From September 2025, Liam Clark will take on the role of Principal at Thornhill Academy. Mr Clark is an experienced education leader with a background in improving curriculum standards and as a SENDCO. Mr. Clark has advised multiple schools across the region and most recently led rapid development at a large secondary school in Gateshead.

He will be supporting the development of teachers on a national level after being invited to speak about the development of literacy and reading in Westminster this October.

 

He is already a familiar face at Thornhill, where he served as Deputy Head from 2022 to 2024. During that time, he led the school as it achieved its best-ever exam results in terms of progress and was part of the team that secured a ‘Good’ rating from Ofsted for Thornhill, having held responsibility for The Quality of Education.

 

Investing in the future

“It is a privilege to return to Thornhill Academy at such an exciting time,” said Mr Clark. “I am delighted to be leading a school in the heart of Sunderland, a city I love. Your child will be among the first to benefit from our brand-new, multi-million-pound school building and from state-of-the-art sports facilities.

But one thing will always remain the same: Thornhill Academy will continue to be a family-sized school where children are known by their name.

Mr Clark

Families across Sunderland are warmly invited to learn more at the open evening on Tuesday, September 9, 2025, and can drop in between 5 and 7.30pm. Mr Clark will address prospective families at 5.30pm and again at 6.15pm.

This is a fantastic opportunity for Year 5 and Year 6 pupils and their families to:

· Explore the plans for a new, state-of-the-art school building

· Learn about the Ofsted “Good” rating and record-breaking exam success

· Discover how the school supports families with saving money on travel and uniform costs

· Find out more about new opportunities, including the Cricket Academy

Conveniently located in the heart of Sunderland, Thornhill is easily accessible by both metro and bus routes, making it an ideal choice for families across the city.