Head Teacher appointed for Portree High School

Tony Breen has been appointed by The Highland Council as Head Teacher for Portree High School in the Skye and Raasay area.

Councillor John Finlayson, Chair of the Education Committee and an Eilean a’ Cheo councillor said: “I would like to congratulate Tony Breen on his new role at Portree High School. Tony brings with him a strong background in Education and in leadership roles which will allow him to continue to drive forward all aspects of the Education improvement agenda at Portree High School, in partnership with the wider Skye & Raasay communities. Tony already has strong links with this wider community in his role as Depute Head Teacher and also in other areas including his passion for music by playing guitar in his local church and trombone in the Skye and Lochalsh Orchestra. I wish him every success in his new role, and I know he will be well supported by all of the school’s stakeholders.”

Mr Breen currently works as the Deputy Head at Portree High School. In 2018-19, he served as acting Head Teacher in Gairloch High School, where he achieved his Standard for Headship, before returning to his substantive post.

He currently serves on the committee of a charity that supports Portree High School’s Partner school in a deprived area of Zambia; he has set up three teacher exchanges through the British Council’s connecting Classroom programme.

Mr Breen started his teaching career in Huddersfield where he taught science in a large comprehensive school. His previous posts also include teacher of Chemistry at Plockton High School and Faculty Head of Science at Portree High School.

Mr Breen qualified with a Bachelor of Science in Pharmacology from Aberdeen University and returned there to complete a Masters of Science in Toxicology.

Speaking of his new appointment, Tony said: “I am privileged to serve the young people of Skye and Raasay and I look forward to continuing to work with staff, parents and the local community to ensure that our pupils are striving for excellence in everything they do, by providing the very best educational opportunities that empower our young people for future success.”