Useful contacts for schools | Learning in Middlesbrough

Middlesbrough Council Achievement Service

As well as the School Readiness Team, the Ethnic Minority Achievement Team (EMAT) and the Governor Development Service (GDS), the Achievement Service includes the Head of Achievement, Senior Advisor, Literacy Advisor and Early Years Development Lead who work closely with schools to facilitate school improvement.

The Achievement Advisors at the Council will:

Support and work with academy trusts and schools in order to enable them to improve on their previous best;
Where appropriate, assist schools in formulating actions plans, reviewing and setting appropriate targets, including continuing to challenge schools to improve further;
Work with partners to make best use of resources without depleting any single resource at the expense of others;
Research evidence-based best practice nationally and internationally, making cost-effective and judicious choices as to which are the most directly relevant to schools in Middlesbrough;
Identify and keep under review significant partners e.g. EEF, NLT in order to ensure the most effective support for a particular school or development area;
Celebrate developments and improvement, publishing research, communicating with Head teachers and raising the perceptions of schools and the community.
Literacy Advisor – offers support to primary schools through: Bespoke CPD, staff meetings, curriculum deep dives, work scrutiny, inference training, moderation, reading and writing reviews.
EYDL – offers EYFS support to all early years provision through: Bespoke CPD, focused improvement challenge and support plans, transition, network meetings, in depth knowledge of early years reforms, moderation.

Karen Smith
Head of Achievement
Phone:
01642 728308
Email:
karen_smith@middlesbrough.gov.uk

Jacqueline Dent
Achievement Strategic Manager
Email:
Jacqueline_Dent@middlesbrough.gov.uk
Phone:
01642 728245

Sheila Marley
School Readiness Manager/EYFS
Email:
Sheila_Marley@middlesbrough.gov.uk
Phone:
01642 727117 / 07788976792

I lead the School Readiness team who support parents to understand they are their child’s first educator and are integral to their child’s development. The team work with all Early Years settings to ensure that all childcare is accessible and of good quality, thereby enhancing children’s learning and development outcomes. I also work with school and early years leads to share best practice to support teaching and learning outcomes for our children and young people.

My top 3 passions are:

Early Years education
Family and friend
Reading

Georgina Chinaka
Ethnic Minority Achievement Manager/EAL
Phone:
01642 728472 / 07970471562

Allison Potter
Literacy Advisor
Phone:
01642 728752
Email:
allison_potter@middlesbrough.gov.uk

I have worked in primary education for over 30 years, starting off my career in a small village school in North Yorkshire, before moving up to Teesside in 1993, where I have taught from reception through to Year 6, in both mainstream and special schools, being a member of senior leadership teams. I undertook a Research MA at Durham University in 1995 and co-authored two published articles exploring the subject leader role. In order to further my knowledge and understanding, I successfully completed an MA in Literacy Learning and Literacy Difficulties (with Distinction) at the Institute of Education in 2014.

As an accredited national trainer for a number of literacy interventions, I have delivered CPD across Teesside and the North East of England, and have presented at National Conferences. I am passionate about the power of literacy to transform the lives of children and young people in Middlesbrough and to that end I keep abreast of current educational practices, both locally and around the country, to support schools and settings in helping their pupils to achieve their best, so improving future life chances. I want all children in Middlesbrough to have the support to help them become avid readers, knowing that a love of reading can help unlock their full potential.

Claire Bracchi
Early Years Development Lead
Phone:
01642 726621
Email:
claire_bracchi@middlesbrough.gov.uk

Claire Bracchi is a qualified teacher with twenty years experience and a Masters Degree in Education. She has extensive senior management experience in Early Years leadership, teaching in Key Stage 1 and 2 and has successfully led Early Years Foundation Stage settings in primary schools. She has also had leadership experience as a Children’s Centre Teacher and as a Specialist Leader in Education in Early Years, supporting school improvement through professional development and peer support. She is passionate about how research and training enriches high quality learning experiences for our children from the start and as Early Years Development Lead uses this to inform her role in providing rigorous support and challenge to nurseries and schools to improve their EYFS practice and provision to improve outcomes for every child.

