As Assistant Headteacher, I share the responsibility of guiding the direction of the school with the rest of the senior leadership team and I have specific responsibility for improving the quality of teaching and learning across the school.

I started teaching at Oaklands in 2009 and have held several positions at the school since.  Most of my training and development has come from experience in the classroom as well as through working with highly skilled and experienced colleagues. I have been Head of Chemistry, Lead Practitioner and Head of Science.  These positions have involved increasing levels of responsibility and more influence over teaching and learning in the school.  I really enjoy the opportunity of collaborating with my teaching colleagues to help improve the experience of our students in the school, and I am excited about my new position of Assistant Head will give me even more influence in this area.

I really enjoy working in a Catholic School.  I am a practicing Catholic and proud parent and I therefore recognise the importance and impact of faith on the lives of young people.  All schools are different and have their own character: the Catholic traditions are a big part of what makes our school so special.

For me, the best thing about working at Oaklands is the community.  We are lucky to work with fantastic students alongside a caring and supportive staff. Oaklands is a terrific school, has a wonderful community and is hugely enjoyable place to work.  I would recommend it to anyone!

I have been Head of History at Oaklands since September 2018.

I have previously worked as a Project Co-ordinator in the Business Services department of First Direct and prior to that I travelled in Asia and Australia, working mostly on farms, which I really
enjoyed!

I have been a Teacher for 7 years now, working in three different schools. I had previously progressed to being responsible for key stage 3 (years 7 to 9). I had some excellent coaching from my previous Head of Department and he coached me on the different aspects of the role. I was also given the opportunity to join the Senior Leadership Team on a temporary basis. This certainly gave me a more detailed understanding of the complexity of running a school. All of this experience has enabled me to have the confidence to step up to Head of Department at Oaklands. Being Head of Department is a great job and I would like to develop my role as an examiner in the future.

My biggest achievement so far has been building an effective team of teachers that work collaboratively together.

I really enjoy working in a Catholic school. The values and routines really fit well with what I feel is important in education. Working in a Catholic school gives a more holistic approach and we are very inclusive. The best thing about Oaklands is the people, both the staff and the students are fantastic. If you ever need any assistance there is always someone willing to help if you just ask!

If you are thinking of applying to work at Oaklands I would say ‘Go for it!’ Oaklands is a fantastic school with a strong academic tradition and a secure, inclusive pastoral ethos!

I am a Teacher of Religious Education (RE) at Oaklands. I joined the team in September 2017.

I am a former student of Oaklands and I left the Sixth Form here with good A-levels and went straight to Chichester University to study Theology and Religious Studies. I remained at Chichester to complete my PGCE (Post Graduate Certificate in Education) and then I landed an interview here!

I have had a few jobs before I started Teaching, including working in a Michelin Star restaurant, a café and retail. I also worked some summers at Goodwood. I have been a continuous volunteer at my church in the youth and children’s ministries.

I recently gained the position of Lead Tutor, I assist the Head of Year with a range of pastoral and administration matters to support the progress of our Year 8 students.

Oaklands is a distinctive school; it treats students, as young people with unique gifts and talents. We recognise they have individual needs and we work hard to support them to be the best possible version of themselves.

The first year in teaching is challenging , but I received fantastic support from my mentor and the department; I constantly worked towards the finish line. Everybody here is treated equally and is given the same respect, whether you are a Teacher, Learning Support Assistant or a Cleaner – we are all one body!

Teaching is a definitely a vocation and I think if it’s the career for you Oaklands will definitely bring you through it!

I joined Oakands in April 2019 as an Apprentice IT Technician. I work closely alongside the Technical Manager and our small team of technicians to help solve and support issues around the school. My work is wide and varied from preparing the IT suites ready for lessons, to managing the ticket fault reporting system. No two days are the same at Oaklands, which keeps the role both interesting and exciting. I have a background in the music Industry, mainly the business and promotion side. I studied a BTEC Diploma in Music Technology at South Downs College in 2010, then moving onto completing a Music Business and Promotion degree at Southampton Solent University. Eighteen months after finishing University, I decided to pursue a career in IT, this has always been a strong passion of mine. There is a strong link between my degree experience and some of the work here at Oaklands. The support at Oaklands has made me realise that I could have a career in this area. The apprenticeship scheme at Oaklands enabled me to learn on the job and gain another qualification. I undertook remote online training at home for 5 days every 5/6 weeks delivered via an assessor at Highbury College. As well as this I have been trained by my Line Manager on different systems and hardware’s around the school.

I am proud that I have passed all my exams as part of my apprenticeship training to a high standard.
I have recently undertaken a management apprenticeship in Level 4 Network Engineering, alongside my day-to-day role and obtained a Distinction level grade.

For me, the best thing about working here is the community. To be able to work in a place that is accepting and with colleagues who are kind and go the extra mile to help each other. There is a strong feeling of community
spirit. If you are thinking of a career in Oaklands I would say ‘Apply’! It is the best career choice I have ever
made and I could not be happier. Oaklands is a fantastic place to work with a lot to offer!