Friday 26 June 2015

Staffing Blog – June 2015

We will be saying goodbye to the following staff who will be leaving us in August:

Mrs Kirsty Varley (Art Co-ordinator) has secured a new teaching position at Queen Ethelburga’s College. She will be joining the independent school as their new head of art. Miss Zara Linney (D&T teacher) also has a new post at an independent school; teaching design & technology and art, at the new Focus Independent School, 7-18 school, in York. This is one of a number of Plymouth Brethren Christian schools, which have /are being established worldwide where teaching is driven by the word of The Holy Bible. Mr David Benson (science teacher) has been appointed to a chemistry lecturer’s post at New College, Huddersfield, which is a Post 16 FE College. Miss Sarah Horner (mathematics teacher) has resigned her teaching position, in order to overcome a serious illness. Mrs Angela Hindle (CAL for RE), Mr Nicholas Blanchflower (computer and business studies teacher) and Mrs Helen Foster have tendered their resignations with effect from 31st August 2015. Miss Natalie Hayward (Head of Mason House) and Dr Paul O’Gorman (CAL for PSHEE &C) have, with a desire to be nearer to their homes, respectively accepted a PE teaching post at Appleton Academy in Bradford and a science teaching post at East Leeds Academy. Mrs Jackie Seils (LP T&L Team, Faculty Leader Co-ordinator and Global Languages Leader) has been promoted to Assistant Headteacher at the St Francis Xavier’s School in Richmond. I am sure you would wish to join with me in thanking them for all that they have done for the school in their current roles and wish each and every one of them the very best of luck in all their future undertakings.

Miss Jennie Crackles (CAL for business studies & enterprise) brought her date to go on maternity leave forward by one week. She left to begin her leave on 11th June 2015. She is planning to return with a further reduction in hours (0.6FTE); she currently works four days per week (0.8FTE), Easter 2016. Mr Shaun Martin will, with immediate effect, undertake the CAL role for business studies and enterprise, together with his role as the CAL for computer studies. Mr Christopher Jones (ACAL for mathematics) has been appointed as the new Global Languages Leader and CAL for mathematics and, in turn, Mr Iain Spence (mathematics teacher) and Mrs Linda Thacker (mathematics teacher) have been appointed as the joint ACAL for mathematics.

I am delighted to inform you that Miss Sarah Smith (mathematics teacher) and Miss Lynne Eagles (Senior Science Technician) have joined the staff with immediate effect. Mr Mohammed Naveed (computer studies teacher) began working at the school on the 22nd June 2015. Miss Lauren Wood (Data Manager) will begin work at the school on the 20th July 2015 and the following personnel will be joining the staff in September 2015:

Mr Andrew Graham                  (design & technology teacher)
Miss Lucy Holt                         (dance & PE teacher)
Miss Rebecca Newman            (science teacher)
Ms Melissa Samwell              (mathematics teacher
Miss Jenna Strain                      (PE and dance teacher)
Mrs Nicola Welsh                      (KS3 literacy intervention and English teacher)
Mrs Nicola Whattam                  (CAL for Art & Photography)
Dr Mark Smith                            (science teacher)

Following a re-think of how we could support students with behaviour linked learning problems, we have appointed Mr Nicholas Fillingham (PSTM) as our Internal Exclusion Officer. He will work with Mrs Dawn Collins (ASSM) who has been deployed as the Internal Exclusion ASSM.

As you are aware from Letter No: 23 we are reorganising the guidance and support afforded to our students. As a result of that re-organisation Mr Colum McArdle (ALM for Mason House) will take on the role of CAL for Geography in addition to being the Head of Mason House. Mr Stephen Hawksworth will become the Head of Hockney House and Mr Ben Sheehan (PE teacher) and Miss Rebecca Harwood (ALM for Garrett House) will become the new Heads of Palin and Garrett House respectively.

As you will be aware the respective Year Leaders will be as follows:
                                                Year 7 Leader Mr M Burnitt
                                                Year 8 Leader Mrs L Roberts
                                                Year 9 Leader Mrs A Minton
                                                Year 10 Leader Mrs K Whitaker
                                                Year 11 Leader Mrs L Bentley

The new Individual Learning Block Co-ordinator for Years 7 & 8 will be Miss Kathryn Levitt who will combine this post with that of being the Assistant Co-ordinator for the More Able.


Finally, we will be advertising for the new combined post of Curriculum Area Leader for PSHEE & C and RE at the beginning of the Autumn term. In the interim Miss Henna Iqbal (history teacher) will be overseeing RE and Mrs Amanda Lumb and Mrs Joanne Carter-Mills (Deputy Headteachers) will ensure everything runs smoothly with regard to PSHEE & C. In addition, we will be appointing a new KS3 English Progress Co-ordinator. We have created additional leadership and management posts in science, in order to take account of the new science curriculum and exam specifications, whereby all students will take separate sciences. Mrs Sophie Bell (ALM Palin House) will become the KS4 Science Progress Co-ordinator and Mr Andrew Milson (science teacher) taking on the responsibility of Science Enrichment and Curriculum Co-ordinator. Mrs Jennifer Mackey, the ACAL for Science, having relinquished her Transition Co-ordinator post, will become the Consultation, Specialist Information & Events Co-ordinator.