The Team

"There is a famous quote about it taking a village to raise a child. In my case, it could have easily been a city. It has taken many inspirational teachers who taught me that being different was an asset in life and that learning is an individual experience and should not be an institutional conveyor belt. It has taken a military institution to show me I am capable and competent, even in the most heinous of situations. It has taken me going back into education, as an adult, to see that there are still young people, like me, who need something alternative. It has taken the completion of my PGCE in Secondary English Teaching to realise that everyone can learn if you give them the right tools. It has taken the success of finishing my Masters Degree in Education to feel like I did when I was back at school: overwhelmed, oversensitive, and overcome, to appreciate the barriers that exist for us all. Headway is an inspirational place. A place like no other: designed to motivate, inspire, nurture, and cultivate young people who are ready for the world that awaits them, with the tools they need, and the mindset that is essential to succeed."

"My role in Headway is Safeguarding Lead. I was previously employed as an Intervention Manager at Baysgarth School. My entire career has focused upon supporting children and young people, this has included various roles at the Youth Offending Service, Youth Service and the Multi Agency Preventative Team.

In my spare time I enjoy walking, running (occasionally!), watching movies, travelling to new places and meeting with friends."

"I have worked in secondary schools for over ten years. I have always worked to support students who face a range of challenges and barriers within their learning and have thoroughly enjoyed my time doing so . I have learnt so much about different needs and how best to support each individual to reach their full potential. One of the most enjoyable parts of these roles has been to support students with their emotional and social wellbeing, to assist them to understand their own emotions and equip them with the skills and strategies to support self-regulation. I believe that if a student feels emotionally ready to learn and build upon their resilience, then they will thrive. I build positive relationships with students through mutual respect and working together. This passion for working with young people to enrich their experience of education and the school environment has led me to undertake this new and exciting role working with the staff and students within Headway.

My favourite sayings are ‘A smile is contagious’ and ‘A problem shared is a problem halved’.

In my spare time, I like to spend time with my partner and daughter. We support Hull FC and often go to watch them and in the warmer months we like to paddle board; we are still learning but we enjoy doing this together. I also like to raise money for charity and volunteer my time to support these charities in several different ways. I have raised money in various ways, such as sponsored walks, colour runs and bake sales; and I have recently played a charity football match and I have signed up for this year's Race for Life. I have volunteered to support students taking part in the Duke of Edinburgh award, and I also volunteer for the Downright Special charity.

"I have been at Headway since April 2022, however, I was originally involved in the development of the centre back when it first established back in September 2017, alongside Mr Snell and Mr Sale after finishing my Bachelors in Sports Development and Coaching after three years at University. My role back then was working as a Teaching Assistant where we all worked together to create schemes of work to help the children develop in a classroom environment and also an extra-curricular setting. I then left Barton to be closer to home in Scunthorpe and gain more experience within the teaching profession. After gaining more skills and experience I had the opportunity to work back at Headway in 2022 in which I seized the opportunity. I love having the feeling like I have made a difference in the lives of young children, no matter how big or small it may be. 'There are obviously two educations. One should teach us how to make a living and the other, how to live.'  

I’m busy out of work too as I am a football referee which takes up some night times midweek and also takes up my Saturdays and aspire to be the best I can possibly be and who knows, maybe one day be a Premier League match official."

"I have been in and out of Headway since 2017 when it first launched as the Annexe. Whilst doing this, I have worked in different roles in the centre, including a Learning Support Assistant, Cover Supervisor and now a HLTA. My passion for this field is down to my own childhood growing up in a challenging area with high levels of anti-social behaviour and social issues. This upbringing has given me some vital tools which link to the role well and has given me an understanding of issues that are students face on a daily basis. My way of overcoming these barriers personally was having great people around me to support me and my family, alongside sport and intervention. My passion is sport, teaching and coaching, and these have allowed me to progress from a potentially negative path of crime and uncertainty into a career where, as a team, we can make real positive changes to the students who attend Headway."

"I am relatively new to the educational side of things, joining Headway in November 2022, although I have always worked in a nurturing job role whether that be supporting people with autism, complex needs, learning difficulties or rehabilitation needs. I gain most job satisfaction from knowing that I am supporting someone to achieve, empowering them to flourish, moving on to live and maintain a happy life.

Whilst recently working as a senior carer in a mental health and rehab unit I undertook a volunteer role on a evening at a youth club on one of the local estates where I built relationships with some of the children. These children challenged me and definitely made me analyse why I gave up my evenings for free but they also taught me resilience and showed me that with time and effort I could really make a difference and those differences where priceless. I figured that with the right nurturing and guidance these children really could achieve whatever they wanted too and this was the right age to invest in really trying to help mould their futures. so I applied for a new job and here I am a part of a truly dedicated team where our students receive more than just an education our students thrive yes they may challenge us and push boundaries but they need to know that we will never give up on them and we will always be in there corner encouraging them to be the very best version of themselves this is what makes us unique.

A bit about myself, well what do I say when you're a mum,wife and holding down a full time job who even are We? But what I can say is whilst supporting the pupils in intervention on a Friday I have re-visited a childhood passion of equine. I have been learning to ride alongside the children. I have a lot of equine knowledge and have always been around horses etc but many of life’s hurdles have meant I have never fully committed to actually getting on ….. This is currently a work in progress and despite being very unfit at first I am enjoying progressing steadily whenever the opportunity arises."

"I have recently started work as a Class Lead Assistant at Headway early 2023. After working in a primary alternative provision I felt my real passion was working with secondary aged children. I have a real desire to inspire the children and let them feel comfortable in themselves, no matter their academic abilities or homelife settings. Being a trusted adult is really important to me not only in my own children's lives but also in my profession. Finding that mutuality and connection and having the ability to engage and be a safe person for the kids really matters to me. I truly believe we all succeed in life just at different times and everyone deserves the chance to flourish. I have three teenage children and they all have all struggled throughout their education at school. So coming to work at Headway also has a personal touch for me as my eldest son struggled at mainstream. I saw his own struggles and now I'd like to help other children who are going through similar struggles as he did.

I have a varied employment background, I am a qualified sport coach, I also worked at a local Hospice for a number of years. Then I worked at a mental health charity before I realised my real passion lay within helping children reach their full potential.

In my spare time I enjoy a wide range of sports. I've recently taken part in a charity boxing fight where we had 8 weeks of training and then had a fight at the baths hall at the end of the training. I won my fight and this has inspired me to carry on with boxing, not only does this keep me fit, it really helps me with my own mental health journey.

I am also a mum of 3 teenagers who most definitely keep me on my toes at the ages they are now mostly being a mums taxi service!!!

I really hope I am able to inspire the children at Headway and when their older they will remember me and say I can remember Miss Usher saying

Focus on the step in front of you not the whole staircase!!!"