Pastoral Leads and Heads of Year
Mrs Jessica Sheldrick
Head, DSL
I arrived at Rishworth school in September 2003 as a newly qualified Biology Teacher. I fell in love with the ethos, pastoral values and have been here ever since! My journey at school involved becoming Head of Middle School, then added Head of Lower School, then Deputy DSL, before becoming Pastoral Head and DSL to Deputy Head (Pastoral) and finally my current role as the Head. I have run a range of enrichment activities and trips across my time including Trek USA 2008, Nepal 2018 and I have overall responsibility for DofE and I’ve introduced Gold. I believe that pastoral care is vital for all students to achieve success, I'm driven to ensure the highest standards from both staff and students and I’m incredibly proud to be a part of the Rishworth community.
jsheldrick@rishworth-school.co.uk
Mrs Kathryn de Ferrer
Acting Deputy Head of Rishworth, Head of Boarding, DSL
Originally from New Zealand, I grew up within a family of educators, although I managed resisted the pull of teaching until after my daughters were born. After many years of working in the technology, internet development and online publishing sectors, I eventually retrained as a teacher and found my true passion. My subsequent journey in education has taken me through a variety of settings, including large state schools and independent boarding schools in both the UK and Switzerland. Although I have spent much of my adult life in south east England, I made the move to the north and to Rishworth in 2022 and can not envisage wanting to be anywhere else.
I am deeply passionate about pastoral care, believing that a supportive and nurturing environment is essential for students to thrive. Working with teenagers is an incredibly rewarding experience—there's truly no other job quite like it. I firmly believe that unless students are happy, they won’t be able to learn and grow to their fullest potential.
Having worked in boarding schools for the past 12 years, I find real enjoyment in being involved in boarding life; there’s nothing quite like the unique community and connections formed in this setting. I am dedicated to creating a positive atmosphere where every student feels valued and supported on their educational journey.
kdeferrer@rishworth-school.co.uk
Mrs Diane Robinson
Matron, DDSL
Working initially as an Assistant Matron and learning the ropes from more experienced practitioners, I took over the role of Matron in 1999. At Rishworth, Matron has many different roles and responsibilities. I take great pride in my work at Rishworth and relish the opportunity of being fully involved in the pastoral and wellbeing support of our students and staff. The Matrons provides medical provision within the school and support the boarding staff with the pastoral care of the boarders in evenings and weekends. I am the Lead First Aider and provide first aid support to both students and adults in school. I am also the Deputy DSL helping to deal with any safeguarding issues that arise. I oversee the Matronic Department which operates 24 hours a day, catering for the needs of day and boarding students. I have a team of Assistant Matrons who ensure that all students who require medical care or emotional support have their needs fully met, whether a supportive listening ear, simple first aid or signposting students to external wellbeing or medical agencies. I liaise with the local GP Surgery and local dentists who provide any medical intervention necessary, and where required, local hospitals. I also liaise with the local Immunisation Team to coordinate routine immunisations and, where necessary organisations such as Public Health England.
DROBINSON@RISHWORTH-SCHOOL.CO.UK
Miss Rebecca Sutcliffe
Head of Year 7
With 25 years’ experience working in the independent sector, having led both pastoral and academic teams, it is my strong belief that the empathetic and personalised pastoral care offered at Rishworth gives our students the best opportunity to fulfil their potential. I believe that to support our students to become emotionally intelligent adults, our team help them negotiate both the triumphs and the pitfalls of being a teenager, with kindness and fairness at the heart of our comprehensive reward and intervention system. Central to the efficacy of our approach is the strong links we form between school and home as a network to ensure your child’s time at Rishworth is a positive one.
RSUTCLIFFE@RISHWORTH-SCHOOL.CO.UK
Mrs Joanna Jones
Head of Year 8
I arrived at Rishworth School at the end of 2020 and fell in love with the community feel to the school. I have worked across the state and independent sector in the UK and internationally in Dubai. I have loved every role I have fulfilled in education from being a Performing Arts teacher, a Head of Department and now a Head of Year. I passionately believe that teaching is the best job in the world and working with young people is my greatest privilege.
I have run a range of enrichment activities and trips across my time and I have overall responsibility for the whole school musical which involves students from all year groups, collaborating together to perform music, dance and drama on stage.
I am a pastoral leader who wants all students to achieve their very best. Compassionate and understanding, I aim to provide friendly and supportive conditions where students want to improve themselves and feel safe to take a risk to do so. I passionately believe that for people to thrive they ought to be given opportunities to examine their mistakes and put them right, regardless of whether those mistakes be academic or pastoral.
Rishworth is a kind, inclusive and creative place where every unique individual matters equally and is supported, valued and celebrated for who they are. My aim is to empower students with a comprehensive set of skills for their future success and wellbeing.
