At Beckfoot Trust, we are committed to remarkable family engagement. We understand at Beckfoot Oakbank that there are two essential ingredients to support our family engagement strategy:
- Respectful and trusting adult to adult relationships
- Great communication
We expect all of our staff to display professionalism and unconditional positive regard.
As a big school we must work particularly on great communication. To support our communication strategy and support parents, we have listed below key pastoral staff and why you might contact them. If the staff listed below need to escalate the matter, they will do so to the Deputy Headteachers or Headteacher.
Although your request may be for the Head to speak with you, in most cases your request will be delegated to another appropriately trained senior leader. In a large school of 1800 students, it is not always possible to meet with the Headteacher on request. SLT drop-in sessions, meeting the tutor and other events are an opportunity for you to meet the Head.
We will always return a general enquiry from families within 72 hours of receiving it. If your call is about a serious safeguarding matter, someone will call you on the same day. At Beckfoot Oakbank we have clear procedures and policies for referral for external support and assessment. Decisions around next steps to support all children are made at our weekly ‘Team Around the School’ meeting.
Who does what and why you might contact them
Year Team Leader (YTL) or Assistant Year Team Leader (AYTL)
- Olivia Feather – Year 7 Year Team Leader
- Lucy Cox – Y7 Assistant Year Team Leader
- Nicola Farrar – Y8 Year Team Leader
- Neelam Rashid – Y8 Assistant Year Team Leader
- James Gill – Y9 Year Team Leader
- Linda Tomlinson-Askham – Y10 Year Team Leader
- Eleanor Lockwood – Y10 Assistant Year Team Leader
- Lottie Rhodes – Y11 Year Team Leader
- Hollie Regan – Y11 Assistant Year Team Leader
What they do?
- Every year group has a YTL and a AYTL who oversees all aspects of the application of the behaviour protocol
- As they work with a year group, often YTLs have the full picture of your child
- YTLs and AYTLs make escalate a call to a senior leader if it is appropriate to do so
- YTLs and AYTLs will support the behaviour protocol and may pass a concern to the Associate Assistant Head for their phase
Why might you call?
- If your child has any worries or concerns about school, this includes friendship issues or bullying
- If there is something important you think we need to know that could potentially impact on school
Associate Assistant Heads – Culture and Behaviour
- Chris Thacker – Year 6 and 7
- Simon Clegg-Murtagh – Year 8 and 9
- Lisa Ward – Year 10 and 11
What do they do?
- Members of the Senior Leadership
- Have significant experience in pastoral roles
- Qualified and experiences teachers, and therefore understand all manner of issues in relation to student learning.
Why might you call?
- If you are concerned about your child’s academic progress or any aspect of the curriculum
- If you need support with any particular subject
- If your are concerned about options subjects or need an support to select these
- If you need to escalate a concern that has previously been brought to the Year Team Leader or Assistant Year Team Leader
Assistant Headteacher – Behaviour and Inclusion (Danielle Towler)
What they do?
- Has trained experience as a pastoral and inclusion leader and is a trained teacher
- Leads the Captain Thomas Moore Centre to support students who need support with their learning and meeting expectations
- Is the designated teacher for looked after children
Why might you call?
- If your child is struggling with their learning and you are concerned there might be an additional need
- If your child is currently receiving education and support form the Captain Thomas Moore Centre
Assistant Headteacher – Attendance (Chris Phillips)
What they do?
- Significant senior leadership experience, including safeguarding
- A qualified and experienced teacher
Why might you call?
- Requests for elective home education, Headteacher will sign this off
- Any concerns about how we apply the attendance protocol or policy
- If you need any support to ensure your child attends school regularly
Assistant Headteacher – Safeguarding (Tim Shearn)
What they do?
- Significant senior leadership experience, including safeguarding
- A qualified and experienced teacher
- Line manages the wellbeing team
Why might you call?
- If you have a significant child protection concern, such as you are concerned a child is at immediate risk of harm
Deputy Headteachers
- Nathan Bulley (Personal Development)
- Surrinder Wilkhu (Behaviour)
- Neil Moules
What do they do?
- Our most senior leaders who deputise for the Head in their absence
- Qualified teachers with significant senior leadership experience
- Are supported by other leaders in fulfilling their role
Why might you call?
- If you are unsatisfied with a response you have received from an Assistant Headteacher
- If you need to escalate a matter that you feel has not been dealt with appropriately
Headteacher (Acting) – Chris Ray
What they do?
- The most senior leader in the school
- Has significant and substantial responsibility as defined in the Scheme of Delegation
Why might you call?
- If you are unsatisfied with a response from a Deputy Head for example, a stage 2 or 3 complaint