TADSS Headteachers

Seán Kretz, Headteacher of Westfield Arts College

Seán has been Headteacher at Westfield Arts College, a 4-19 Dorset special school in Weymouth since September 2018. Westfield Arts College serves the needs of 230 pupils with moderate/complex learning difficulties and autism. Seán was awarded the National Leader of Education accreditation in February 2015.

Prior to joining Westfield, Seán was Headteacher at Yewstock School for 7 years and before that Headteacher of St Giles School in Croydon which provided for pupils with physical disabilities and complex medical needs. He began his career as a mainstream primary teacher before becoming a special school class teacher. Seán is Chair of the TADSS Management Board.

Diane Makariou, Co-Headteacher of Beaucroft Foundation School

Beaucroft Foundation School (caters for children between 4 – 19 years with complex learning needs including those with an ASC) and is situated in Wimborne Dorset across two sites. Diane is Co-Headteacher alongside Joe Barnett.

Diane has worked in the SEND field for 30 years. She started as a care worker at a residential school for young people with Asperger’s Syndrome. She has worked as a teaching assistant, classroom teacher and was previously Deputy Headteacher at Beaucroft Foundation School. She has spent several years supporting mainstream schools through her Outreach Teacher role. Diane was a Team Teach Tutor for 15 years and has been a Dorset Therapeutic Thinking Tutor 8 years.

Joe Barnett, Co-Headteacher of Beaucroft Foundation School

Joe is Co-Headteacher alongside Diane Makariou. Prior to that Joe was Deputy Head at Beaucroft where he joined in 2003.

Previously Joe was a SENCO in two large secondary schools after starting out as an English teacher. He was also an Advanced Skills Teacher (Inclusion) for Bournemouth Local Authority.

Joe has particularly enjoyed his involvement with Outreach and Initial Teacher Training.

Gill Howard, Headteacher of Mountjoy School

Gill is the Headteacher at Mountjoy School, a special school in Beaminster West Dorset, with an intake of 110 children and young people aged between 4 and 19 with a range of additional needs including moderate/severe learning difficulties, PMLD, autism and complex health needs. Prior to this, she was Deputy Head for 5 years at another TADSS school.

Gill has been a school teacher for over 25 years working in special and mainstream, specialising in complex specific learning difficulties and language and communication. She worked as an SEN Advisory Teacher for 8 years and has trained many schools in several areas of SEN and Person-Centred Approaches. Prior to teaching, Gill worked in the Adult Learning Disability sector as a Functional Skills and music tutor.

Katherine Seymour, Headteacher of Wyvern Academy

Katherine is Headteacher of Wyvern Academy in Weymouth, which is a special school for children and young people aged 2-19 years with severe learning difficulties, autism, challenging behaviour, PMLD and complex health care needs. Katherine has worked in a number of special and mainstream schools and has previously been the Headteacher of a Pupil Referral Unit in Dorset. Katherine has been a school teacher for many years working in special and mainstream, specialising in Physics!

Clive Padgett, Headteacher of Yewstock School and College

Clive is Headteacher at Yewstock School in Sturminster Newton, North Dorset. He joined Yewstock in January 2019. Yewstock provides education and care for 175 pupils. Before joining Yewstock, Clive was Headteacher at a large federation of special schools in the West Midlands, and before that he was Headteacher of SEN schools with children who have very similar needs to those at Yewstock. He began his career as a mainstream geography teacher before becoming a special needs class teacher – the best job in the world!