A new director has been appointed to the Western Lakes Teaching School Alliance.

Shaun Monaghan will be stepping down from Jericho Primary School in Whitehaven in July to take up the role, based at Keswick School.

Mr Monaghan will also be working with Cockermouth School, Mayfield School in Whitehaven, St Patrick’s School in Cleator Moor and Bridekirk Dovenby Primary School.

A teacher for 36 years, his first school was in Northumbria, before he moved to Orgill School in Egremont in 1984.

He then became deputy head of Jericho School, before becoming head of Moresby School and then head of Silloth School.

Mr Monaghan, who turns 58 today, was appointed as head of Jericho in 2003.

He said: “I have mixed feelings about leaving because I have loved being at Jericho. It will be a wrench to go. However, it is exciting to be taking a new direction to my career.’’

Ten years ago, Mr Monaghan became one of 61 heads across the country to take on the role of National Leader of Education.

These heads used their success and professionalism as school leaders – along with the school’s staff – to provide extra leadership in struggling schools.

As a result, Jericho became one of the first in West Cumbria to be named a National Support School.

Mr Monaghan is also a member of the Cumbria Alliance of System Leaders which provides support and development for any school which requests, or is identified as one which could benefit from it.