Claire can offer:

EYFS Review visits – full day school/setting visits to support leaders in their evaluation of their EY offer through a learning walk, observations, leadership and management discussions and reflection.
EYFS Reforms implementation – support leaders and practitioners to make any necessary changes to their practice and manage their workload with a strong focus on curriculum intent.
EYFS network meetings – termly opportunities to provide peer support, CPD and share early years updates.
Learning Walks – support leaders and managers to understand their curriculum intent across their whole setting through the provision, organisation, routines and activities they offer.
Room/practitioner observations – support leaders and practitioners to identify strengths and areas for development in their practice.
Bespoke training sessions tailored to individual team need delivered through staff meetings in the setting.
EYFS Leadership support – including joint observations, curriculum review, self-evaluation and practitioner development.
CPD sessions (central training or in-house to whole team are available) including:
Effective Leadership and Management – a two session course to support new and potential leaders in schools and settings with the practicalities and challenges of their new role.
Whatever the Weather – practical outdoor learning ideas and activities through a carousel of resourceful, interactive workshops.
High Quality Interactions – a session exploring the role and impact of purposeful assessment, observations, questioning and conversations with children

Teaching Twos – develop a deeper understanding of what it is like to be a two year old and what they need from their learning environment. Two sessions are delivered through practical teaching ideas and information including schematic and the importance of partnerships with parents, effective routines, organisation and the role of adults in the setting.

Racheal Bell
Schools Safeguarding Information and Compliance Officer
Phone:
01642 513105/ 07881 354367
Email:
racheal_bell@middlesbrough.gov.uk

Provides coordinated support, guidance and challenge to schools and partners, ensuring children and young people are effectively supported to remain safe, including offering training and supervision. Support schools in ensuring compliance with National requirements in safeguarding of children and young people, this includes monitoring through Section 11 175 audits. Develop safeguarding knowledge, understanding and procedures make certain effective multi-agency working supports the sharing of best practice keeping children and young people safe. Ensure schools have effective support and guidance, sharing best practice, making sure awareness and compliance with current legislation and new developments in safeguarding practice. Acting as a key role within our children’s hub providing a coordinated service.

What I can offer

Staff briefings on safeguarding/child protection procedures relevant to Middlesbrough Children Services.
Threshold training
Supervision with Designated Safeguarding Leads (DSLs)
On going support with DSLs/Schools, Able to come and meet DSL teams in school
Guidance and advice regarding SAFER referrals
Regular DSL network meetings and updates

Tetiana Hallam
Education Administration Officer
Phone:
01642 726475
Email:
tetiana_hallam@middlesbrough.gov.uk

School Readiness Team

The School Readiness team are part of Middlesbrough Council Children’s Services and work with families who have children aged 0-5 years. This includes working with families to help children be ready for nursery and school, and to support families to access good quality childcare. They also support childcare settings (nurseries and childminders) with the quality and standard of their settings. If you need to speak to a particular Children’s Centre, check the Family Service Directory for individual Children’s Centre contact details, or call Lynn Blagg, Jenny James, or Joanne Tickle.

Sheila Marley
Team Manager
Email:
Sheila_Marley@middlesbrough.gov.uk
Phone:
01642 727117 / 07788976792

My top 3 passions are:

Early Years education
Family and friend
Reading

Lindsay Thompson
Assistant Team Manager: Early Years funding
Email:
Lindsay_Thompson@middlesbrough.gov.uk
Phone:
01642 513108 / 07814893877

Racheal Bell
Assistant Team Manager: Quality Early Years
Email:
Racheal_Bell@middlesbrough.gov.uk
Phone:
01642 513105 / 07881354367

Provides support to all early years’ provision for nurseries and childminders in Middlesbrough, enhancing their practice and provision, to meet the statutory requirements of the EYFS. Support can be facilitated through a variety of methods such as, safeguarding audits, Focussed Improvement Plans (childminders) PVI communication and childminder network meetings. Support is also offered via pre-registration, for nurseries through information, advice and guidance, visits to proposed sites, ready for Ofsted registration and for childminders through Ofsted advisory information, preparation for Ofsted or a Childminding Agency registration, support visits and information, advice and guidance.

