Mrs Rebecca Nunan

Rebecca Nunan is leaving us at the end of this academic year to begin her retirement.

We want to celebrate Rebecca's incredible career and the lasting impact she has had on our students, our school and, in particular, the Mathematics Department. Her dedication, hard work and professional generosity over the past 20 years at Samuel Whitbread Academy have made a difference that will be felt for generations to come.

Rebecca has been a mentor, coach and friend to many colleagues during her time at the school, and her presence will be greatly missed by staff and students alike.

Thank you, Rebecca, for everything you have done for our school community. We wish you a wonderful and well-deserved retirement.

— Chris Wall & the Mathematics Department

Important Update: Year 9 Pastoral Team Leadership Change

As we prepare for the new academic year, we want to share an important leadership update regarding our Year 9 pastoral team.

Mr Rich will be stepping back from his role as Head of Year to take on an exciting new position within the school as Head of Physics. Mr Rich has been an outstanding leader, providing consistent, supportive and deeply valued guidance to our students. His calm demeanour, kindness and approachable nature have had a profoundly positive impact on our school community, and while he will be greatly missed within the pastoral team, we wish him every success as he takes the lead in the Physics Department.

Looking ahead to September, we are thrilled to welcome Mrs Jo Abbot, who will take over the cohort as their Head of Year 10. Mrs Abbot brings a wealth of expertise, vast experience and an array of professional strengths that make her a fantastic addition to the pastoral team.

To ensure a seamless and positive transition, Mrs Abbot has already been working closely alongside Mr Rich and the wider pastoral team, dedicating significant time to a collaborative handover. We are incredibly excited for this next chapter and are confident that our students will continue to be exceptionally well-supported as they make the exciting move into Year 10.

— Mr O'Rourke & the Pastoral Team

Mrs Martinez-Granero

At the end of this term, we will also be saying goodbye to Mrs Martinez-Granero, who has been a valued member of our team since 2024.

As our Spanish teacher, she has provided a great deal of support to both our students and the department, and we are grateful for her contribution to the school during her time with us.

We wish Mrs Martinez-Granero every success and happiness as she returns to Spain to continue her teaching career. She leaves with our thanks and best wishes for the future.

— Emma Foreman & the MFL Department

Jake Hutchins

Jake has been with us for 4 years. In that time, he turned around KS4 & 5 Physics. The number of students now studying Physics at A level has increased dramatically. Jake has achieved this with his hard work and dedication, promoting Physics both in and out of the classroom. The yearly overnight trip to CERN is especially popular, helping to bring Physics into the real world. 

Jake has been very proactive in CPD for our dept, helping those who are not specialists in Physics to improve their practice in the classroom. He is now moving on to new pastures as part of SLT at Sandy, and we would like to wish him all the very best and thank him for everything he has done here at SWA. 

Caroline 

Caroline has been a valued member of our Prep room for a few years now. Nothing is too much trouble for Caroline. She will go out of her way to help both staff and students and work proactively to improve and support wherever she can. Her caring personality has made her a firm friend with all members of our department, and we wish her well as she undertakes her teacher training in the Autumn. Good luck Caroline.

— Mrs Jayne Moffat & the Science Department