Tracy Ashton
Tracy Ashton (left) with her wife, Amanda
Work is currently underway to deliver a new £10.7-million school for children with special needs in West Devon, on behalf of Devon County Council.
Located on the Okehampton East Business Park, The Promise School will cater for up to 100 primary and secondary pupils with social, emotional and mental health (SEMH) difficulties and on the autism spectrum.
The school will be run by the Dartmoor Multi Academy Trust (DMAT), which also runs Okehampton, Tavistock and Holsworthy Colleges and a number of primary schools in the area, and forms part of a £22-million programme by Devon County Council to provide 300 extra places for vulnerable children with special needs across the county.
The new building is expected to be completed in the spring of 2023 but the school will open to its first pupils in September 2022 using interim accommodation.
And at the helm is Tracy.
Tracy is no stranger to a leadership role but this will be her first time as principal - and it’s the job she was born to do!
Tracy grew up in Saltash and has been a qualified teacher for 25 years, working at senior leadership for the past 19 years. Her career began as a teacher of music, English and drama and she still passionately pursues these areas within her spare time - playing a number of musical instruments including clarinet, saxophone, flute, piano and trumpet.
After completing her degree from the Colchester Institute School of Music, Tracy decided to continue her passion for music by becoming a teacher. When fully qualified she joined the team at St Boniface Boy’s School in Plymouth, followed by 21 years at Lipson Co-operative Academy where she became head of music and then the specialism coordinator for performing arts.
‘I moved into all leadership roles during my time at Lipson and then went to senior deputy head in music,’ said Tracy: ‘And that’s where my passion for inclusive education with special needs and disabilities began. I wanted to help people that might have barriers to their learning. It made my day light up helping them.’
‘When I saw the Promise School advertised in the Autumn term of 2021, and saw it was part of the DMAT, I knew it was perfect for me.
‘Lipson focusses on equality and inclusivity and DMAT (part of that belief) follows the same cooperative principles.’
The Promise School has four key focus points: Nurture and care, preparing for adulthood, personal pathways and developing partnerships.
‘In the school we provide a caring approach and we engage students with their learning in an individual way. There will be a big focus on literacy and those underpinning skills but the big focus will be on wellbeing and positive mental health for everyone, including the staff.
‘My aim as a leader is to always make a positive difference to the life chances of the children and young people with whom I am working. Through an unreserved positive approach, I aim to ensure that provision engages students through creative individualised learning which enables them to gain the academic, social, emotional and independence skills to achieve in learning and in life.
‘I believe that building relationships are key and base all approaches, policies and interactions on a relational approach.’
In her spare time, Tracy, as a talented and passionate musician from a young age, loves all aspects of musical theatre and all aspects of creating, from writing to textiles: ‘I am very creative and spend time knitting and crocheting to relax after a busy day. I am Mum to two boys, one who now lives in London teaching Maths (age 24) and one in Year 11 (age 15) preparing to sit his examinations. I am also, with my wife Amanda, Foster Mum to two beautiful girls, age 10 and 4.’
Tracy and the team are now busy setting up the school’s interim accommodation and appointing staff to provide the best education for its future pupils.
Dartmoor Multi Academy Trust chief executive, Dan Morrow, said: ‘The new free school will have a positive impact, not just on the learners and young people who access it, but the schools and communities from which they are drawn.
‘We’re excited to get this process underway and continue to expand our family of schools.’
To help with the children’s learning, Tracy is appealing for help from local businesses who are willing to engage with the children at the school as part of school trips or as visiting speakers: ‘We want to focus on outdoor learning and we would love to hear from local groups that would be willing to engage with the children at the school as part of school trips. We would also be grateful from any company or group that would help our goal of sourcing a minibus so we can take outings to better the children’s broader education.’