22 March 2016

Dear Parents / Carers,

As the Easter holiday approaches, I felt it was important that I updated you on
staffing developments for the coming year. Last year we were extremely pleased to
have secured three colleagues with Senior Leadership Team experience. The impact
of Mrs Power to maths and the pastoral team; Miss Field to Science and STEM and
Mrs Rodden to English has been deeply significant. In light of this I am delighted to
say that in order to support staffing over the coming year we have recruited three
more colleagues with an SLT background. At the same time it is also important to
pause and thank colleagues who have made fabulous contributions to students'
learning and well being at Beccles Free School.
Mr Mutimer is leaving us this Easter term in order to focus his time on his family and
look after his parents. I would like to once again thank Mr Mutimer for the
phenomenal contribution he has made to life of students at the school. It is no
surprise to colleagues that Mr Mutimer is keen to ensure his examination groups are
still well prepared going into the final term. Consequently although Mr Mutimer is
technically leaving, he will be coming back to work with his GCSE classes after Easter.
In addition I am very pleased that Mrs Brown has already joined us and will be
working with Mr Mutimer this week to ensure there is a smooth transition for all of Mr
Mutimer's classes. Mrs Brown has considerable experience as a Science teacher, as a
SENCO and as a senior teacher and brings experience and expertise to our team.
Further to this, in September, Mr Butler, who is currently an Assistant Headteacher
working with Nord Anglia International Schools, will join the Science team and take a
leading role in supporting staff and students in the effective use of digital technology,
focusing in particular on the use of chrome books.
Mrs Gittins having given years of professional support to students in teaching modern
foreign languages is retiring this term. The teaching of French is a central aspect of
our curriculum and I would like to thank my colleague for her hard work and
commitment. It is a testament to Mrs Gittins' desire to develop learning that in the
last few weeks she has set up a partnership project with Beccles Museum and
arranged for the school to act as a hub for other schools in the sharing of good
practice with Modern Foreign Languages. As with Mr Mutimer, Mrs Gittins will be
coming back in after Easter to support Year 11 with their examinations. In order to
further strengthen the preparation for the exams, Mrs Swan will be working with the

students, drawing on her own considerable experience with teaching GCSE French. It
was lovely, at the most recent Parents' Open Forum to hear parents / carers speak
very positively about the support Mrs Gittins has given. Over the next term Mr Bishop,
an experienced languages teacher who has been working with us for the past term,
will continue to teach thereby providing continuity for the students. He will be joined
by Mr. Pilato who is also an experienced French teacher. Looking towards next year,
earlier in the term we were extremely fortunate to secure Mrs Bojang, who is taking
on Mrs Walker's post who has also retired this term. We wish Mrs Walker well and
thank her for all that she has done for the school. This week we are interviewing for a
second colleague to join the team and help continue to take languages forward.
As an English teacher myself, I am naturally very pleased to say that we have
appointed Mr Morris as Subject Leader for English, Drama and Literacy. Mr Morris,
whose experience includes being an Assistant Headteacher and Advanced Skills
Teacher, joins us at Easter. Naturally Miss Best will continue in leading Drama and Mrs
Barratt will return at the end of the summer as an English teacher, having had a baby
in December. Consequently Mr Morris will take on the Mrs Barratts former leadership
role, and will also take on Miss Cunninghams teaching timetable (with the exception
of Year 11 who I will teach personally).
Miss Cunningham will be leaving the school at the end of this term. She will be taking
a couple of months out after Easter, before joining Cliff Park Ormiston Academy. Miss
Cunningham would like it to be expressed she wishes the staff and students all the
best of luck with exams and their futures. Miss Cunningham has worked at the school
for two and a half years and naturally we are extremely sorry to see Miss Cunningham
go.
Teaching the students of Beccles Free School has been a wonderful experience.

Never have I worked in a school where the pupils are so warm, friendly and open to
new and challenging ideas. I hope to have helped the students progress academically
and develop a love for English! I have been inspired by their determination, readiness
to have fun, ambition and humour; I can only hope to have done the same. Thank
you and good luck! Miss Cunningham.

Finally it is important to conclude this letter with thanking Mrs Swan for the
phenomenal impact she has had on life at Beccles Free School. At May half term, Mrs
Swan will be returning to Saxmundham Free School to continue in her role as Deputy
Headteacher. Meanwhile Mr Ward, who is currently Deputy Headteacher at Ixworth
Free School will become our new Deputy Headteacher. Clearly it is vitally important
that we take advantage of the excellent working relationship Mr Ward and Mrs Swan
have, having both been with the Trust from the outset. Consequently Mr Ward will be
in school two days a week over the next half term, working alongside Mrs Swan and
taking the opportunity to meet students and parents, in particular ensuring that issues
related to SEND are addressed. Mr Ward, as well as being an experienced member of
the Senior Leadership Team and SENCO, is also a Technology teacher, and so will
help us to get Food Technology back in its rightful place in the curriculum, teaching

GCSE Food Technology and guiding the teaching of Food Technology with younger
students.
The students at Beccles Free School deserve to have the very best teaching. My
colleagues and I have been working hard to make sure we all learn to develop and at
the same time make important and careful decisions about appointments. I am
excited by what the new staff will bring to the school and thank you in advance for
the warm welcome I know parents and students will give them.
Finally, I would like to take this opportunity to wish you all a very Happy Easter.
Yours faithfully,

Nigel Youngman
Headteacher