Transition

Pastoral Team

Miss Higginson

Role: Head of year 6 transition & year 7

Likes: Bees, clothes with stripes on, chocolate buttons and students showing kindness

Dislikes: Uncomfortable shoes, moths, papercuts and sad films

Pets: Daisy the Labrador, George and Mildred the cats

Favourite thing about their job: Building relationships with students and helping them flourish, both academically and personally.

Mr Smallman

Role: Head of year 8 & 9

Likes: Cricket, good food and cups of tea

Dislikes: Mushrooms, rain and being late

Pets: Shar Pei cross called Benson

Favourite thing about their job: Seeing students be the best they can be.

Mrs Chorlton

Role: Head of year 10 & 11

Likes: I have a passion to support and nurture the talents of students

Dislikes: Not being able to solve every issue in one day

Pets: Lily, Ivy and Blossom the Cockapoos

Favourite thing about their job: Seeing a student grow and feel that they belong at Clayton makes me happy.

SENCO

Miss Dixon

Role: Associate assistant headteacher & SENCO

Likes: Spending time with family, reading, countryside walks, going to the gym and being creative with crafts!

Dislikes: Rainy days, watching scary movies on my own and creepy crawlies

Pets: Two Shugs called Toby and Charlie

Favourite thing about their job: Seeing our students flourish as they settle into secondary school, making friends, learning new skills, studying new subjects and building positive relationships with staff.

Heads of House:

Miss Hodgkinson

Role: Head of Ambition House

Likes: Spicy food

Dislikes: Snakes

Favourite thing about their job: Meeting new people, finding out all about them and welcoming them to Ambition house

Mr Longshaw

Role: Head of Determination House

Likes: Hiking and camping out in the Peak District, playing guitar, and painting

Dislikes: Turning my boots over in the morning to find that a spider or beetle has made themselves at home (should I complain if I'm invading their space?)

Pets: Gus the Sheltie and Penny the Border Collie

Favourite thing about their job: My favourite thing about my role as an English teacher is opening students to a world where they can use the English language to express themselves, discover new places, and live a thousand different lives inside the minds of the characters they love. My favourite thing as Head of Determination is encouraging students to explore new opportunities (especially outside of the classroom), and to say "yes" to more experiences, even if that's something scary, or that they've never done before.

Mr Johnson

Role: Head of Integrity House

Likes: Rugby, cooking, running with Shelby (my dog)

Dislikes: Unfriendliness, being kind goes a long way

Pets: Shelby the Labradoodle

Favourite thing about their job: Seeing someone understand something about maths when they thought they would struggle with it.

Mr Williams

Role: Head of Valour House

Likes: Developing student leadership roles and providing opportunities for students to build confidence and key skills as they transition from primary to secondary school. By engaging in leadership activities, students gain valuable experience in taking responsibility, working collaboratively, and communicating effectively.

Dislikes: When students don’t have the experiences of leadership, which hinder them from navigating the environment in which they live in. These experiences will make the move to secondary school smoother and less daunting.

Favourite thing about their job: Leadership roles also empower students to take an active part in school life, fostering a sense of belonging and involvement. By feeling valued and trusted, students grow in confidence, which is essential for their overall development. These roles encourage them to embrace challenges, work as part of a team, and make meaningful contributions to the school community. This sense of responsibility helps to build resilience and independence, two crucial qualities that support their academic and personal growth. Ultimately, student leadership not only enhances their transition into secondary school but also equips them with skills that will benefit them throughout their education and beyond.