Mr Alex Whitlam
Assistant Head of Boarding, Head of Year 9, DDSL
I joined Rishworth School in July 2024, having worked in the private education sector for 7 years. Prior to this I worked in the state education sector and served in the British Army. I have held several pastoral positions during my time, including Head of Year, Housemaster, Head of Boarding and Head of Student Well-being. I really enjoy being at the forefront of supporting students on their educational journey and believe in a holistic approach to their care. I am passionate about their development within the classroom and the wider school community. I have always been involved in extracurricular activities and various trips, both in the UK and abroad. I feel very fortunate to be able to work within such a family orientated community, where there is a child centered approach adopted to everything we do.
awhitlam@rishworth-school.co.uk
Mrs Gina Edmunds
Head of Year 10
I began my teaching career in Liverpool in 2002 before moving back to the wonderful Pennines a few years later. I have worked as a leader within Mathematics departments as well as providing pastoral support for students in my tutor groups. My move to Rishworth School in 2020 saw me take on the role of head of year, a role I am growing into as I learn more about how to support my year group and especially their individual needs.
gedmunds@rishworth-school.co.uk
Mr Luke Donlan
Head of Year 11
After recently joining Rishworth School in September 2024, I have quickly embraced and become a part of the Rishworth community. Having taught for 11 years in the state sector in Bradford, I felt it was time for a new adventure and a new challenge. In my previous role I have been Head of Geography and Assistant Faulty Leader, as well as working alongside the Year 11 Pastoral Team in my previous school. I am passionate about the well-being of students, ensuring that students are supported and feel prepared for their GCSE's.
ldonlan@rishworth-school.co.uk
Mr Chris Joyce
Assistant Head of Lower School
I joined Rishworth in 2021 after eight years teaching in schools in Lancashire and Cumbria. I believe that good pastoral care is essential to students thriving in education, and the pastoral support at Rishworth is second to none. I have been proud to support students as form tutor, boarding houseparent, and now now as Assistant Head of Lower School, helping them to overcome challenges and achieve their potential both academically and personally.
Mr Peter Robinson
Head of Sixth Form
Having spent 17 years running one of the boy’s boarding houses at Rishworth and now working through my 22nd year as Head of Sixth Form, I have a wealth of experience of pastoral responsibilities. The world and society have changed considerably, especially over the last few years and this is reflected in the needs of our older students who are trying to forge their own identities, rise to the challenges of becoming increasingly independent, cope with the demands of their academic studies while balancing their time with a plethora of valuable extra-curricular activities, both within and outside school and thinking ahead and planning for university or employment or apprenticeship options, all within the Rishworth School setting with the necessary structures, routines and expectations. This is not always easy. A system based on mutual respect between staff and students will inevitably reap reward. The Sixth Form are treated like the young adults that they are. They are given responsibilities as Prefects, Members of the School Council and Charity Committee and Captains of sports teams and are empowered to make constructive use of their non-taught time. This does not happen by default, it requires the structures, the guidance and support of teachers and tutors, reminders, mistakes made and lessons learned. The Sixth Form is an important period of transition as the students move towards the post-school world. I have a dedicated team of Tutors who see and support the students on a day-to-day basis as well as an Assistant Head of Sixth Form who supports me in overseeing all aspects of the Sixth Form and who is in-charge of the Enhanced Curriculum which includes the RSE Programme. As part of the overall pastoral responsibilities, the Head of Sixth Form manages and oversees the university application process to help ensure that students are supported to enable realistic offers are achieved.
I have been lucky over the years, to have pastoral responsibility for a great many super young people who have reflected well our “Res Non Verba” ethos and who have gone on to great things.
PROBINSON@rishworth-school.co.uk
Mrs Rachel Marshall
Assistant Head of Sixth Form
I joined Rishworth School in 2019 and consider myself very lucky to be part of a close-knit community that values and celebrates every student, empowering them to reach their full potential. Currently I am Curriculum Area Manager for Humanities and Assistant Head of Sixth Form - two crucial roles that enable me to provide comprehensive academic and pastoral support to our Sixth Form students.
I am passionate about supporting students during their Sixth Form journey by ensuring we have a dynamic and ambitious curriculum that opens doors to employment, university degrees, and higher-level apprenticeships. I work hard to maintain a professional, positive, and inclusive environment within the Sixth Form that empowers every student to grow, thrive, and reach their full potential.
My commitment to student development extends beyond the classroom, I actively lead initiatives such as the Higher Project Qualification (HPQ) and Extended Project Qualification (EPQ). I also support students with UCAS applications, work experience opportunities and encourage participation in super-curricular activities to spark intellectual curiosity. Additionally, I oversee the prefect programme and coordinate the Sixth Form Enhanced Curriculum programme, which covers essential topics often overlooked in day-to-day lessons, helping students prepare for university, careers, and adult life.
I am excited to lead our Sixth Form trip to New York City in April 2025 and organise team-building residential trips to the Lake District. I am proud to be part of a supportive, community-focused school that empowers students to excel in diverse activities and become the best versions of themselves.