What I can offer:

Support, information, advice and guidance
Up to date information, regarding legislation changes
Access to Safeguarding training
Signpost to other training requirements
Pre-registration support

Business support

Lynn Blagg
Assistant Team Manager: Children’s Centres
Email:
Lynn_Blagg@middlesbrough.gov.uk
Phone:
01642 260677 / 07973766444

Jenny James
Assistant Team Manager: Children’s Centres
Email:
Jenny_James@middlesbrough.gov.uk
Phone:
01642 727274 / 07814893702

Joanne Tickle
Assistant Team Manager: Children’s Centres
Email:
Joanne_Tickle@middlesbrough.gov.uk
Phone:
01642 579125 / 07824694004

Ethnic Minority Achievement Team (EMAT)

The Ethnic Minority Achievement Team (EMAT) is a team of professionals including teachers, teaching assistants, an educational welfare officer, and a family support worker. They work with schools to support pupils who speak English as an additional language (EAL), and Traveller, fair and circus pupils, to access high-quality education. They also work with families who speak English as an additional language to help them to apply for school places for children.

Georgina Chinaka
Ethnic Minority Achievement Team Manager/EAL
Phone:
01642 728472
Mobile:
07970471562

Beryl Chan
Education Welfare Officer (Traveller Education)
Phone:
01642 201884
Mobile:
07967302145

Lyn Craig
Family Support Worker
Phone:
01642 201884 / 01642 802893
Mobile:
07773959261

Maryam Farahani
Teaching Assistant (Farsi)
Phone:
01642 201881 / 01642 727407

Shazia Ali
Family support worker (Urdu and Punjabi)
Phone:
01642 201881
Mobile:
07929794234

Siobhan Burke
Teaching Assistant (Traveller education)
Phone:
01642 201884 / 01642 727625
Mobile:
07929852913

Souad Aissa
Teaching Assistant (Arabic)
Phone:
01642 201881 / 01642 720038
Mobile:
07789744639

Andrea Iancu
Family support worker (Romanian)
Phone:
01642 201884 / 01642 728481
Mobile:
07583089342

Ludmila Jungova
Family support worker (Czech)
Phone:
01642 201884 / 01642 728528
Mobile:
07881354360

Emilia Boga
Teaching Assistant (Romanian)
Phone:
01642 201881 / 01642 728629
Mobile:
07813398231

Maureen Coverdale
Business Admin Support
Phone:
01642 201883

Governor Development Service

Middlesbrough Governor Development Service is a specialist team, fully conversant in all aspects of school and corporate governance. They offer, through a Service Level Agreement (SLA): a high quality comprehensive service to support governors/directors/trustees in carrying out their role – from strategic leadership and training through to the organisation and management of governing boards and associated meetings.

Richard Painter
Governor Training Lead
Phone:
01642 201985
Email:
Richard_painter@middlesbrough.gov.uk

Education: Virtual School

The Virtual School Team advocates on behalf of all children in care by combining professional expertise with knowledge of the children they work with. Their role is to work alongside schools and social care professionals to make sure that our most vulnerable children can access the education they deserve and identify the different areas of support needed for each child to stay engaged with their learning.

Victoria Banks
Head of Virtual School
Email:
Victoria_Banks@middlesbrough.gov.uk
Phone:
01642727879

Erika Walkington
PEP Advisor
Email:
Erika_Walkington@middlesbrough.gov.uk
Phone:
01642727931

Georgina Camsell
PEP Advisor
Email:
Georgina_Camsell@middlesbrough.gov.uk
Phone:
01642727891

Gill Kipling
PEP Advisor
Email:
Gill_Kipling@middlesbrough.gov.uk
Phone:
01642727878

Louise Tennant
Project Officer
Email:
Louise_Tennant@middlesbrough.gov.uk
Phone:
01642727877

Mark Middlemiss
VSM LAC PEP Advisor
Email:
Mark_Middlemiss@middlesbrough.gov.uk
Phone:
01642727876

Sarah Watson
PEP Advisor
Email:
Sarah_Watson@middlesbrough.gov.uk
Phone:
01642727926

Tom Shorten
Project Officer
Email:
Tom_Shorten@middlesbrough.gov.uk
Phone:
01642727892

Wendy Haslam
PEP Advisor
Email:
Wendy_Haslam@middlesbrough.gov.uk
Phone:
01642 728149

Education: Choice Advisor

The Choice Advisor service provides independent advice and guidance to parents, carers, and schools when they need it most, for example following an exclusion, failing to secure a school place, or when a dispute arises between school and parent.

