We are pleased to announce that Sara Forsyth will become Education Director for the SENAD Group from the beginning of November. Sara takes over from Suzanne Pennington, who, for the past 3 years, has played a pivotal role in driving excellence in all of our schools, demonstrated by the ‘Outstanding’ Ofsted Education grades achieved by schools during this time.
Suzanne commented, ‘I am delighted to be handing over the Director post to Sara; I know it will be in safe hands and our schools will go from strength to strength under her guidance. Being the Director of Education for SENAD over the past three years has been an absolute privilege. I have enjoyed working with such dedicated and committed staff in an organisation that puts children and young people at the heart of everything they do. I am looking forward to my retirement, with plans to do lots of travelling, gardening and catching up with friends and family, whilst keeping one eye on the exciting developments that are in SENAD’s future.
Many people know Sara as Head Teacher of Alderwasley Hall School, the SENAD Group’s ‘Outstanding’ school for young people with Autism and Developmental Language Disorder. Sara has held this role since 2016. Her unwavering focus on continuous improvement and robust self-assessment has resulted in exemplary outcomes for students.
The school achieved an ‘Outstanding’ Education Ofsted grade in 2022, which was maintained in its education inspection in July this year. In the same year, Sara was awarded Chartered Status for her Leadership skills by the Chartered College of Teaching.
Sara’s reputation for exceptional leadership, innovative thinking and a deep understanding of SEND will be instrumental in her new role, guiding the Group towards continued success and growth.
Sara commented, ‘It’s an incredible honour to step into the role of Director of Education for our company, following in the footsteps of Suzanne – my amazing predecessor. I leave my headship at Alderwasley with immense pride in all we’ve achieved and full confidence in the brilliant new headteacher, Bernardo, who will continue the school’s journey. I’m excited about the future—both for the school I’ve loved and for the wider opportunities ahead to shape and support education across our community of schools.’
Bernardo Vega will be taking over the Headship at Alderwasley Hall School. Bernardo has been Deputy Head Teacher at the school since 2022. He joined the School in 2003 as a teacher. His roles have included PSHE Co-ordinator and Assessment Manager. He took on the role of Assistant Headteacher for the Upper Site before becoming the Deputy Headteacher.
Bernardo began his teaching career in 1998, gaining a Special Needs teaching degree from Madrid’s “Complutense University”, a Postgraduate certificate in Autistic Spectrum Disorder in 1999 and a further diploma in Autism in 2002, both at Manchester Metropolitan University. In 2009, he gained a Master’s in Education at Derby University, with a dissertation on the use of social networking sites by young people with Autism.
A forward-thinking educator and leader, Bernardo has a wealth of experience and expertise in teaching and learning strategies for children and young people with autism and is committed to ensuring their successful transition to further study and employment.
Bernardo,’ I am honoured to take over the Headship at Alderwasley Hall School from Sara. Having worked with her for the last 22 years, I have learned so much about leadership, learning and teaching, and I look forward to continuing this excellent work. We have a great team at Alderwasley, and the impact of the work we do with our students is incredible.’