Astor College’s new head teacher has revealed his philosophy to help the school become outstanding.

Lee Kane, 44, took over Dover’s biggest school in January.

“The philosophy is simple,” he said.

“My priority is teaching and learning, but that in itself is a big area.

“Teachers learning together can become stronger.”

After 19 years at Brockhill Park Performing Arts College in Saltwood, Mr Kane, a father-of-two from Hawkinge, decided to make his daily commute a 15-minute drive to Dover to take on his first role as head teacher.

Mr Kane said: “I have no intention of changing things that are already working well.

“Indeed, you are unlikely to see any major changes immediately. On the other hand, I have no doubt that academic standards can be higher and I bring with me a good deal of experience when it comes to raising achievement and improving the quality of teaching.”

Mr Kane was the vice-principal at Brockhill and taught physical education, sociology, and was head of sixth form.

Despite admitting he is “stepping out of his comfort zone” Mr Kane said his previous experience with helping sixth formers achieve their potential is vital.

“The sixth form is just as important as the rest of the school,” he said. “It is one of the key areas I focus on – this is an 11 to 18 school and we will offer the right courses.

“I led the sixth form to be ranked in the top 7% nationally.

'Astor can move forward in terms of academic outcomes with the right strategies and approaches' - Lee Kane

“Astor can move forward in terms of academic outcomes with the right strategies and approaches and I am confident it is well on its way to doing so.”

Mr Kane’s thoughts have been echoed in the school’s Ofsted report, which was published last week. It was the first inspection since it received a requires improvement rating from the regulator last summer.

Mr Kane called July 2015’s Ofsted inspection “history” and is intending to bring the school back up to standard.

The most recent report said that there has already been an improved focus on achieving better GCSE results after a drop in August last year.

Mr Kane said: “There are many challenges facing schools in the next few years.

“However, my firm belief is that, if we stick to our core principles, focus on the things that matter most and work smarter, then we can achieve great things here at Astor.”