Meet the Team
Mr Chiswell - Executive Headteacher
Hi, I am Mr Chiswell, Headteacher of the school. As Headteacher I work hard to ensure that the school is a transformational place for children to be. Outside of school, I am a husband and father. In my spare time I am a sailor, and I sail and race offshore.
Mrs McGlynn - Head of School - Vyner Site
Hello, I am Mrs McGlynn and I am the Head of the Vyner site. I also teach key stage 4 art, I love being in the classroom! I am passionate about giving our pupils lots of different opportunities and helping them to discover their talents.
Mrs Drew - Head of School - Leasowe
I am Mrs Drew, acting Head of site at Leasowe, within the KS2 provision. Its my job to make sure the pupils at Leasowe feel safe and supported, and take part in learning opportunities that meet their needs.
Mrs O'Connor - Assistant Headteacher/SENCo
I am Mrs O’Connor and I am an Assistant Headteacher and SENDCo at The Observatory school. I also teach KS2 and KS3 pupils at the school and I love supporting with the ponies that visit the school. Outside of school I love going to the cinema and spending time with my family and friends.
Mr Blaylock - Assistant Headteacher Intervention/guardian curriculum
Mrs Baird - Pastoral Manager
I have worked at The Observatory School for 9 years. I love my job as I get to meet new parents, pupils and professionals. I love talking to people and helping them if I can. I love my pets, Barney the Pug and Charlie the cat. Barney loves to visit school and meet you all. My hobbies are walking, reading and going to the Cinema/theatre.
Miss Smith - HR Manager
As the HR Manager I support the Headteacher, members of SLT and Governors to ensure the effective management of all staff in the school. This includes training, recruitment, employment disputes, compliance with current Laws amongst other things.
Mr Hart - Senior Teacher
Meet the Team
Mrs Murphy - Pastoral Manager
Mr Gerrard - Pastoral Assistant/Advanced Behavioural Lead
I thoroughly enjoy my role and feel the school’s philosophies and values align well with my own. I love meeting new parents, carers, pupils, professionals and members of the local community. I have worked in education for 15 years, and believe school should offer a holistic approach to each child and ensure academic progression; a child’s physical,
mental, and sensory well-being is of the utmost importance to me. My hobbies
include swimming, playing tennis, socialising with family and friends, and walking
my sausage dogs, Tiago and Travis.
Miss Wootan - Pastoral Assistant/Exams Officer
Miss Adass - SEN Administrator
Mr Green - Finance Officer
I work closely with Mr Chiswell and Miss Smith to look after the school’s finances. I have worked in the education sector for 15 years and have been at The Observatory School since 2023. I enjoy working at the school and seeing students develop and become more confident. Away from school I enjoy gardening and looking after my house rabbits.
Miss Bracegirdle - Receptionist (Vyner)
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Mr Bhalsod - Advanced Behavioural Lead/Head of Knowledge Faculty
As the head of the Knowledge Curriculum and an advanced behavior lead, with a specialisation in mathematics and STEM. Additionally, serving as the elected staff governor for the past five years has allowed me to advocate for the interests of staff and pupils alike. Beyond the school environment, my passions extend to motor sports, cycling, football, my cat, and caring for my house plants. Since joining The Observatory in 2013, I’ve found immense fulfillment in guiding young minds towards their aspirations. Collaborating with students to overcome challenges and realise their potential brings me great joy. With a commitment to education and a diverse range of interests outside of academia, I strive to create a well-rounded and enriching experience for both myself and those I interact with.
Miss Herbison - Lower Phase Lead/Head of Knowledge Faculty - Acting Assistant Headteacher
I am a teacher in the Year 7 Sensory class. My favourite subject to teach is maths. I enjoy going on long walks with my little cockapoo Milo and taking him to training classes. My guilty pleasure is watching Harry Potter movies on repeat!
Miss O'Hare - Head of Communication Faculty KS2
Hello my name is Miss O’Hare. I am a key stage 2 teacher and I teach across the curriculum in key stage 2. I am also the key stage 2 lead for the communication faculty. My favourite subject to teach is English.
Mr Dickson - Head of Knowledge Faculty Science
I love teaching science across key stage 3 and 4 in the school. I also really enjoy hosting STEM club, which is very popular with many exciting, upcoming projects. In my spare time I enjoy playing golf, cooking, hiking, playing guitar and hanging out with my wife, daughter and whippet.
Miss Scott - Head of Personal Curriculum PSHE
I am a KS2 teacher and work in one of the year 5/6 classes. I am originally from the North East of England but moved to the local area in 2018. Outside of school, I enjoy taking my dog Morgan for long walks. One of my favourite things in life is Disney and it is my ambition to visit each Disney theme park in the world.
