Headteacher's Welcome
It is a pleasure to welcome you to Forest Park School, a Hampshire local authority maintained special school. We provide education for children and young people aged 2-19 years with severe, profound and complex learning difficulties. In addition, the majority of our pupils have co-occurring needs including Autism, Down Syndrome and physical disabilities.
Forest Park is split across two sites, one mile apart. We have a Primary School in Ringwood Road, Totton catering for around 100 children and a Secondary School in Commercial Road Totton, catering for around 40 young people with the most profound and complex learning difficulties.
At Forest Park we are committed to providing a highly personalised curriculum and stimulating learning environment, which starts with the individual needs of each child and young person. We seek to prepare every member of our school community for the next significant phase in their lives, whatever that might be. In addition, we are dedicated to ensuring that our pupils enjoy school, are happy, confident and proud of themselves and their achievements.
In school we are supported by and work in collaboration with, a range of professionals including School Nurses, Speech and Language therapists, Physiotherapists and Occupational Therapists.
I hope you enjoy your journey around our website and look forward to welcoming you to our wonderful school at some point in the future.
Ashley Oliver-Catt
Headteacher
Our Governors
Our School Governing Body
Governors are a voluntary body of people who guide and support the strategic direction of the school. They are members of the school team and their contribution to the running of the school is highly valued.
School Governing Body
The instrument of government states that the governing body shall consist of:
- 2 Parent Governors
- 1 Local Authority Governor
- 1 Staff Governor
- 1 Headteacher
- 9 Co-opted Governors
The role of the governing body is a strategic one, its key functions are to:
- Set the aims and objectives for the school
- Set the policies for achieving those aims and objectives
- Set the targets for achieving those aims and objectives
- Monitor and evaluate the progress the school is making towards achievement of its aims and objectives
- Be a source of challenge and support to the headteacher (a critical friend)
Letters from the governing body:
Paul Shields
Chair of Governors -Co-opted
FGB, Resources
Date Appointed: November 2022 as Governor, January 2023 as Chair of Governors
Term of Office: 27.11.22- 26.11.26
Business/personal & Pecuniary Interests: None
Meetings attended in previous academic year: 83% for FGB
Helen Piela
Vice Chair of Governors- Co-opted
Vice Chair of Governors and Resources (including Finance) Committee, Safeguarding Champion, Headteacher Performance Review Panel
Date Appointed as Vice Chair: October 2020
Term of Office: 22.02.23- 21.02.27
Business/personal & Pecuniary Interests: Staff member for Hampshire Governor Services
Meetings attended in previous academic year: 100% for FGB and 100% for Resources
Tim Buxton
Co-opted Governor
FGB, Health and Safety Governor, Pupil Premium Governor
Date Appointed: October 2018
Term of Office: 16.10.22- 15.10.26
Business/personal & Pecuniary Interests: Partner of employee
Meetings attended in previous academic year: 83% for FGB
Lisa Drake
Co-opted Governor
FGB, Pay Committee Chair, Recruitment panel member
Date Appointed: October 2021
Term of Office: 20.10.21- 19.10.25
Business/personal & Pecuniary Interests: Parent of pupil
Meetings attended in previous academic year: 67% for FGB As Parent Governor
(photo to follow)
Michelle Gill
Co-opted Governor
FGB, HT Performance Management Panel
Date Appointed: May 2022
Term of Office: 25.06.22- 24.06.26
Business/personal & Pecuniary Interests: Parent of pupil
Meetings attended in previous academic year: No data as yet
Janet McCann
Co-opted Governor
FGB, Resources Committee member, Curriculum Governor
Date Appointed: November 2021
Term of Office: 24.11.21- 23.11.25
Business/personal & Pecuniary Interests: None
Meetings attended in previous academic year: N/A
Sue Thomas
Co-opted Governor
FGB, Resources Committee member, Recruitment Panel Member
Date Appointed: March 2020
Term of Office: March 2020- March 2024
Business/personal & Pecuniary Interests: None
Meetings attended in previous academic year: 100% for FGB, 83% for Resources
Joel Young
Parent Governor
FGB
Date Appointed: January 2023
Term of Office: 25.01.23- 24.01.27
Business/personal & Pecuniary Interests: Parent of pupil
Meetings attended in previous academic year:
Clerk to Governors
Our Clerk to Governors is Jan Harris
Luke Strain
Staff Governor
Left Office: July 2023
Alan Goodey
Local Authority Governor
Left Office: July 2023
Paul Nelson
Co-opted Governor
Left Office: May 2023
Terry Smith
Chair of Governors- Co-opted
Left office : December 2022