A NEW principal is aiming to make her school a ‘first choice’ for prospective pupils.

It comes as former deputy at Burnley’s Thomas Whitham Sixth Form Zoe Emmett takes the hotseat from Brendan Conboy in September.

Mrs Emmett has been a member of staff at the Sixth Form since 2013. She was first appointed as head of history and politics before taking on the role of pastoral leader and assistant headteacher.

And she is aiming to build on the school’s results by making a splash in the area.

She said: “I am immensely honoured to have been appointed as principal.

“I believe strongly in the unique offer that a School Sixth Form gives the young people of Burnley and Pendle; quality school provision in a caring environment that allows our students the freedom they need to develop as individuals.

“Our results show the quality of education on offer with an overall pass rate at A Level of 99.36 per cent with a high grade profile of 63 per cent a*-c and at btec 95 per cent achieving distinction and above not to mention the remarkable achievements in individual subjects: mathematics 43 per cent a*-a, english 83 per cent a*-c, sociology 74 per cent a*-b, to name but a few.

“These results are a testament to the hard work of the students but equally the expertise of the staff.”

Mrs Emmett added that she was aiming to raise the profile of the school.

She said: “Each year we see our students entering into some of the most competitive universities in the country and we couldn’t be more proud of their achievements.

“My appointment as a permanent principal really demonstrates the confidence that Lancashire County Council has in the Sixth Form and what it brings to 16-19 provision within Burnley.

“Our recent Ofsted, confirming our grading as Good with Outstanding pastoral and support provision, shows that we are starting from a really strong position.

“We now look forward to building on our academic and pastoral successes and raising the profile of the Sixth Form across Burnley and Pendle, working closely with local schools to ensure that our offer suits the needs of the young people of the area.

“This is a really positive time for us as a Sixth Form and I couldn’t be more proud.”