23 June 2021

"Portlethen Academy has always had a special place in my heart"

Barry Drennan has been confirmed as the new head teacher of Portlethen Academy.

He was depute head at Aboyne Academy previously and takes up his new post in August following the retirement of current head teacher Neil Morrison.

Speaking about his appointment, Mr Drennan said: “For me being appointed head teacher of Portlethen Academy was all of my hopes. It is a school I know really well. I started there as a probationer so it’s really nice to go full circle and go back as head teacher. I’m absolutely over the moon.

“It is kind of coming home for me. Portlethen Academy has always had a special place in my heart. I will be very sad to leave Aboyne Academy and have thoroughly enjoyed my time there. The schools are very similar in a lot of ways. It feels really nice to be going back to Portlethen.”

Mr Drennan began his probationary year as a music teacher in Portlethen Academy. There he became an acting PT music teacher and then acting PT guidance teacher. He then moved to Mackie Academy to take up a faculty head post of expressive arts and then became depute head of Aboyne Academy.

His initial top priorities in his new post are Covid-19 recovery and pupil and staff wellbeing. “There is a power of work that has been done in terms of self-evaluation by the existing senior leadership team and wider school, which is fantastic for me coming in. One of the things we need to do as a new team coming in next term is to take all of that self-evaluation and condense it into a one-year plan and then into our three-year indicative plan. That’s one of the jobs we will do come August.”

Cllr Gillian Owen, Aberdeenshire Council’s Education and Children’s Services Committee chair, said: “Congratulations and welcome back to Portlethen Academy Barry! I am delighted someone who clearly is as passionate about Portlethen Academy as Barry is being given the opportunity of leading the school. Whilst taking the reigns from his predecessor Neil Morrison is no easy task, I have every confidence Barry will bring his own ideas and approach to the role and parents and carers can be assured Portlethen Academy will continue to be led in the right direction by a strong senior leadership team.”

Committee vice chair Cllr Rosemary Bruce said: “I am also really pleased about Barry Drennan’s appointment as head teacher of Portlethen Academy. He is a great fit and I can’t wait to see how he will continue to take the school forward.”