Richard Gilliland
editRichard Gilliland was Executive Headmaster of The Priory Federation of Academies in Lincoln from 2008 to 2012.
The Priory Federation of Academies
editGilliland was initially the head of [[The Priory Academy LSST]] in Lincoln, Lincolnshire.
In 2006, The Priory LSST, which stood alone in Cross O' Cliff Hill, was riding high in the GCSE charts, G[1]illiland, the headteacher, was making a name for himself after the school was tagged as the highest achieving non-selective school in England.Then, Lincolnshire County Council asked the school if it wanted to bid for a 'Faraday Project' – a Government initiative to drum up interest in the sciences.The result was a planetarium at the school.All of these successes put Mr Gilliland firmly on the map as a talented leader. He was soon asked to take on the failing Joseph Ruston Technology College and save it from itself.In 2006 the technology college had limped to a 17 per cent GCSE pass rate at A to C. If it did not get up to 30 per cent, it would have been closed. But after being taken on by new executive head Mr Gilliland, it produced a 74 per cent pass rate, not including English and maths, in 2007. By 2010 it boasted 100 per cent.Mr Gilliland then recommended to Lincolnshire County Council a link between the Usher Junior and Moorland Infant schools and Joseph Ruston, to create a through school which is now the Witham Academy.The then Schools Minister Lord Adonis visited the Priory LSST and, suitably impressed, academy status was further considered.Meanwhile, a former LSST deputy head had been appointed headteacher at The City of Lincoln Community College. Known as the city school, this was number one on the county council's list for a total re-build.The three schools came together, taking on the junior and infant schools to form The Priory Academy LSST, The Priory Witham Academy and The Priory City of Lincoln Academy.The Department for Education gave £26.29 million for the complete rebuild of city school site and put £24,366 to the Witham Academy – a project which was heavily funded by Lincolnshire County Council.A further £6.33 million of DfE cash was allocated to LSST. (Read more: http://www.thisislincolnshire.co.uk/Richard-Gilliland-saga-Lincoln-s-Priory-Trust/story-15988426-detail/story.html#ixzz2cWBd6QVK)