and parents/carers is vital to the continued success of the school. We endeavour to provide students with the best possible opportunities to succeed and develop a love of learning that will last and that will support them as they take their next steps in life.

We have high expectations of all members of our school community, and we provide opportunities for students to engage with the wider life of the school and, importantly, to develop the qualities, attitudes and habits which will allow them to flourish. At Priestnall School, we place the professional development of staff at the very core of what we do.

Providing high quality learning opportunities – and removing any barriers – is at the centre of what we want to achieve for our students, and we remain committed to ensuring all our students can get the very best out of their time at Priestnall School.