At Myton School we are highly committed to supporting the whole school workforce through a calendar of CPD that is personalised, relevant and contributes to teaching and learning. Funding is set aside to support staff training through identified subject-specific needs, personal professional development (via individual performance management) and through the wider school Training Programme.

The school supports CPD in a variety of forms, for example:

• By funding attendance on external courses (recent courses have included ‘Metacognition and Interleaving’, ‘Bridging the Literacy Gap: Effective Strategies To Address Weak Reading Skills in Secondary School Pupils’)
• Comprehensive internal training programmes
• Teaching and Learning staff who will provide demonstration lessons, coaching, mentoring and ‘tailored’ support and training
• Initial Teacher Training mentoring and buddies for new staff
• Opportunities to celebrate and share practice
• Leadership development
• Action Research

We embrace up to date pedagogy and innovation, realising that in a rapidly changing environment such as education, staff have the opportunity to include masters and other action research into their working practice and thereby incorporate new knowledge in day-to-day activities.

The Teaching and Learning team is part of the CPD entitlement at Myton School. The staff within the team share good practice and are experts in delivering professionalism in teaching and learning; making a difference where it really counts – in the classroom.

We give frequent opportunities to individuals to review and identify their personal needs, with an extensive programme of INSET days being part of the package. We do try to cover every training and CPD requirement in-house but also arrange external training on request.

Julie Stevens

Assistant Headteacher/Director of Sixth Form

Having worked my way up the ranks at Myton in the English Department, then as Assistant Head in charge of Literacy, and now as Head of Sixth Form, I have a great overview of Teaching and Learning across the school, in core subjects but also with particular focus on Key Stage 5.

Areas of expertise:

• Pedagogy in English
• Key Stage 5 Teaching and Learning
• Literacy across the curriculum
• Importance of reading
• Stretching the more able
• Line management

Email: [email protected]

Emma Atkins

Assistant Headteacher – Curriculum and Staffing

I have taught at Myton since September 2012, having been employed as Head of Maths. I then joined the leadership team as Director of Numeracy, before becoming an Assistant Headteacher for Transition and Key Stage 3 Curriculum, before starting my current role in September 2020. The curriculum should evolve over time and be accessible, appropriate, engaging and challenging for all students. We want teachers to have outstanding subject knowledge, be passionate about their subject and deliver outstanding learning through outstanding teaching.

In both my time at Myton and at previous schools, one the most rewarding parts of my role is to see students excel both in the classroom and out, especially in specialisms other than my own and seeing them all as individuals aiming to be the best version of themselves. Every teacher should ‘walk the walk’, leading by example and having the highest expectations of every single student. There are no excuses, and all can achieve, no matter what their starting point.

Email: [email protected]

Jenny Cross

Teaching & Learning Lead – Teaching & Learning Leader / Professional Mentor (ITT, NQTs and RQTs) & PE teacher

I am in my 15th year of teaching, having qualified in 2006. I began my working career at Tudor Grange School, Solihull and have been at Myton since 2010. I have had roles such as second in department, NQT mentor, trainee mentor and have taught PE, Dance and Drama. I am now also a member of the Teaching & Learning team as a Teaching & Learning Leader and Professional Mentor for ITT, NQTs and RQTs.

I am also a qualified netball coach, play netball for a local club, dog owner and mum to three young children.

Areas of expertise:

• Supporting and coaching newly qualified teachers and trainee teachers
• Continuing high standards when it comes to behaviour and pupil expectations
• Establishing alternative Attitude for Learning techniques and ideas
• Stretching the more able
• Peer coaching
• Encouraging roles other than ‘performer’ within the lesson
• The confidence continuum

Email: [email protected]

Abbie Arliss

Teaching & Learning Lead – Teaching & Learning Leader / Professional Mentor (ITT and ECTs) & Drama and Theatre Arts Coordinator

I am in my 8th year of teaching after completing my initial teacher training at Aberystwyth University. After completing my NQT year at Myton, I have taught both Drama and English; been a subject mentor for 7 years, lead the curriculum in Drama, and was Drama and Theatre Arts Coordinator. I am now also a member of the Teaching & Learning team as a Teaching & Learning Leader and Professional Mentor for ITT and ECTs.

Email: [email protected]

Nicola Ealden

Head of English and member of Leadership Team

After qualifying as an English and Drama teacher in 2000, I joined Myton School as an RQT and I’m now in my twentieth year here. I have worked within the Myton English department as Key Stage 3 Coordinator, Key Stage 4 Coordinator, Second in Department, I/C English and am currently the Head of English – a role I love. My goal is that students who journey through Myton are instilled with a lifelong love of reading and that we create students who are critical and imaginative analysts and users of language.

This year I have enjoyed coordinating the school’s post-Covid recovery curriculum and ensuring that we build on the incredible support and engagement that parents and carers have been able to provide during the lockdown periods; making our department plans transparent and usable so that parents and carers can work with us to support their children.

I look forward to continuing to use my expertise as an experienced Head of Department and classroom practitioner as part of the Leadership Team, developing the middle leaders and Teaching and Learning across the school.

One of my favourite roles is running the annual Year 9 Newquay trip – I am a strong believer in learning outside of the classroom, whether that’s in the sea on a residential trip, or in a theatre, or a public speaking event.

Email: [email protected]

Emma Clark

Head of Psychology and member of Leadership Team

I joined Myton in 2002 as an NQT and have taught Geography, Psychology and Health and Social Care across Key Stages 3-5. I became Head of the Psychology Department in 2006 and now predominately teach Sixth Form students. During my time at Myton, I have been a mentor for trainee teachers as well as NQTs and was seconded onto the Leadership Team in 2020. I also successfully completed my MA in Educational Leadership and Innovation in 2015.

Area of expertise:

• Supporting trainee teachers
• Building positive relationships with students
• Retrieval practice
• Feedback including modelling, verbal and written
• Metacognition

Email: [email protected]