Mrs Lisa McSherry – I have always wanted to be a teacher since being a little girl and was thrilled to qualify in 1993 and becoming the Headteacher of this wonderful school in 2020, was the icing on the cake.

I am passionate about education and I could not imagine doing anything else – I would choose this career again every time.

I have taught every year group from Nursery to Year 6 and been a Key Stage leader, an Assistant headteacher and a Deputy headteacher during my 33-year career.

I came to Portway Infants as an SLE (Specialist Leader of Education) to support staff with literacy for a few days in 2017 and thought what a lovely school it was, with a very nurturing and friendly feel.

When I saw the advertisement for the Headteacher position in spring 2020, I remembered how special it felt and thought I would visit and see if I got the same feeling when I looked round. I was not disappointed. I walked down the path after my visit and thought, I really want to be the Headteacher of that school!

I am very proud of the culture we have at Portway Infants. Everyone who walks into our school talks about what a welcoming and warm atmosphere there is. We have an amazing school community consisting of children, parents, staff, governors, local churches and many other stakeholders.

We have an open door policy and are approachable and caring. If you are thinking of joining us in the future, please make an appointment to look around.

Mrs Hayley Anderson - I am proud to be Co-Headteacher at our wonderful school, where I have worked for the past 20 years. Throughout my career here, I have had the privilege of teaching and leading across a variety of areas within the school. I spent many years working in Early Years and served as the Early Years Lead, helping to create the very best start to school life for our youngest children. I currently teach in Key Stage 1 for three days each week, which allows me to remain closely connected to the children and their learning experiences.

Teaching has always been my passion. From a young age, I knew that I wanted to work with children, and I feel incredibly fortunate to have spent my career in an infant school, supporting children during such an important stage of their development. Seeing the progress children make, both academically and personally, is one of the most rewarding aspects of my role.

I have been a member of the school's senior leadership team for 15 years and served as Assistant Headteacher for six years before becoming Co-Headteacher. During my time here, I have led many different curriculum subjects and am currently responsible for leading and developing our curriculum. Having worked at the school for so many years, I know our community exceptionally well and am always striving to ensure that our school continues to be the very best it can be.

I am incredibly proud of our dedicated staff, supportive families and the strong sense of community that makes our school such a special place to learn and grow.

I am delighted to be working collaboratively alongside Lisa McSherry as Co-Headteacher. Together, we are committed to ensuring that every child receives the opportunities, experiences and support they deserve. By working closely with our staff, families and wider community, we will continue to build on the many strengths of our school and provide the very best education for all of our children.

Lisa McSherry and Hayley Anderson
Co-headteachers