Meet the Head - Ms Julie Lodrick - Tudor Hall School

We are thrilled to introduce our next Head in our Meet the Head series, Ms Julie Lodrick from Tudor Hall School.

Ms Lodrick has been head at Tudor Hall School for coming up five years.

What inspired you to become a headteacher, and what do you find most fulfilling about the role?

I didn’t set out to become a Head necessarily, it was an organic process as I gained experience of a range of school roles. Fulfilment comes from being part of every area of school life, from teaching to taking activities, to attending events, being part of the boarding community and then establishing relationships with alumnae and friends of the school. Every day and every week is different.

What was your first year of teaching like, and what was one of the biggest lessons you learned from that experience?

It was a steep learning experience with the added pressure of taking the final exam years through Music GSCEs and A Level. I learned that lesson plans were there as a guide, and that the real joy of teaching is responding to the pupils’ questions and their curiosity about what they are learning.

How do you ensure the School’s values and vision are reflected in daily activities and interactions?

It is important to live your school’s vision and values. At Tudor Hall we aim to empower every girl to flourish intellectually and make a difference in the world through community and creativity. Habeo ut dem (I have that I may give), our original school motto, is as meaningful today as when it was created more 175 years ago. It is lived in every aspect of school life, and embodies our values of leadership, service and kindness.

The girls give of themselves and give time and service to the community, such as our unique Tudor in 3 Continents global outreach project, or collecting food for our local food bank, and the sheer number of charitable initiatives and traditions at Tudor such as our annual charity Dog Show and fundraising Colour Run.

What is a lesson you have learned as a leader that has shaped your approach to education?

Whilst following policies and procedures can feel burdensome at times, it does ensure that when you make decisions you are being fair. I think that being fair and kind are the most important elements to leadership at all levels.

What are the key priorities for the School over the next few years, and how do you plan to achieve them?

It was our 175th birthday last year and we launched Campaign 175 to enable the refurbishment and updating of our school Hall, the beating heart of school life in so many ways, so that all girls will benefit from this gift. Thanks to the generosity of the Tudor community, we are already well on the way to fulfilling our vision of a revitalised school hall.

We have just earned our accreditation as a High Performance Learning World Class School. HPL is based on cognitive and neuroscience research, embedding teaching and learning which empowers our girls to think for themselves, to adopt advanced thinking skills and learning behaviours that will allow them to build resilience and learn without limits. We believe that strong academic outcomes are attainable for all our pupils. Put simply, everyone can.

What was your favourite subject when you were in school?

Music, which I studied to A Level with Voice and Piano as my two instruments, and then I went on to study Music at university before singing professionally for a time. Throughout Sixth Form and university I taught piano and singing and realised that this is what I loved and missed. I am very fortunate to still be teaching some music A Level here at Tudor, one of my favourite parts of the week.

Do you have any personal hobbies or activities that you enjoy after a busy school day?

I prefer to start my day with a run or a visit to the gym. Getting out for a run gives me some fresh air and some precious time to think, which is difficult to find in a full-boarding school!