Genette McSorley
Email:
Genette_Mcsorley@middlesbrough.gov.uk
Phone:
01642 201872

Education: Education Welfare Service

The team support schools, parents and pupils in a number of ways including school attendance, legal issues and interventions and Elective Home Education (EHE). They also look after Child Entertainment and Employment Licensing (CEEL), Chaperone Approvals, Body of Person Approval and Child Employment Permits.

Generic email addresses for referrals
Education Welfare Service:
educationwelfareservice@middlesbrough.gov.uk
Elective Home Education:
electivehomeeducation@middlesbrough.gov.uk
Child Entertainment and Employment Licensing:
ceel@middlesbrough.gov.uk

Lynn Mitchell
Education Welfare Service Team Manager and Responsible Officer for EHE
Email:
lynn_mitchell@middlesbrough.gov.uk
Phone:
01642 201846

Leanne Barker
Education Welfare Officer (2 days EWO, 2 days EHE and 1 day CEEL)
Email:
leanne_barker@middlesbrough.gov.uk
Phone:
01642 729435

June Patterson
Access to Education Officer (Legal/Interventions and Interim Choice Advisor for EHE)
Email:
june_patterson@middlesbrough.gov.uk
Phone:
01642 201898

Gavin Smith
Business Support Administrator
Email:
gavin_smith@middlesbrough.gov.uk
Phone:
01642 729271

Education: children missing education (CME) and exclusion

The team are responsible for receiving referrals of pupils who are on a school roll but whose current location is not known (lost pupils – not school refusers or low attenders).

David Lister
Team Manager
Email:
David_Lister@middlesbrough.gov.uk
Email:
CME@middlesbrough.gov.uk
Email:
Exclusions@middlesbrough.gov.uk
Phone:
01642 729286

Samantha Bowman
CME/Access to Education 0fficer
Email:
CME@middlesbrough.gov.uk
Phone:
01642 201926

Robert Douglas
Assistant Access to Education Officer
Email:
Exclusions@middlesbrough.gov.uk
Phone:
01642 729489

Education: School Admissions

The school admissions team manage the Y6 to Y7 application and allocation of school places as well as managing the Reception application and allocation of school places. They also manage the mid year transfer process (pupils new to Middlesbrough or moving between schools within Middlesbrough).

Helen Oliver
Admissions Manager
Email:
Helen_Oliver@middlesbrough.gov.uk
Phone:
01642 210889

Chris Rumsey
Access to Education Officer
Email:
Chris_Rumsey@middlesbrough.gov.uk
Phone:
01642 201890

Debbie Robson
Access to Education Officer
Email:
Debbie_Robson@middlesbrough.gov.uk
Phone:
01642 201891

Education: Strategic School Planning

The team look after school place planning and school organisation, capital management, strategic asset management, land and playing fields, emergency management response – school liaison, academy conversions.

Gary Maddison
Strategic School Planning Manager
Email:
Gary_Maddison@middlesbrough.gov.uk
Phone:
01642 728722

Genette McSorley
Choice Advisor
Email:
Genette_Mcsorley@middlesbrough.gov.uk
Phone:
01642 201872

School Data Team

The team provides attendance, attainment and pupil mobility analysis. They also offer support for End of Key Stage submissions, school census guidance, support and error resolution. Both are chargeable services managed via a Service Level Agreement.

