About Excelsior Academy's Executive Principal

Mrs Philomena Marshall took up her appointment as executive principal in April 2007. Before Excelsior she was headteacher at Monkwearmouth School and associate principal of St Peter’s Sixth Form College in Sunderland, and was formerly headteacher at Sandhill View School in Sunderland.

Mrs Marshall, originally from Middlesbrough, qualified as a teacher in Newcastle then moved to London where she taught in a number of inner city schools. She came back to the North East in 1991 and held posts in schools in Chester le Street and Darlington before moving to Sunderland as head of Sandhill View in 1997.

She says: “I am relishing the challenges of this exciting post at Excelsior. The creation of a new school and learning environment is a great opportunity for the whole community.

“Successful schools are dependent on excellent staff teams, supportive governors and parents and the contribution of all the young people that they serve.

“This is a very good opportunity to really respond to the Every Child Matters agenda and create a learning environment around the needs of the community, not just for the present, but with the future very much in mind.”