THE first female headteacher at Ysgol y Preseli in its 63-year history says she is excited about leading the school’s "confident and dedicated" staff, and enabling pupils to reach their potential.

Rhonwen Morris has been assistant headteacher at the school since 2016, having first joined the school a decade earlier as head of art.

In 2010, she was appointed to the leadership team and since then she has been in charge of professional development, staff wellbeing, being a lead enquiry school and a lead school for initial teacher education with the Athrofa.

She paid tribute to retiring headteacher Michael Davies and his predecessor Martin Lloyd.

“We’ve been led by some very inspirational leaders at Ysgol y Preseli who have always put pupils and staff first,” she said.

“I feel very lucky to have been a member of staff since 2006 and am looking forward to building on the ethos and good practice that the school is renowned for in the county.”

Mrs Morris said there were some significant challenges in the period ahead due to the pandemic.

“Covid has had an impact on society in many ways,” she said.

“One of my main aims is to continue to promote and ensure a safe learning environment for pupils and staff, and for pupils to appreciate their own value and worth to the school and the wider community.”

Originally from Pencader in Carmarthenshire, and a former pupil of Ysgol Dyffryn Teifi in Llandysul, Mrs Morris began her teaching career in Ysgol Gyfun Gymraeg Plasmawr in Cardiff before returning to west Wales.

Aged 41, she lives in Blaenwaun with her husband and nine-year-old son.