Safeguarding Team

Marla England

Families Support Manager & Designated Safeguarding Lead/SPOC

Garry Ratcliffe
Executive Headteacher, Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Accounting Officer (AO)

I am delighted to continue my role as Executive Headteacher of Oakfield Primary Academy and Temple Hill Primary Academy - now part of The Galaxy Trust.  As I begin my ninth year as Executive Head of Oakfield and my fifth year as Executive Head of Temple Hill, I continue to be incredibly proud of our pupils and the many achievements they make on a daily basis whilst studying at our schools.

Many of you will already know that I have a very special family myself…  Myself and my partner have four children – three of them with complex health and learning needs.  They are an immense joy but I have to confess that our fourth child who others would call “mainstream” is the hardest work of all!  We have adopted our children and so I feel I have a good understanding of issues faced by children living in care or who have been adopted, as well as children with special educational needs.

I am currently Chair of The Kent Association of Headteachers, North Board, which places me in a good position to promote the excellent work of our schools. I look forward to another exciting year at Oakfield! I am also a Designated Safeguarding Lead.

Anna Meeks
Assistant Headteacher - Inclusion

Originally I'm from Poland and after gaining a Master's Degree in Special Needs Pedagogy I moved to the UK. In 2002 I completed PGCE teacher training and started teaching; my working career has been linked with Oakfield right from the beginning. Although I have been in the same school for many years, I have experience of teaching across all three key stages. Recently, I have taken on the responsibilities of the school Inclusion Manager. I'm particularly excited about this challenge as matters associated with supporting children with Special Educational Needs have always been close to my heart. I am also a Designated Safeguarding Lead.

Jill Gosbee

Deputy Headteacher

I joined Oakfield in 2014 after a very enjoyable and productive four years at our partnership school, Temple Hill.

I am looking forward to the opportunities and challenges ahead as I take on my new role overseeing the curriculum!

In my (limited!) spare time, I indulge in my favourite hobbies: going to the cinema, eating chocolate and enjoying the occasional glass of wine! I am also a Designated Safeguarding Lead.

Richard Moore

Deputy Headteacher at Oakfield

Hello, my name is Richard Moore and I am currently working as a Deputy Headteacher across the Galaxy Trust in addition to being a Specialist Leader of Education (SLE) in Maths. In my time as a teacher I have worked at both Temple Hill and Oakfield and I feel that it is a real privilege to work to continue improving both academies in my current role. Sport has always played a big part in my life; when I was 7 my dad committed me to a lifetime of disappointment by convincing me to become a Sheffield Wednesday fan. Away from school I have two beautiful daughters to keep me very busy and I spend as much of my spare time as possible doing fun things with my family. I am also a Designated safeguarding Lead.

Jo Eglin
Assistant Headteacher

​I joined Oakfield in 2012 as a Reception Teacher and over the last few years I have worked in every year group across the school, teaching the curriculum outside in the Tipi.

This year I have taken on a new role as an Assistant Head, however I will continue to teach outside in the wind and rain,  working particularly closely with Years 3, 4 and 5. I am also a Designated Safeguarding Lead.

Layla Priddy
Head of Year 6

I have been working at Oakfield for five years now, and you will currently find me working as Year Group Leader in Year Six.

I graduated from the University of Kent in 2010 with a degree in English Language and Literature. Before joining Oakfield I was lucky enough to work in a variety of different industries, such as retail, advertising, tv production and journalism. However it was my experience working within a primary school that I enjoyed the most. I wanted a career that had meaning and purpose, which is why I decided to complete my School Direct teacher training. I am also a Designated Safeguarding Lead.

Claire Jenkins - EYFS Leader

I can safely say Oakfield Primary has been a big part of my life for many years now – please feel free to come and ask me how and I will bore you with all the history! But for now, I would like to say I am very excited to have joined the school as Assistant Head for Early Years.

I have worked supporting Families and their children for over 15 years now since completing a Bsc Psychology Hons degree; specialising in Early Years since 2008.

I gained a National Qualification in Integrated Centre Leadership before being awarded Early Years Qualified Teacher Status and then Early Years and Key stage 1 Qualified Teacher Status.

I love learning myself and enjoy sharing this love and enthusiasm for learning with our children in the Early Years classes.

I have two daughters who attend Oakfield and so I really do have an invested interest in supporting the whole school to grow and develop to provide excellent provision for all children.

In my spare time I love horse riding, especially jumping, and looking after our pets with my girls. We have horses, dogs, sheep, cats, ducks and a chicken. Oh and some gold fish too! I love being outdoors and am a trained Forest School Leader.

I come to Oakfield with my animal companions…. Winnie and Fig – the Guinea Pigs and three Giant African Land Snails, Buster, Gary and Carla. I have to say the names were given to them by my previous class long before I came to Oakfield so no reference to Mr Ratcliffe!

I look forward to getting to know all the children and parents/ carers, over my first year here!