This time around we sat down with Vicky Deighton from Outwood Academy Easingwold. Vicky talks us through an eerie, but funny, break in at the academy, her sense of pride at her department’s success and the changes that have occurred at Outwood Academy Easingwold since she began working there.

[Outwood.com] Hi Vicky, thanks for meeting with us! Please can you introduce yourself to the readers?

VD: “Hello! Thank you for inviting me to take part. I am Vicky Deighton and I’m Head Of Science at Outwood Academy Easingwold. I am also Associate Assistant Principal - Post 16.”

Quite a few hats for you then! So which will it be today, tea or coffee?

“It’s a tea for me. I am a big fan of an Earl Grey with vanilla soya milk.”

That seems quite niche!

“It is, but it’s lovely I promise!”

Earl Grey with vanilla soya milk it is then! So Vicky, when did you join the Outwood Family?

“Well it was around June 2017 when Outwood first began supporting Easingwold, after it had previously been put in special measures in Autumn 2016 before Outwood Academy Easingwold officially opened in April 2018.”

It must have been difficult when the school was put in special measures. How did you feel when you began working with Outwood?

“At first I was quite apprehensive, with all the fear that comes from finding your school in special measures and the horror stories you see online and in the media about academies and multi-academy trusts. But the reality could not have been more different.

“As we began working with Outwood the apprehension turned into hope as I would meet existing members of the Outwood Family who would make me feel valued and supported. It was great.

“Then over time, crumbling buildings have been gradually repaired or replaced, and systems and processes that support learning and genuinely put students first were put into place.”

Sounds like a very positive transformation! Reminds me that Outwood Academy Easingwold has recently broke ground on a new multi-million pound sports project that will benefit the community.

Would you say then this change in atmosphere then has been the biggest change since you started working at the academy?

“Yes I think I would. The feeling of being part of something bigger, with all of us working towards the common goal of a great education for the students we teach.

“Support from subject directors, and sharing good ideas and resources with other Heads of Departments through google drive and face to face meetings, access to great CPD through the Outwood Institute of Education. It’s been such a positive change.

“There is a relentless shared drive to constantly improve and innovate to get the best outcomes for our students.”

Well you can’t get more positive than that I’d say! Staying on the positive, what would you say has been your favourite memory so far?

“Simple one for me, results day 2018. I cried, but for good reasons! My department’s results were better than they have ever been, so even more students gained excellent grades and had achieved at least the grades they needed for their next steps and in many cases they achieved much better results!”

And your funniest memory?

“One day we came into the academy to find a skeleton was in the main school entrance to greet staff as they arrived! It turned out there had been a break-in, where nothing was taken, all that was done was the science department skeleton had been relocated to the main entrance! I couldn’t help but laugh when I arrived and saw it!”

Must have been an interesting sight! And finally, our traditional final question. Which three people, dead or alive, would you invite round to your dinner party?

“This is a really difficult question! I have chosen my three guests because I love their art; and they each provoke in me deep thought and reflection about how we live, and how we could live better, and the nature of art, and more. 

“They all come across as good people, so I’m sure would enjoy the dinner party as well as being inspired by the great creative artists around me. 

“First is Gerard Way, lead singer of the recently reformed ‘My Chemical Romance’, and award winning author of ‘The Umbrella Academy’.

“Second is Amanda Palmer, a singer, songwriter, campaigner, feminist, and performer. She cares passionately about the world and the people in it, is approachable, innovative, and very funny.

“Then the final guest would be Andrew O’Neill, Occult Comedian, vegan, and a member of steampunk band ‘The Men that Will Not be Blamed for Nothing’. He has written a very funny and informative book on ‘The History of Heavy Metal’.”