Etz Chaim appoints only second head, 11 years after it was founded

The new headteacher at Jewish primary school in Mill Hill will be Hannah Martin, a former deputy in Shenley

A Jewish primary school has appointed only its second headteacher, 11 years after it was founded.

The new chief at Etz Chaim in Daws Lane, Mill Hill, will be Hannah Martin, a former deputy in Shenley.

The school was opened for the 2011/12 academic year as one of London’s first Free Schools. It caters for children from Reception to Year 6.

Hannah Martin comes to Etz Chaim from Clore Shalom Primary School, where she was deputy head and inclusion leader, having joined in 2017 as part of the new senior leadership team installed to transform the school after it had been rated as ‘requires improvement’ by Ofsted.

It achieved a rating of ‘good’ in 2019, when inspectors commended the school’s leadership.

Before Clore Shalom, she spent 12 years at Hertsmere Jewish Primary School in Radlett, including a number of years as assistant head.

Mrs Martin said: “I am delighted to be able to take up the role of headteacher at Etz Chaim. I have already heard lovely things about the parent body, children and staff and am very much looking forward to getting to know everyone and becoming part of their school community.”

Chair of governors Marc Meyer said: “We are thrilled to be able to appoint an experienced school leader to become our new headteacher to lead us into our second decade.

“Hannah impressed us with her clear passion for supporting children and staff to be the best they can be, both educationally and personally. As a governing body, we are looking forward to working with her to take Etz Chaim from strength to strength over the coming years.

Mrs Martin takes up her role in September for the 2022/23 academic year. She replaces Yvonne Baron who was the founding headteacher in 2011.

Meyer added: “On behalf of the whole governing body, I wish to sincerely thank Mrs Baron for her extraordinary contribution sustained over 10 years, in building a successful Jewish primary school in the Mill Hill community. We wish her every success in her future endeavours.”