Miss Tyra Haywood
Head of Transition and Year 7
Because we understand that to be confident and successful you first need to feel happy, we devote a great deal of energy into making sure our new Year 7s feel at home, and that their parents don’t feel that sudden loss of connection that often comes with the transition to secondary school.
Head of Transition and Year 7, Tyra Haywood, having experienced Year 6 to Year 7 transition as a parent, is always on hand to support the children as they settle in. She is constantly talking to staff, identifying children who are feeling the shock of the change of school and to parents, letting them know any minor issues that arise and being a friendly face for parents to raise any anxieties they may have about their daughter’s friendships or school work. Most of all, Miss Haywood takes the time to talk to the children, to reassure and encourage, to help overcome the uncertainties and celebrate the small successes.
Miss Haywood leads a team of specialist Year 7 Form Teachers, who strive to get to know every child in their form. Parents often comment on how much they welcome the chance to chat with their daughter’s form teacher at the Meet the Form Tutor Evening, early in their daughter’s time in our school. Pastoral support at King Edward VI Northfield School for Girls plays a huge part in the success of our students. From the mentoring and support offered by our expert Behaviour Mentor Sharon Murphy (who also runs our weekly ‘Chrysalis Club’ for any pupils who may need extra guidance during the early stages of Year 7), through to the high standards of behaviour actively encouraged by the Heads of Year.
We do not tolerate bullying and encourage our students to take on a full part in helping each other and the school. Our Year 11 ‘PALS’ (pupils available to listen and support) are always on hand to help our Year 7s find their way, build new friendships and to be a friendly face. Some students become ‘peer buddies’ helping younger students resolve fall-outs and supporting primary school children that visit our school. Some Year 11s become ‘ARnties’, helping younger students in school develop their reading, as part of the Accelerated Reader (AR) programme.
