The Transition Team - Who Are We?

Like any new beginnings, it’s always worrying when you don’t know what your ‘new school’ is going to be like – that’s why we run our Transition Project so you can send us examples of your masterpieces – in that way, we can learn a little about you, and you can get to know one another a bit more, too. 

What about our staff, though, what are they like?

Unfortunately, we can’t introduce you to everyone, because you would then be reading this for hours! However, we know it’s helpful to know who some of the most important people will be, so we have outlined some information for you below. 

For any Year 7 student, the pastoral team provides a vital support network, particularly in the early days, when secondary school is so different to primary school. For example, most Year 6 pupils experience school days that are centred around ‘their’ teacher and ‘their’ classroom, whereas at Valley Park, our students move around the school between lessons, so they can avail themselves of specialist equipment, laboratories and workshops.  

The pastoral team is the group of people which helps all this run smoothly, and they're led by Ms Walton - Deputy Headteacher, Mr Blyth - Senior Assistant Headteacher, and Mr Kilner - Assistant Headteacher. It’s their job to make sure the pastoral side of school life runs smoothly and, in the coming months, that our new students are made to feel welcome and settled as quickly as possible. Mr Kilner is ably supported by the Head of Year 7 and Student Support Manager, who are the first port of call for any students or parents who have questions or concerns. 

Every morning, your child will meet with their form group and their form tutor. They will either have an assembly with their Head of Year or they will be engaged in tutor time activities. These activities will have a particular theme and they form part of our enrichment and Personal Development curriculum. There will be opportunities to become involved in our Student Voice, or with competitions, or just to meet new people and get to know them, which is so important when moving schools.

Your child’s form tutor will guide them through such new experiences as understanding their new timetable, knowing how to use their Homework Planner, finding their way around school and making new friends. They will also explain where to find our Health and Welfare Manager, and important matters, like what to do if your child feels unwell during the school day.

There are a few colleagues that your child might see around school more frequently than others, because they oversee the running of the whole school and will probably pop into lessons, especially in your child’s early days at the school. You might also see them if you drop your child to school. We thought it would be helpful to share some information about the Senior Team, so that you know who we are. Below you will find their welcome messages to you as you join our community.