Tracy Dohel is excited to take up the role of Principal at Ernest Bevin College,a community school for boys aged 11-19 and girls aged 16-19, in the co-educational Sixth Form, which offers a broad and balanced curriculum with specialisms in STEM subjects and sports.
Tracy, it is a very exciting time to join Ernest Bevin College. Tell us about your background and experience?
I am a maths teacher with almost 30 years of experience. I have spent the majority of my career working at schools in London, but my first headship was in Hastings. I have come to Ernest Bevin from a very successful school in Surrey. I am passionate about education and improving the life chances for young people.
What made you want to take on the role of Principal at Ernest Bevin?
I had read the Ofsted report and when I visited Ernest Bevin before the interview, I thought this school should be Outstanding. The staff are passionate about improving the life chances of young people and the students have the opportunities, the potential and the aspiration to achieve. The College has great character and has been recognised for being highly inclusive.
What is your vision for Ernest Bevin College?
EBC should be the school of choice for our local community. We need to get the message out to parents and families in the local area that Ernest Bevin is a fantastic school. We are committed to ensuring that every student, not only achieves their potential, but aspires to go beyond it through academic, creative, vocational and sporting endeavours.
What does success look like at Ernest Bevin College?
We aim to ensure that our students graduate from EBC with excellent qualifications, but also with the life skills and wealth of experience to ensure their success in further education, training or a career path of their choosing. However, at EBC success is more than just academic success. It is about valuing the individual, as well as the community, and we strive for a welcoming and inclusive environment, helping our students grow into compassionate and conscientious global citizens.
How have you settled in to EBC?
It has been a very difficult time for schools during the pandemic, but I have been hugely impressed by the way everyone has adapted. All credit to the staff; they have switched to remote lessons while continuing to maintain the momentum of school improvement. The students have also adapted to the new challenges; it always amazes how resilient young people are. Their young minds are very flexible and they have become very adept at the new technology. I have also been impressed with their creativity; we have seen some fabulous, creative work from students whilst they have been at home.
It has been challenging to show parents our school without our usual open days, so we have created a Virtual Open Day at https://ernestbevin.london/index.php/virtual-tour/, available 24/7, so parents can visit at a time to suit them.
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