Senior Leadership Team

“The senior leadership team is exceptional. Members are ambitious and confident, eager for professional dialogue and challenge to ultimately improve the outcomes for the children. They have won the support of their wider staff team, who are confident that they are leading them in the right direction” Care Ofsted November 2021.

The experience this team has amassed during their careers has uniquely equipped them to lead High Close School in its pursuit of the very best for every pupil. They play an important role in maintaining the high standards the school has set itself by leading and enthusing staff  members and keeping them focussed. Training needs are met and exceeded, and teachers are encouraged to share best practice and, working together with their Learning Support Assistants, maintain a forward-thinking, professional environment, striving always to improve.

Natalie Potter - LEader for Care

Natalie has worked at High Close since 2005. She has worked at all different levels starting as Residential Project Worker, being promoted first to Shift Leader, then Deputy Unit Manager and then Unit Manager in 2011. During this time she was able to work with young people with a range of differing needs and develop an extensive knowledge of care within a Residential Special School. Natalie became Leader of Care in 2015 and is responsible for the care provision in the school. Natalie has led the school in Therapeutic Crisis Intervention as well as being a Designated Safeguarding Lead. Natalie believes all young people need care and support in order to reach their potential in all aspects of their lives and, alongside the staff at High Close, strives to provide every opportunity to enable this.

Dean Ralph - Deputy Principal

Dean Ralph studied Industrial Design and Technology with Education at Brunel University. From there he went straight into teaching at a mainstream school in Kent for two years before relocating to Berkshire. Dean then taught for eighteen years at an all-boys mainstream school where he spent ten years as a Year Director before becoming subject leader of Design and Technology. In 2016, Dean then made the decision to move to High Close, initially as the subject leader for Design and Technology before becoming then becoming the Assistant Principal in 2019. He works tirelessly to forge positive and trusting relationships with all of the staff and pupils at High Close and was awarded the ‘Pearson’s National Silver Winner for Teacher of the Year in a secondary school’ in 2019.

CLaire Hughes - Rowan LEad

Claire Hughes has been a teacher for over 30 years.  She has extensive experience teaching in inner city schools in Liverpool, London and Reading. She has taught through all three Key Stages in Primary Education.  Claire has been at High Close School since 2011 and she took up the post of Primary Lead in 2014. What I like best about High Close School: The strong sense of community, of everybody working together, the beautiful space that we work in, but most of all I enjoy working with our pupils and seeing them mature and develop into fantastic young people.

What do I like to see children do outside school? I like to see them play, be adventurous, always have a book to read and a song to sing.

My favourite children’s books are ‘The Rainbow Fish’ by Marcus Pfister and ‘Holes’ by Louis Sachar.

SteVe Johnston - Bursar

Steve joined the school from Industry as the Exam’s Officer and Data Manager. He was very quick to analyse school systems and improve information sharing and analytics for the benefit of the young people. As the Bursar he is responsible for the sound financial viability of the school and Health and Safety across the whole site and as such is an integral part of the Senior Leadership Team.