Mark joined the Laurus Trust in 2020, with his substantive role involving the strategic leadership of SEND and Inclusion across the Trust. He has been part of school leadership teams including as Assistant Head of School at Didsbury High School and more recently at Hazel Grove High School.

Prior to joining the Laurus Trust he has held a variety of roles across different sectors of the education system. Most recently he was a Senior Lecturer in Education, supporting and training the next generation of teachers, with particular expertise in SEND and Inclusion and Professional Practice. He also taught on the MA Education and had various leadership roles in the higher education sector. Mark has a particular expertise in Social, Emotional and Mental Health, having previously been a specialist teacher supporting inclusion in Stockport across Primary and Secondary schools as well as being a SENCO in multiple schools.

Mark grew up in Stockport and spent much of his career working in the local authority so understands the context well. He attended the University of St Andrews to read Geology and Geography and went on to the University of Edinburgh to achieve his PGCE, leaving Scotland to return to the local area. Mark is completely committed to professional learning having completed a masters in SEN and Inclusion and doctorate in education over the last decade. Much of his free time is dedicated to his family, with three teenager children, often spending time in the ‘great outdoors’. 

Laurus Grace is an Alternative Provision 11-16 Free School offering specialist provision for students with Communication and/or Interaction needs and Social, Emotional and/or Mental Health (SEMH) needs.

When full, Laurus Grace will provide a high-quality educational provision for 80 students. We plan to admit our first cohort of students in September 2024 within temporary accommodation to address the shortage of specialist places in Stockport Local Authority. We will move towards our full cohort of students when the new building is completed and occupied by the school.

We will build upon the outstanding provision within our mainstream Trust secondary schools, to develop a high quality and ambitious curriculum offer to our students that aligns with our Trust Vision. We believe that students who have experienced setbacks within mainstream education deserve the same educational offer as their peers. This will be realised within a specialist provision through two curriculum strands:

Academic Curriculum

Our outstanding teachers and support staff will offer an ambitious core and optional academic curriculum including GCSE qualifications.

Restorative Curriculum

Our specialist and pastoral staff will offer a therapeutic-style curriculum, to develop social and emotional aspects of learning and promote positive mental health. 

Special Educational Need and/or Disability (SEND)

We are committed to ensuring that the necessary provision is made for all students with a Special Educational Need and/or Disability (SEND). The SEND Code of Practice (2014) states that all children and young people are entitled to an education that enables them to make progress so that they:

Achieve their best - Become confident individuals living fulfilling lives - Make a successful transition into adulthood, whether into employment, further or higher education or training.

We believe that all students with SEND must have their needs recognised and assessed so that appropriate and timely intervention can be put in place. We strive to deliver a curriculum that provides suitable learning challenges to meet the diverse learning needs of all our students and we will do everything we can to remove any barriers.