Team reflections

Dr Damien Homden has recently celebrated one year as Headteacher at Milton Church of England Primary School.

Tell us about your teaching background and how you came to your current position?

I have been a teacher since 2009 when I qualified with a science specialism. During my career, I’ve worked in schools within Fenland – the most recent being Orchards Church of England Academy which is also part of the Diocese of Ely Multi-Academy Trust (DEMAT), where I was an Assistant Headteacher leading on curriculum.

It was during this role and the high-quality continuous professional development within the Trust that I got to work alongside the Central Team and understand the Trust’s approach to education and curriculum.

My move to Milton came about after a conversation with my Headteacher and Hub Director. My enthusiasm and success with curriculum development meant that working with colleagues at Milton as Headteacher was a great opportunity.

What do you think makes your school stand out?

Milton is a fantasic school with a great sense of community. The teaching staff are established and we all align with the vision to create a wonderful atmosphere for the children. Walking around the school, there is always a real buzz for learning, and the school always feels calm and purposeful.

As a community, Milton is wonderful and we really enjoy events such as fireworks night and fayres as well as working together with All Saints Church. Being located on the outskirts of Cambridge and between two science parks, our school community is very diverse and rich in terms of languages, cultures, religions, beliefs and, as a school, we celebrate and value this diversity.

What are your plans for the school?

How will you make your mark?

My immediate plans for the school are two-fold: to continue to build upon the fantastic teaching and learning that occurs every day and ensure that the curriculum that we deliver is both exciting, interesting and challenging as well as preparing our children for the next stage of their education as well as for the rest of their lives.

To welcome the local community back to the school as this has been hugely impacted by Covid restrictions.

A larger piece of work that we as a school need to undertake is in relation to the extended curriculum and ensuring our children have the broadest possible experiences from which they shape their views, opinions and interests.

What’s been the highlight of your teaching career to date?

Wow, that’s a tough one! I think I will have to say though that being offered my first headship at Milton has to be the highlight to date. Not only because of the immense pride I feel in joining Milton and leading the team but also the support, encouragement and belief in my abilities that my previous Headteacher and Hub Director had in me.

Reading is obviously a core focus for children. What’s your favourite children’s book and why?

This is a difficult one as children’s books are fast becoming a passion of mine – I currently have six books borrowed from school which I am slowly working my way through. If I look back at when I was a child, the book that stood out for me was Beaver Towers by Nigel Hinton. It was read to me by my Year 3 or 4 class teacher. I can still remember sitting on the carpet with the rest of the class and these vivid pictures springing into my mind as Mrs Wheatcroft read the story aloud to us.

Tell us something about yourself that your staff and pupils might not know?

When I was 18, I ran a marathon through the Lewa Safari Conservation Area in Kenya. We had to start the race at 6am to avoid the heat, and as I was making my way to the starting area, we watched a helicopter carefully shepherding an elephant off the course!

I joined DEMAT as a member of the Board of Trustees in January 2023 following an informal approach from the Chair of the Board. A review of my curriculum vitae led to a formal request to use my skills and experience to support the work of the Trust. It is a privilege to have been asked to serve as a Trustee and to contribute to the education of the next generation.

I was a healthcare scientist for most of my working life with appointments both academic and within the health services of Northern Ireland and England. I concluded my career responsible for Physics and Engineering services at Cambridge University Hospitals. I held senior positions within the profession including President of the Institute of Physics and Engineering Medicine, which gave me direct experience of guiding the development of an organisation through the role of trusteeship.

I believe there are two key elements to a successful organisation: effective and efficient asset management and an unerring focus on quality processes as a mechanism for continuous improvement. I have worked with the British Standards Institute to write an accreditation for the delivery of healthcare science services and have worked within laboratories to achieve accreditation to international standards. Accreditation is used to demonstrate that an organisation can consistently, accurately, and safely deliver its aims using several tools including risk resource management. It was therefore agreed that my skills would initially be used to support the Audit and Risk and Estates and Finance committees within DEMAT.

DEMAT faces many challenges to deliver on its vision to be a world leading education provider. My hope is to be able to help shape the strategic development of the Trust and to ensure that it has the resources and processes in place for it to achieve that vision.