Lisa Southwood
Executive Headteacher
I have dedicated my career to education for over two decades, beginning in 2001 after qualifying as a teacher. My journey started in a Mainstream Primary School in Salford, where I taught within KS2 for the first three years of my teaching career.
In 2004, I joined Oakwood Academy as a Year 7 teacher and quickly discovered my passion for SEND. This passion led me to the role of Head of Year, where I focused on building strong relationships with students and guiding their academic and personal growth.
In 2014, I became part of the Senior Leadership Team, contributing to the strategic vision and development of the school. In 2020, I was honoured to be appointed as Headteacher at Oakwood Academy, where I am committed to fostering a positive and inclusive environment for both students and staff.
Most notably, in January 2024, Oakwood Academy was rated Outstanding by Ofsted. This is a reflection of the hard work and dedication of our entire school community. Leading Oakwood Academy continues to be a deeply rewarding experience, and I remain dedicated to ensuring every student has the opportunity to thrive.
Darren Jones has been an integral part of Oakwood Academy since 2009, progressing through various leadership roles to his current position as Head of School. His journey began as a Newly Qualified Teacher in Physical Education, and through dedication and expertise, he has held key roles including Head of PE, Director of Teaching and Learning, Assistant Headteacher, and most recently, Deputy Headteacher.
Darren’s passion lies in the holistic development of young people with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND). His leadership in Physical Education and practical subjects has been instrumental in fostering inclusive learning experiences that support students’ confidence, skills, and aspirations.
Beyond Oakwood Academy, Darren has worked extensively with the Youth Sport Trust, contributing to national and international projects aimed at improving inclusive practice in PE. He has played a key role in shaping assessment frameworks, curriculum design, and accreditation pathways to ensure that students with SEND can achieve meaningful qualifications. His involvement in national conversations around inclusion, curriculum reform, and specialist education has positioned him as a thought leader in the field.
As a Specialist Leader in Education (SLE), Darren has supported schools and local authorities in enhancing their teaching and learning strategies for SEND students. He has conducted SEND reviews, collaborated on professional development initiatives, and shared best practices to improve outcomes across different educational settings.
Darren’s leadership at Oakwood Academy continues to focus on raising standards in teaching and learning, developing inclusive curricula, and strengthening school-wide approaches to student support and personal development. His commitment to innovation, professional growth, and strategic leadership ensures that Oakwood Academy remains at the forefront of inclusive and high-quality education.
I have been working at Oakwood Academy for the last 21 years. I started my career at Oakwood as a TA supporting students within the classrooms. I soon found a passion for supporting young people with SEND and through working with amazing and inspirational staff I then completed my HLTA. This gave me experience of teaching KS3 and 4 for four years. I progressed onto the role of Transition Advisor, this jobs ensured all students had the opportunity of continuing their education after year 11 at Oakwood.
While working as the transition advisor I completed a BA Honours Degree in Teaching Learning and Mentoring at night school. I then complete the Assessment only route and qualified as an English teacher.
Through my teaching / transition role I worked with the students as they moved through the school, I saw how they gained confidence in their abilities and developed their academic careers very successfully. Unfortunately, there wasn’t always the provision suitable to build on the amazing work that had been put in by Oakwood when the students left in year 11. To make sure the students continued to progress successfully I suggested to the Head teacher the possibility of Oakwood having its own Sixth Form. From this conversation we quickly established out own Sixth Form which has grown from strength to strength. Starting with twelve students in September 2012, we have now grown to over 66 students to date.
Due to the growth of the Sixth Form we have now successfully relocated to the heart of Media City where we are able to build on the work experience and employability opportunities in one of the most popular locations in the country.
We are continuing to grow to offer a five-day provision, a range of vocational qualification, work experience and academic qualifications to 100 students.
I have been working at Oakwood Academy since 2007, initially supporting students in a 1:1 classroom setting. This experience sparked my dedication to inclusive education and laid the foundation for my career. Throughout my time at Oakwood, I have taken on various roles, but my passion for Physical Education has always been central. It was in this area that I completed my teacher training through Oakwood and qualified as a teacher in 2017. Since then, I have embraced the role of Head of PE, working to promote positive physical opportunities and outcomes for all students.
More recently, I’ve developed my role further by mentoring Early Career Teachers (ECTs), a responsibility I value greatly for the opportunity to support new educators in their own professional journeys.
In 2023, I was honoured to begin my role on the Senior Leadership Team as Teacher Development and Pupil Enhancement Lead. In this role, I am dedicated to advancing teaching excellence and ensuring that each student has the opportunity to succeed and thrive at Oakwood Academy.
Joanne McQueen has been a dedicated member of Oakwood Academy since 2008, beginning her career as a teacher in the Year 7 base. Shortly afterwards, she took on responsibility for the delivery of mathematics across the school, leading the department as Head of Maths for 15 years. Under her leadership, the department was recognised three consecutive times as a Centre of Excellence in Financial Education, and consistently grew in strength and impact. Joanne has been instrumental in developing curriculum pathways, enhancing student progress, and leading high-quality teaching and learning strategies within the department.
Alongside her work at Oakwood, Joanne was deployed as a Mastery Consultant for the National Centre for Excellence in the Teaching of Mathematics (NCETM), where she delivered workshops focused on mathematics in SEND settings. She also served as a Specialist Leader of Education (SLE), supporting colleagues and schools to enhance teaching, learning, and curriculum design in mathematics. Within Oakwood Academy, she additionally took on the role of Team Leader, performance managing staff and contributing to the wider development of the school.
In early 2024, Joanne broadened her leadership experience through a secondment to Arbour Academy as Deputy Head, before returning to Oakwood in January 2025 to take up her current role as Assistant Head for Teaching and Learning of Core Subjects, bringing a wealth of experience.
With a strong background in curriculum leadership and teacher development, Joanne is committed to raising standards across core subjects, ensuring that all students—particularly those with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND)—receive a high-quality, engaging, and accessible education. She is passionate about evidence-based teaching practices, assessment for learning, and professional development that empower teachers to deliver outstanding lessons needs.
In her new role, Joanne plays a key part in driving whole-school improvement, leading on teaching and learning initiatives, curriculum development, and the professional growth of staff. She works closely with subject leaders to embed high-impact teaching strategies and ensure that the curriculum is ambitious, inclusive, and responsive to students' needs.
Her passion lies in improving the lives of all pupils, both academically and pastorally. She is committed to ensuring that every learner at Oakwood Academy is able to believe, achieve, and succeed, equipping them with the knowledge, confidence, and resilience to build successful futures.
