School's out for retiring director

Catharine Kinsella is taking a well earned retirement from her role as the Council's Senior Director, Schools and Lifelong Learning.

Catharine has been working in education since she became a teacher 1971. After working in primary and secondary schools, she then spent 13 years as an Educational Psychologist and was Rotherham's first Senior Educational Psychologist following changes introduced under the 1981 Education Act.

In 1990 she became Adviser for Special Educational needs and then, in 1994, Senior Secondary Adviser. She was made Strategic Leader School Improvement in 2001 and has been in her current director role since the post was created earlier this year.

Catharine said: "Having started Nursery School the Easter after my third birthday I will have spent 59 years running my life to the pattern of schools. I consider myself to be very fortunate. My career has been varied and every day has brought something new and different.

"The change for me is a bit scary but also very exciting as I will have the chance to do things I've had to put on hold."

Her role is being taken on by a new Senior Director, Dorothy Smith, who is joining the authority from Education Leeds.

Dorothy was previously Director of the School Improvement Service at Education Leeds and has extensive experience in education. She has been a teacher in a primary school, Head of a school's Early Years Department, a Deputy Headteacher and a Headteacher before becoming a schools adviser/inspector in Barnsley and then Leeds.

In a separate appointment, Gani Martins has also joined the Council to take on the role of Director of Safeguarding and Corporate Parenting. 

Gani previously worked as a Safeguarding Adviser to the Government Office North West. That was on secondment from her substantive post of Head of Social Care at Stockport MBC. Gani has long experience of social care having begun her career as a social worker in the Midlands in the 1980s.

Joyce Thacker, Strategic Director for Children and Young People's Services, said: "Catharine has been a highly respected colleague and her vast knowledge and experience have been invaluable both to schools and to colleagues within the Council so we wish her well for the future.

"At the same time we welcome our two new colleagues who both also bring extensive experience which will help us continue to develop and improve services for Rotherham's children and young people."