Mr Blaylock - Head of Knowledge Faculty KS2
I am the year 7 Intervention Teacher and currently work with Banksy Class. I love working with children and families and in addition to my teaching qualifications and experience, I am also a qualified Social Worker.
Mr Smith - Year 7 Teacher, Head of Creative Faculty KS2
Hello everyone, my name is Mr Smith and I teach in year five and six at the Observatory School. I joined The Observatory School in 2021. Outside of school I enjoy playing football and golf. I support Everton Football Club. I have two dogs, Max and Wilbur.
Miss Vega-Real - Year 7 Teacher
Mr Freeman - Year 8 Teacher
Outside of school I like to keep myself fit by going to the gym and being active. I love the outdoors and like to try new activities and challenges. My favourite subject to teach is PE and I enjoy tennis.
Miss Davies - Humanities Teacher
Hi everyone! My favourite subject to teach is Geography, especially volcanoes. Outside of school, I love spending time with my dogs and taking care of my houseplants. I also love Taylor Swift and probably talk about her a bit too much!.
Mr Meenan - Computing Teacher
I am Turing’s form teacher and I also teach Computing. For socials I run the weightlifting club.
Outside of school I like to keep myself fit by going to the gym and being active. I love the outdoors and like to try new activities and challenges.
Mr Patten - KS2 Teacher
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Miss Rahman - KS2 Teacher
I am Miss Rahman and I am the class teacher for Gruffalo. I started at the school as a HLTA for literacy on the Vyner site and now I am currently based at Leasowe as a Key Stage 2 teacher. I have 2 boys, 2 bunnies and I am a big Liverpool fan. I specialise in Early Years and I love to see the students develop and progress throughout the year.
Mr Beatie - English Teacher
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Mr Whitehead -Head of Personal Curriculum - PE Teacher
Mrs O'Gorman - PPA Teacher
Mrs Dowd - School Programme Coordinator(PSP) and Educational Visits Coordinator.
Along with ongoing training I have a degree in Learning, Development and Support. It is a joy and honor to work with our young people and to be part of a great team in The Observatory School family.
Mrs Harold - Teaching Assistant Level 3
My name is Mrs Harold and I am a teaching assistant that works with pupils off school site. My favourite hobby is to play golf at the weekends..
Mrs Forbes - Personal Curriculum Lead TA3
Hi everyone. I am a teaching assistant in lower school and the lead TA for the Persoanl Curriculum. I am originally from South Africa but now live here. I enjoy spending time with my family, dogs and listening to music. I love travelling and trying new things.
Mrs Lockwood - Creative Curriculum Lead TA
I joined The Observatory school in 2020 as the TA for the intervention classroom. During this time I have enjoyed getting to know each pupil and supporting them to develop in their learning. I enjoy outdoor activities and traveling with my family.
Miss Flanangan - Knowledge Curriculum Lead TA
My favourite subjects are Science and Art. I hope to inspire pupils to enjoy their learning experience within all areas. Outside of school I enjoy walking, camping, and the occasional spot of DIY
Miss Carruthers - Advanced Behaviour Lead TA
I have worked here for 4 years and I am the TA in the KS2 sensory class, Daley. The most important thing to remember about me is I adore Disney so remember, “like so many things, it is not what is outside, but what is inside that counts.”
Mrs Marsland - Communication Curriculum Lead TA
I am the teaching assistant for upper school pupils. Away from school I enjoy spending time with my grandson who is 4. I also love football and support Liverpool FC.
Mr Garland - Upper School TA2
Hello! I joined the Observatory School in 2017. I have worked with different year groups, I now work with Castner who are year 8. I keep fit by playing basketball and to be creative I write poetry.
Mrs Riley - Sensory TA
I am a TA in Curie. I enjoy volunteering in the community. I have 2 boys with additional needs and I enjoy going for walks with my two dogs Sandy and Patch.
Mrs Blackburn - Key Stage 2 TA
I’m currently a year 7 TA in the sensory class. I like art, doing jigsaws and diamond art. I have 3 children and 5 cats!
Miss Turner - Upper School TA
Miss Mullan - Upper School TA
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Miss Harvey - Literacy Intervention TA3
I am passionate about encouraging and supporting pupils’ literacy skills. Outside of school I enjoy running around my local area listening to my favourite music. I also love to get outdoors, to explore and climb mountains.
Miss Mullan - Upper School TA
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Mrs Nolan - Kitchen Manager (Edsential)
Hello my name is Pat and I cook the pupils school dinners. I have worked at The Observatory School since it opened. I enjoy spending time with my grandchildren and walking my dog, Poppy.
Mrs Taylor - Cook at Leasowe Site
Hello my name. is Mrs Taylor and I work with Pat in the kitchen. I run breakfast club and i love baking delicious cakes.
Mr Norman - Site Manager
Hello my name is Mr Norman and I am the Site Manager. I take care of the school and make sure that everything is working properly.