Working at Yardleys School
Mr Buckley – Head of Year
I joined Yardleys School in January 2016 as a Head of House (now Head of Year), having previously undertaken a similar role at my previous school. My experiences of Yardleys were positive from the moment that I arrived for my first interview; both staff and students have been enormously welcoming and after only a term here I felt like part of the furniture.
As a Head of Year I am responsible for the pastoral support offered to 200 students by a team of ten form tutors. I also work closely with parents, Heads of Faculty / Heads of Department and a variety of external agencies to ensure that our students receive the individual support they require to achieve their potential. In addition to this, I undertake a variety of strategic projects and work alongside members of SLT in order to influence whole school strategy and operations.
All in all, I value the opportunities that I am given at Yardleys to develop my own skill sets as well as those of our students.
Mrs Chauhan – Head of Computing and ICT
I joined Yardleys as an NQT in 2005, each year has been very different for me. In 2007 I was appointed as Key Stage 3 co-ordinator of ICT, this role gave me a real opportunity to lead and manage a section of the curriculum. During the transition from ICT to Computing I introduced GCSE Computing at KS4 and updated the KS3 curriculum to reflect the latest changes introduced by the government, I was then appointed as Head of Computing & ICT.Most recently I have also taken the role of Professional Mentor which involves mentoring NQT’s and other colleagues. I thoroughly enjoy this role as it has helps me to reflect on my teaching and learning in the classroom and allows me to develop others as well as myself.
During my time at Yardleys the school has changed considerably and there have been challenging moments but I feel fortunate to have been a part of this development and change. Yardleys School has allowed me to become an outstanding practitioner by providing me with many opportunities.
The CPD programme is strong and the opportunity to share good practice is a real strength at Yardleys. The staff are supportive and the students are unique. Each day is different which makes the role exciting, rewarding and stimulating.
Mr Vaughan – Teacher of Humanities
I came to Yardleys school as a Newly Qualified Teacher in 2014. I was nervous, having only just achieved QTS and moving straight into an inner city school. My fears proved to be unfounded. For my NQT year I was given a professional mentor and a subject tutor who guided me through the process of becoming a fully qualified teacher. They dropped in on my lessons every week, giving feedback that was brief, specific and very helpful. I was never left to rest on my laurels, but I never felt like I faced an insurmountable obstacle thanks to their guidance.
After becoming a fully qualified teacher I was given further opportunities to develop professionally, with hot spots and twilight sessions almost every week focusing on the different aspects of teaching. This has continued to help me as I now have my own form and the challenges of Year 11 alongside the fresh faces of a new Year 7. Yardleys helped me grow from a student teacher with a PGCE to a far more confident, fully qualified teacher who knows that while they still have a way to go before becoming a great teacher, the school has mine and my students’ best interests at heart.