Mrs Orla Priestley
Special Educational Needs and Disability Coordinator (SENDCo)
Mrs Priestley’s role is to oversee the support of any pupils with identified Special Educational Needs, ensuring that appropriate measures are taken to reduce any barriers to learning and that they are effectively included in school life. A large part of the role is also assisting teachers and pupils in the identification of SEN. The SENDCo also applies to exam boards for any relevant Access Arrangements for exams.
“I am very privileged to have a role where I can make a great difference in the lives of so many pupils and families. I am passionate about the effective inclusion of pupils with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities, striving to give them what they need to be successful at Hautlieu and beyond.”
Mrs Louise Kedge
Student Support Lead and Positive Mental Health and Wellbeing Manager:
Mrs Louise Kedge’s role is to lead the Student Support Team internally and to coordinate and contribute to the delivery of Support Services and Support Plans to ensure that all students achieve and engage successfully with their education. This also includes working alongside families/carers and external agencies, to provide a joint approach in finding the right support at the right time. The role includes creating a strategic policy and action plan to promote a whole school approach to Positive Mental Health and Wellbeing.
“Supporting students is a role I feel privileged to be a part of. Hautlieu strives to be an inclusive and supportive school, with the aim to making it a positive experience for all students during their time with us. The team is made up of a group of genuine and caring staff, who work hard and are dedicated in supporting students, whilst promoting engagement, positive life skills and aspirations for their futures. Every member of the team maintains productive and successful working relationships with outside agencies, such as the Youth Service, School Nurses and the Children and Family hub, to help identify the support needed.”
Mrs Nikki Kelly
Designated Safeguarding Lead (DSL):
Hautlieu is committed to Safeguarding and ensuring the welfare of all students and staff. The DSL role is to oversee all elements of Safeguarding within the school, supporting students with their physical and emotional well-being. This might relate to a Child Protection concern, working closely with outside agencies such as the Children and Families Hub. The DSL offers important regular staff training.
“Being in school and available to students all the time allows me to be there at a time of crisis or just when someone needs to chat about something they are worrying about; about themselves, family or friends. I appreciate and have every respect for young people when they feel they can trust me with, sometimes very difficult, personal information. I hope that I am then able to offer continued support to make change.
Miss Jody Stoddart
Education Welfare Officer (EWO):
The Education Welfare Officer works with Key Stage 4 students and their families to address concerns around attendance, punctuality, and welfare. Attendance is incredibly important at Hautlieu, and the EWO strives to break down the barriers that our students might face when attending school and accessing their learning.
‘One of the main reasons I enjoy my job so much is because it allows me to work with young people and their families to enter their world and see things from their perspective so we can look to support them in the best way possible. Each young person I work with has varied and unique reasons why they may be struggling to maintain a good level of attendance – my job is to unpick the reasons behind why our young people are struggling and find the support and tools they need so that they can help themselves to succeed, not just at Hautlieu but in their future career path or further education.’
Mrs Ell Mason
Education Welfare Officer (EWO):
Mrs Ell Mason’s role is also to support students who have concerns with their attendance and welfare. In addition to this, Mrs Mason will provide support for students with medical needs and look to implement health plans to ensure that students are supported with their individual needs.
“I really enjoy working alongside young people and their families, encouraging, and empowering them to make sometimes difficult decisions, taking control of their own lives in a positive way. I am continually learning through the work that I do, supporting young people to thrive and reach their full potential. It is rewarding being a part of the journey”
Mrs Sarah Mallet
Special Exams Assessor:
Exam Access Arrangements (EAAs) are the reasonable adjustments that can be made for an exam candidate and might include things like extra time to complete an exam paper, permission to use assistive technology, or provision of rest breaks.
Exam arrangements can only be granted if they are a candidate’s ‘normal way of working’ and the candidate has a history of need. Any arrangements made must reflect the support that the candidate has had in the past few years, alongside their assessment test results. Mrs Mallett’s role as the specialist exams assessor is to carry out the assessments using the appropriate, up to date, nationally standardised tests appropriate for the age of the student.
Mrs Rachel Harvey
Mrs Harvey Senior Teaching Assistant:
Mrs Harvey’s Role is to support SEN students both in class and on a one-to-one basis, in addition to liaising with their teachers and parents to help students achieve the best possible outcome. Mrs Harvey also offers support to Multi Lingual Learner (MLL) students to enable them to achieve their full academic potential in what is their second language.
“I feel that every student should have equal access to education and all the opportunities that a great education brings. It is for this reason that I enjoy working in the SEN department here at Hautlieu, helping students remove any barriers to learning and find a learning style that works for them. Hautlieu’s culture is caring, supportive and inclusive and I very much enjoy being part of a team whose main aim is to help students reach their best potential and go out into the world equipped not only with exam grades but resilience and empathy.”
