Appointment of Michael Hodgkinson as Assistant Head (Enrichment)

Westholme is very pleased to announce the appointment of Michael Hodgkinson as its new Assistant Head (Enrichment).

Mr Hodgkinson will join Westholme in the new year with a wealth of experience in music, performing arts and school leadership. He is currently Director of Performing Arts at Kirkham Grammar School and has also held leadership roles at Blackpool Sixth Form College and AKS Lytham.

In his new role, Mr Hodgkinson will lead the development of enrichment provision across Westholme, from Pre-Prep through to Sixth Form, working alongside colleagues to broaden the range of opportunities available to pupils and help every child discover new interests and talents.

What attracted you to Westholme and the role of Assistant Head (Enrichment)?

What attracted me to Westholme was the ambition of the School and the opportunity to continue to build on its already outstanding reputation for co-curricular provision. There is already such a breadth of opportunity at Westholme, and I was really excited by the prospect of bringing that together and helping to create an even more distinctive experience for pupils.  

It is clear that enrichment is a fundamental part of life at Westholme, and one of the key reasons why pupils love their time at the school. Westholme is undoubtedly a thriving and vibrant school, and I am very much looking forward to becoming part of that.

You were previously Director of Performing Arts. What did that experience teach you about helping pupils grow beyond the classroom?

Working in performing arts taught me just how much young people can grow when they are given the opportunity to do something that challenges them, excites them and sometimes takes them outside their comfort zone. Performing teaches important skills such as resilience, confidence and collaboration, but it also teaches pupils to take risks, respond to setbacks and trust themselves.  

I take great joy in seeing a pupil who initially lacked confidence find their voice and discover a talent they didn’t know they had. That experience has really shaped how I think about enrichment more broadly. I’m looking forward to seeing pupils grow from their first steps into enrichment activities to discovering their passions, developing their talents and becoming confident, capable young people ready to make their mark on the world. 

What does enrichment mean to you, and why is it such an important part of school life?

For me, enrichment is about giving young people opportunities to discover who they are and what they might be capable of beyond the traditional curriculum. It could be sport, music, drama, leadership, academic enrichment, community work, enterprise, or simply trying something completely new. I don’t think enrichment should be seen as an optional extra to education. It is an important part of education because it develops qualities that are hugely important in life. I want pupils to have experiences at Westholme that they remember long after they have left.

What opportunities are you most looking forward to developing at Westholme?

I’m really excited about exploring how we can create an even more coherent enrichment journey for pupils from the earliest years through to Sixth Form. There are already so many excellent opportunities across Westholme, and I want to understand those really well and work alongside staff to see where we can develop them further.  

I’m particularly interested in creating opportunities across all departments at Westholme, as well as developing partnerships beyond the school. I’m also excited by the potential of The Croston Theatre and how it could become an even more outward-facing asset for Westholme, bringing new experiences and expertise into the school while strengthening our connections with the wider community. 

Ultimately, I want to make sure that the breadth and quality of enrichment at Westholme is something that pupils are proud of and that prospective families recognise as a distinctive part of the Westholme experience.

How can pupils who have never tried an activity before feel confident enough to get involved?

I think the first step is making it feel safe to have a go. Nobody should feel that they have to be good at something before they are allowed to enjoy it. We need to create opportunities where pupils can try things without feeling that they are being judged on their ability, and where having a go is valued in itself. A pupil’s first experience of an activity should make them think, “I enjoyed that, I’d like to do it again,” rather than “I’m not very good at that.” From this, we can continue to ensure excellent experiences for our pupils and place Westholme as a truly leading school for holistic education.

What would you like every pupil to gain from their time at Westholme, beyond their qualifications?

I would like every pupil to reach the end of their Westholme journey knowing themselves a little better, knowing what they enjoy, what they are good at and what they might still want to explore. I hope they build confidence, curiosity and the resilience to have a go at things that might initially seem difficult. I also want them to have memories of experiences that have genuinely shaped them and given them a strong sense of what they can contribute, as well as what they can achieve.

What are you most looking forward to as you get to know the Westholme community?

The people. I’m really looking forward to getting to know the pupils, staff and families and seeing the school from their perspective. I want to understand what pupils love about Westholme, what they are proud of and what they would like to experience in the future. I’m also looking forward to working with colleagues across the school.  

I’m really excited to get started, to listen, to learn and then to work with the Westholme community to build on what is already so strong. 

Mr Hodgkinson will take up his role in January 2027.