Elaine Pattinson
Data Coordinator
Email:
elaine_pattinson@middlesbrough.gov.uk

Property and Commercial Services

Property Services maintenance helpdesk

Report a building maintenance issue:
Phone: 01642773904
Email: mbc_propertyservices@middlesbrough.gov.uk (available: 8am to 4pm weekdays)

Out of hours emergency built asset maintenance service

The out of hours service is provided by Thirteen Group (phone: 0300 11 11 000 and then Option 1).

Monday to Thursday, 4pm to 8am
Friday 4pm to Monday 8am (inclusive)
Bank Holidays are covered 24 hours

This out of hours call out service is for emergencies to properties only. Out of hours calls relating to other services should continue to be reported to the Middlesbrough Council control room on 01642 726050.

Property Facilities Management

Responsible for managing and delivering a responsive repair service and statutory and planned maintenance including electrical faults.

Neville Mackey
Facilities Management Manager
Phone:
01642773924
Email:
neville_mackey@middlesbrough.gov.uk

Building Cleaning, Caretaking, and Security Services

General email: mbc_propertyservices@middlesbrough.gov.uk

Ged McGreevy
Phone:
01642 773910
Mobile:
07774 757802
Email:
ged_mcgreevy@middlesbrough.gov.uk

Health and Safety Unit

The Health and Safety Unit is responsible for providing competent health and safety advice, guidance and support.

John Armstrong
Health and Safety Manager
Email:
john_armstrong@middlesbrough.gov.uk
Phone:
01642 727412
Mobile:
07966176250

Anne Pennock
Health and Safety Adviser
Email:
anne_pennock@middlesbrough.gov.uk
Phone:
01642 727419
Mobile:
07793306634

Gary Welch
Health and Safety Adviser
Email:
gary_welch@middlesbrough.gov.uk
Phone:
01642 727431
Mobile:
07813369850

Steve Walsh
Health and Safety Adviser
Email:
steve_walsh@middlesbrough.gov.uk
Phone:
01642 727418
Mobile:
07970360043

Public Health

Working at community and individual level, to prevent ill health, prolong life, and improve quality of life.

Jo Russell
Schools Lead
Email:
Joanne_Russell@middlesbrough.gov.uk
Phone:
01642 728754

Human Resources (HR)

Middlesbrough Council does not provide a direct HR Advisory provision to schools, however the council’s central HR team work collaboratively on a proactive basis with their providers to ensure that schools receive the support they need. Middlesbrough Council has an overarching responsibility for locally-maintained schools and details of the responsibilities can be obtained from their HR Advisory provider or by contacting Human_Resources@middlesbrough.gov.uk.

Marketing and Communications

The team leads on media relations, marketing campaigns, social and digital media and websites for the council. We often assist schools in responding to media queries and are also keen to promote positive news about young people around the town.

Andrew Glover
Head of Marketing and Communications
Email:
andrew_glover@middlesbrough.gov.uk
Phone:
01642 729 251, 07812 837731

Tim Whitehead
Digital Manager
Email:
tim_whitehead@middlesbrough.gov.uk
Phone:
01642 729311

Debbie Robinson
Marketing Manager
Email:
Debbie_robinson@middlesbrough.gov.uk
Phone:
01642 729205

Angus Hoy
Communications Manager
Email:
angus_hoy@middlesbrough.gov.uk
Phone:
01642 729502

Culture

Middlesbrough Council’s Culture team aims to increase cultural experiences for everyone in Middlesbrough and they are working with Middlesbrough Cultural Partnership to make Middlesbrough the most creative town in the UK. The team run a number of leisure, cultural, and sports venues in the town including Middlesbrough Museums, Middlesbrough Theatre, Middlesbrough Town Hall, Teesside Archives, Middlesbrough parks, Newham Grange Farm, and SLM leisure centres.

Charlotte Nicol
Head of Culture
Email:
charlotte_nicol@middlesbrough.gov.uk
Phone:
01642 729525

Leanne Littlewood
Deputy Head of Culture
Email:
leanne_littlewood@middlesbrough.gov.uk
Phone:
01642 729137

Scott Hydon
Sports and Leisure Contract and Development Manager
Email:
scott_hydon@middlesbrough.gov.uk
Phone:
01642 515625