Curriculum Leaders

Director of Character –  Mr S Jackson

Mr Jackson studied at Manchester Metropolitan University where he graduated with his Bsc.(Hons) degree in Geography and Environmental Studies, and subsequently took his Geography PGCE. He is an Earthwatch Fellow and through the Earthwatch Institute won sponsorship to investigate the Cretaceous – Tertiary extinction event and the demise of the dinosaurs. Through this, Mr Jackson spent some time as a field researcher in Montana, USA. Mr Jackson is also an Alumni of the Ambition School Leadership programme and Droylsden Academy’s Staff Governor.

Associate Assistant Headteacher – Curriculum Leader – English – Mrs R Fernandez-Arias    

Mrs Fernández read Drama at the University of Manchester and gained a first-class BA honours degree before completing a Post-Graduate Certificate of Education through the Teach First Leadership Development Programme. She is currently completing a NPQSL and, as well as being curriculum leader for English, she is a senior leader for teaching and learning in the Academy. In addition, Mrs Fernández is an Instructional Coach and Facilitator for the TRET’s Highly Effective Teacher Programme.

Curriculum Leader  – Maths – Mrs C Egan

Mrs Egan completed her post graduate in secondary Mathematics education at the Manchester Metropolitan university. She completed her Bsc(hons) in Business Management with accounting at the University of Salford. Mrs Egan has served at Droylsden Academy and the predecessor school for over ten years and is a very experienced practitioner.

Curriculum Leader  – Humanities – Miss L Naylor (Maternity Cover)

Curriculum Leader  – Science and Computing – Rachael Sandiford

Miss Sandiford completed her first degree in Business with Quantitative Analysis at the University of Salford in 2002, before starting a career in the recruitment industry. After volunteering with the Air Cadets as an instructor for a number of years, she decided to embark upon her teaching career, studying Physics and Maths at the Open University, before completing her PGCE. She has now been at the Academy for almost 10 years, is an experienced mentor for recently qualified teachers and is also an external AQA examiner for all three Science disciplines. 

Curriculum Leader  – Technology and Art – Mr C Jones

Mr Jones completed a HND in Aeronautical Engineering at Stockport College and a degree in Design and Technology for Industry BSc (Hons) at Manchester Metropolitan University.

Mr Jones has taught in schools across greater Manchester for the past 8 years and has been working as a Curriculum Leader for the past 3 and a half. Mr Jones has been a mentor for training teachers and newly qualified teachers.

Associate Assistant Headteacher – Curriculum Leader  – Sports and Performing Arts – Mr M Eade

Mr Eade has worked at the Academy since 2012 as Curriculum Leader for Sport and Performing Arts. In addition to this he has worked in the development of teaching and learning within the Academy as a facilitator for the Highly Effective Teacher programme, and in the development of school leaders across East Manchester as a Facilitator for the National Professional Qualification in Leading teaching.

Curriculum Leader – MFL – Mr L Bambridge

Mr Bambridge graduated with a BA Joint Honours degree in French and Spanish from the University of Hull, before completing his PGCE training at Kings College, London. He has been an MFL Faculty Leader in schools in London, Brighton and north Shropshire as well as acquiring significant pastoral experience as a Head of Year 10/11 and a Head of Sixth Form. Most recently he has also worked as an AQA Spanish Writing examiner.

Curriculum Leader – Learning Support – Ms E Preston

Ms Preston studied French and Italian at Salford University. where she left with a BA Honours in Languages, specializing in Linguistics. Having taught as a languages teacher for ten years teaching French and German, she moved to Nigeria to teach French and Spanish in a private boarding school.  Ms Preston has served at Droylsden Academy for eight years. She achieved her PGCERT in Special Educational Needs (SENCO Award) at Edge Hill University in 2022.