Monday 4 January 2016

Headteacher’s Staffing Blog – Jan 2016


Dear Parents, Carers and Guardians

Our new D&T Technician and Premises Officer, Andrew Watson, will be taking up his post within the next 10 days. David Cooke, our new General Student Support Mentor (GSSM) & Literacy Student Support Mentor (SSM), Claire Dugher (GSSM) and Caroline Coates (GSSM, two terms temporary initially) took up their posts on 4th January 2016. In addition, Sarah Carmichael (GSSM) takes up her post, on the 18th January 2016, on the same arrangement, until September 2016 as maternity leave cover for Miss Amy Ridley. Miss Sarah Tasker-Lynch is becoming a full-time Advanced Student Support Mentor (ASSM).

As you will be aware, on 16th December 2015 the Local Authority (LA) announced that they would be consulting on the closure of Brayton High School and the enlargement of Selby High School. At the same time the LA asked myself and the Governors if we could provide some interim support for Brayton High School, because the Headteacher has been absent since October and the Deputy Headteacher has just secured another deputy headteacher’s post at Temple Moor High School in Leeds. As a result of that request, Mr Lewis and Mrs Lumb will be seconded to Brayton, for the foreseeable future, in order to lead and manage the school. In turn, we have made the following acting internal promotions to cover for those secondments:

Mr Cousins and Mr Sinclair will become acting Deputy Headteachers with Miss Gorton and Miss Smith becoming acting Assistant Headteachers.  Mrs Wardell and Miss Johnson will continue in their substantive roles of Associate Assistant Headteachers. 

In addition, Miss Crawford will be undertaking the National Award for SEN Coordination (NASENCO) and Mrs Thornton will become an ASSM, following Mrs Cawkwell’s secondment to the Personalised Student Support Mentoring team.

We have re-engaged the services of Miss Holt (PE and dance teacher, who was due to leave us as a result of the return of Miss Johnson from maternity leave) both on a full-time basis and over and above our normal staffing requirement. This enhanced staffing will enable some staff taking on additional responsibilities to be afforded varying amounts of additional non-contact time (NCT). This is so they can support both students, including in option subjects, staff and the work being undertaken at Brayton High School.

Other ‘staffing and ‘operational changes’ may be required as situations develop and unfold. I will obviously keep you up to date with any changes as and when they become necessary.

I am sure you would like to join me in sending your best wishes to all those staff who are taking on new challenges, roles and responsibilities.

With kind regards.

P.M.Eckersley

Paul Eckersley
Headteacher