Jon Cluett – Head of Education

I’m Jon and I’m the Head of Education across both Falkland House Schools.  I have previously worked in academia, in business and in the third sector and have been involved in education for over 20 years.  I’m passionate about education in its broadest sense and about enabling people to develop and reach their full potential.  My favourite thing about my job is when I see people succeeding and developing!

I lead a team of education specialists who are committed to getting it right for all our students.  This means we are constantly working to enable our students to become successful learners, confident individuals, responsible citizens and effective contributors as well as enabling them to succeed in a broad range of specific subjects.

Any questions about teaching and learning or about the specifics of subjects and curriculum send them my way!

Iain Owens – Relations & Admissions Manager

I’m Iain and in my role as Relations & Admissions Manager, I help both Local Authorities and parents/carers who want to place children and young people in our schools and home. This involves guiding parents and carers through the sometimes complex and lengthy process of submitting a placing request, or assessing the needs of a young person to see if we can meet their needs.

I’ve previously worked in fostering for over 9 years, and in education and care for the last few years so really understand the need for good education and care for young people. I thoroughly enjoy helping parents, carers and Local Authorities access the provision their young people need, knowing it will make a huge difference to their lives.

Michael James – Wellbeing & Clinical Service Lead/Senior Clinician

I’m Michael, and I’m the Wellbeing & Clinical Lead for our Scottish Hub of services. I’m a Psychotherapist with over 25 years experience and I’m registered with the BACP as a full practicing member, having also gained a master’s degree in Integrative Psychotherapy.

I have worked within residential care and schools for over 20 years, gaining a practical and theoretical understanding of children with ASC and SEMH, and use this knowledge to work within our ‘Ask, Accept and Develop’ (AAD) approach. This approach recognises that despite underlying shared traits, autistic individuals are vastly different to one another, and it ensures that children of all abilities have been considered and included.

I’ve delivered several programmes of Reflective Practice and Trauma Informed Practice to those supporting children and young people with additional needs – I also oversee our team of Clinicians.

Hannah Bird – Speech & Language Therapist

My Name is Hannah, and I am a Speech and Language Therapist for Falkland House School Fife and Perth. I am originally from West Sussex and qualified from the University of Chichester with a bachelor’s degree in Education, Special Needs and Disability. I then qualified in a Masters in Speech and Language Therapy from Queen Margaret’s University in Edinburgh.

Speech and Language Therapy provides support and care for those with communication and social skills, speech disorders and language difficulties and I am truly passionate about working with children and young people. My role gives them a voice, helps them feel valued and support equality and inclusivity by assisting them with expressing or understanding spoken and written language.

I believe that speech therapy impacts all elements of independent daily living and promotes interpersonal social skills. I am enthusiastic and thrilled to be working at Falkland House School.

Sarah Maloney – Throughcare & Engagement Coordinator

I am a psychology graduate with a professional background in autism, health & social care, mental health and team leadership. I also have a personal connection to autism which has given me the passion to provide a quality service for individuals with autism and their families.

My role focuses on transitions from school into the community and is involved across pathway planning and reviews. My work involves learning about our young people, their interests and ambitions, then supporting and motivating them to achieve their potential while helping to reduce their anxieties at what can be a stressful time. I support our young people with college and university applications, including interviews, open days and developing relationships with college support teams. This helps develop confidence and prepare young people for interviews, quality employment, work experience and volunteering opportunities. We’ve had some great success over the last year with many students receiving unconditional college offers and others moving into paid employment, work experience and volunteering opportunities in shops, cafes, theatres and concert halls.

I love supporting and providing guidance to our young people during this critical stage, helping them achieve their ambitions and observing their ongoing success and the positive impact this has on their health and well-being.