About Me

SENCo at Star Salford Academy

NPQSENCo 2026 cohort

Teaching Leaders Secondary 2018 cohort

MA Education: Techniques and Approaches to Raise KS4 Pupil Premium Boys’ Achievement

Heather Hale

SENCo – Star Salford Academy

I am a SENCo and Teacher of English based in the North West of England, with a strong commitment to inclusive, high quality education. My practice is rooted in building positive and trusting relationships with students, creating learning environments where young people feel confident, motivated, and capable of success. I believe that when students feel understood and supported, they are far more able to engage meaningfully with their learning and take ownership of their progress.

High expectations and carefully planned teaching sit at the heart of my classroom practice. My lessons are purposeful, structured, and designed to secure progress both within individual lessons and over time. Through a range of internal and external monitoring processes, including lesson observations, work scrutinies, and behaviour walks, my teaching has consistently been judged at an equivalent to Outstanding. This reflects the consistent standards I model and the clarity of expectations I set for students.

As a member of the extended leadership team, I am driven by a strong sense of responsibility to ensure excellence across provision. I am committed to leading with integrity, visibility, and purpose, believing that leading from the front is essential in fostering collaboration, shared accountability, and sustained improvement. My focus is always on ensuring that students receive the highest quality support and challenge, enabling them to achieve outcomes that truly reflect their potential

Teaching Experiences

June 2025 – Present
SENCo, Star Salford Academy

January 2023 – June 2025
SENCo, Eden Boys’ School Preston

April 2022 – December 2022
Associate Assistant Vice Principal of Standards and Expectations, Halewood Academy

September 2020 – December 2022
Second in Charge of English, Halewood Academy

July 2018 – July 2020
Pupil Premium Leader, Leeds West Academy

September 2018 – July 2018
Assistant Curriculum Leader, Leeds West Academy

February 2017 – July 2017
Deputy Achievement Coordinator, Colne Valley High School

July 2015 – July 2017
English Teacher, Colne Valley High School

September 2014 – July 2015
Trainee Teacher, Edge Hill University
(Everton Free School & Maricourt Catholic High School)

April 2013 – July 2014
Graduate Teaching Assistant, Archbishop Beck Catholic College

Areas of Interest/Expertise

Special Educational Needs and Disabilities
A strong and continually developing understanding of the SEND landscape, with a focus on effective advocacy, equitable provision, and securing meaningful outcomes for children and young people with additional needs.

Parental Engagement
Strengthening relationships between home and school through clear communication, trust, and collaboration, recognising the vital role parents and carers play in supporting emotional wellbeing and long term success.

Behaviour Management
A relational and reflective approach to behaviour, focused on understanding underlying need, separating behaviour from the child, and supporting positive resolution and repair following conflict.

Pupil Premium
A strategic understanding of disadvantage and vulnerability, with a focus on reducing barriers to learning, avoiding deficit based labelling, and promoting inclusive whole school culture and practice.

Inclusive Systems and SEND Leadership
Developing robust, sustainable SEND systems that support staff, promote consistency, and ensure that provision is responsive, evidence informed, and centred on the individual needs of pupils.

English Curriculum (KS3-KS4)
A strong understanding of the Key Stage 3 and 4 English curriculum, including non fiction and literary study. This includes consideration of biblical allusions in Shakespeare’s Macbeth and the application of critical theory, alongside a focus on curriculum intent, accessibility, and adaptation to support diverse learners, including those with SEND.