"Pupils have an excellent understanding of what is right and wrong, learning to regulate their behaviour and to take responsibility because of the strong support from the school pastoral systems and leadership."Independent Schools Inspectorate Report, June 2022
The Governing Body can be contacted through the Secretary at: chairman@oundleschool.org.uk
I am responsible for the overall happiness and success of our school community. Through the interactions I have with the children, families and staff, I provide rigorous support to everyone at Laxton Junior School so that they feel empowered to achieve to the very best of their abilities. I set, also, our school’s strategic direction, mapping out how we wish to improve in all that we do, and ensuring that LJS remains one of the very best providers of independent education in the country.
The wellbeing of our whole community is at the centre of my role. I manage the day to day running of the school, including leading our approach to safeguarding and child protection, behaviour and anti-bullying, health and safety, supporting staff wellbeing and promoting pupil-voice, as well as the organisation of duties, cover and events.
Through the strategic and practical approach to teaching, learning and assessment, I ensure that our staff are empowered to deliver excellent lessons, tailored to the specific needs of each child. This in turn ensures that every child is able to make the best possible progress across the curriculum. Preparing our children and their families for the academic requirements of entry into their senior school of choice is also an important part of my remit.
My focus is on supporting our parents and children though the admissions process, from first enquiries through to registration and enrolment and then continuing throughout their time with us at LJS. I work in collaboration with our teachers, children and parents to oversee the EYFS experience from both an academic and pastoral perspective ensuring all members of our community feel properly supported and cared for.
My main remit is the wellbeing of all our children. Through our PSHE and Mindfulness curriculums, and weekly assembly programme, I ensure that we approach the development of a positive wellbeing proactively such that children build the personal qualities necessary to cope with the many challenges they face. I also coordinate our Wellbeing Team who respond to any concerns we might have about individual children and ensure they receive the tailored support they need.
I work in collaboration with our staff, pupils and parents, as well as the wider community, to oversee and develop our whole school co-curricular programme, from after school activities to our music provision and sports events. I also liaise closely with our Community Partnerships Lead on events such as community concerts and collaborations with other schools. Our co-curricular programme aims to complement our academic provision and offers all our children a wide range of experiences outside of the classroom.
I work closely with the support service departments across the estate to ensure the operations of the school run smoothly, both on a day-to-day basis as well as project planning. This ensures we have the best possible environment for our pupils to learn and grow. I also manage our wraparound care provision both before and after school, offering a fun, nurturing and safe environment for children to unwind.
