Debbie Evans

I have recently retired from my job as an Assistant Headteacher/Inclusion Manager at a large local secondary school. I have worked in education since 1983, working in mainstream secondary schools and a special school in Worcestershire.

In my most recent of role of 20 years I led a large team of teachers and Learning Support Assistants in this role and worked with parents and students. My role focussed on supporting students with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND). I represented this significant population on the school's leadership team and was instrumental in the development of policy and practice. I gained the prestigious Inclusion Quality Mark for the school which has achieved Flagship status this year.

I thoroughly enjoyed my time at Christopher Whitehead Language College and am proud of my achievements, particularly in the area of contact with young people and their families. I worked very hard at developing excellent relationships with young people, focussing on positive social and academic outcomes for all.

A large part of my role included training teachers and supporting students and their families relating to safeguarding. I liaised closely with external agencies and networked with them in order to ensure that students were safe and able to thrive.

I am a qualified English teacher and taught students with SEND throughout my career. I have had to be highly organised and methodical in balancing my roles at school, working with many different teams of people. I miss this aspect of my working life as I enjoy socialising and interacting with others, valuing their friendship and support. This is when I learned most about the job.