Woodend Farm School in Witham, which supports pupils with a range of additional needs, has strengthened its leadership team as it gears up for expansion. The school, which opened in 2023, currently caters for 25 children aged six to 11, many of whom were previously out of education due to a lack of appropriate SEND facilities.
New Assistant Headteacher Appointed
Danielle O'Neill has joined as assistant headteacher, moving from her role as deputy headteacher at a mainstream school. She will focus on developing the whole school's curriculum as the school prepares to open a secondary school in Great Baddow this September, catering for 15 students.
O'Neill said: "Over the years of working in mainstream schools, I have seen the increasing numbers of children with SEND needs coming through, and mainstream schools are not fully equipped to meet those needs. I wanted to work in a setting that is built around the children, rather than making them fit into a specific setting."
Tailored Curriculum for Diverse Needs
Woodend predominantly supports children with autism, ADHD, speech and language challenges, and pathological demand avoidance (PDA) profile, where children physically cannot manage everyday tasks or demands even if they want to. The school offers learning experiences tailored to each child to enable them to reach their full potential.
O'Neill added: "Here, there is the time and space to plan for each specific child. Designing a curriculum in mainstream secondary schools is very limited, but here, there is the ability to look at it from what a child needs, and that is really nice. I am really excited to develop the secondary school here. It will be something that is ever-evolving as it will be built around the young people and preparing them for adulthood."
Consistency Across Primary and Secondary
Gemma Quantrill, executive headteacher, highlighted the importance of consistency: "We are catering for a wide range of SEND needs and so our curriculum is bespoke to each child's needs. What we have noticed in our primary school is that by catering for a wide range of needs in this way, our children are extremely tolerant of each other, and that makes for a really inclusive environment. It makes sense for this overview to continue into our new secondary school, as there is nowhere else for these children to go. Danielle has come in to ensure we have that consistency going from primary through to our new secondary school."
Strategic Experience Welcome
Quantrill praised O'Neill's appointment: "She comes with a lot of strategic experience. To have that established experience and understanding of education and its pitfalls, she brings something different to the table. She comes with a fresh set of eyes and will see things from a different angle."
O'Neill, who took up her role in February, said: "I just absolutely love it here at Woodend. When I first visited, everyone I passed was smiling."
