Meet the Staff

Together We Achieve More: Teamwork Makes the Diamond Wood Dream Work!

At Diamond Wood Community Academy, we are proud to have a large, skilled, and dedicated staff team that works together to ensure every child receives a consistent, high-quality educational experience every single day.

Communication and consistency are at the heart of our approach. We believe that by working closely as a team, we can provide all pupils with the same excellent opportunities to learn, grow, and shine.

In the mornings, our Educational Teaching Assistants (ETAs) work alongside class teachers to deliver focused support during core English and Maths lessons. All staff lead their own phonics groups, ensuring teaching is closely matched to children’s individual needs. In the afternoons, ETAs lead targeted interventions across year groups or key stages, offering additional support where it's needed most.

We are here to support your child and your family at every step. If you have any questions or concerns, your first point of contact should always be your child’s class teacher or Educational Teaching Assistant. From there, we may direct you to the Year Group Leader, followed by the Assistant Headteacher, Head of School, and Executive Headteacher if needed. If further support is required, our Governing Body is also available to assist.

Please never hesitate to come and speak to us directly. We are always here to help and committed to working with you in the best interests of your child.

Senior Leadership Team

Our Senior Leadership Team (SLT) is made up of experienced staff members who have key responsibilities for leading and managing the school. They work closely together to make important decisions about teaching, learning, and the overall running of the school.

Executive Headteacher – Mrs Summers
Head of School - Mrs Price
Assistant Headteacher and SENDCo - Mrs Lyons

Designated Safeguarding Leads (DSL)

Becki Price
Natalie Lyons

Senior Management Team

Our Senior Management Team (SMT) plays a vital role in the day-to-day running of the school. This team works closely with the Senior Leadership Team to ensure our school operates smoothly, consistently, and effectively for every child and family. At Diamond Wood, our SMT includes our Year Group Leaders and our School Business Manager (SBM).

EYFS Leader - Mrs Robinson
Year 1 Leaders - Mrs Lillie & Mrs Booth
Year 2 Leader - Mr Saiyed
School Business Manager - Ms McLoughlin

Class Teachers

At Diamond Wood, we are proud to have a skilled and passionate team of class teachers who create a consistent, caring, and high-quality learning environment for all children.

Nursery Class Teachers

M/T/W - Mrs Tombling
TH/ F - Mrs Lyons

Reception Teachers

Class 1 - Mrs Robinson
Class 2 - Mrs Roberts
Class 3 - Mrs Idle

Year 1 Class Teachers

Class 5 - Mrs Lillie and Mrs Nash (Job Share)
Class 6 - Miss Johnson (ECT 1)
Class 7 - Mrs Umarji and Mrs Booth (Job Share)
Class 8 - Mrs Ellis

Year 2 Class Teachers

Class 9 - Mr Mckay
Class 10 - Mrs Jagger
Class 11 - Mr Saiyed
Class 12 - Miss Shaikh (ECT 1)

Higher Level Teaching Assistants (HLTAs)

We are fortunate to have a team of three HLTAs at Diamond Wood, one full-time and two part-time.

Miss Bell
Mrs Hussain
Mrs Rafiq

They play a vital role in supporting teaching and learning across the school, and are highly experienced and skilled members of staff. They lead whole class teaching when needed.

Nursery Support Team

Our Nursery Support Team is made up of two experienced Nursery Nurses and one Educational Teaching Assistant. Together, they work alongside the Nursery teachers to provide a safe, caring, and engaging environment for our youngest children during their morning sessions.

Nursery Nurse - Miss Malone
Nursery Nurse - Mrs Aftab
Educational Teacher Assistant - Miss Hussain

Reception Educational Teaching Assistants

Reception ETAs support children as they begin school, helping them feel safe, settled, and ready to learn through play-based activities. They focus on early communication, routines, and developing independence.

Class 1 - Mrs Javed
Class 2 - Miss Dunkl and Mrs Khan
Class 3 - Mrs Yaqoob

Year 1 Educational Teaching Assistants

Year 1 ETAs help children adjust to more structured learning while still offering nurture and support. They assist with phonics, reading, writing, and maths across the day.

Class 5 - Mrs Rauf
Class 6 - Mrs Ali
Class 7 - Mrs Drake
Class 8 - Mrs Shamsher and Mrs Basser

Year 2 Educational Teaching Assistants

Year 2 ETAs provide focused support during lessons and small group interventions. They help pupils build confidence, independence, and prepare for the transition to Key Stage 2.

Class 9 - Mrs McAuley
Class 10 - Mrs Kauser
Class 11 - Mrs Trueman
Class 12 - Mrs Ahmed

The Grove Team

At Diamond Wood, we are proud to offer 'The Grove', a carefully designed, school-based provision that supports pupils with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) who may not currently be best placed within a traditional classroom setting.

The Grove provides a calm, nurturing, and structured environment where children can thrive both academically and personally. The curriculum focuses primarily on speech, language, and communication development, while also fully delivering each child’s Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP).

Families of children attending The Grove remain fully involved, and our specialist team works closely with parents, carers, and outside professionals to ensure each child receives the highest level of care, understanding, and opportunity.

Mrs Nawaz
Mrs Manby (AM)
Mrs Haigh (PM)

Office and Premises Team

Our Office and Premises Team play a key role in keeping our school running smoothly and safely every day. The office staff are often your first point of contact. They are friendly, helpful, and always happy to support with any queries, messages, or day-to-day information. Our Premises Manager ensures the school site is clean, safe, and ready for learning, helping to maintain the welcoming environment we’re proud of.

Office Manager - Ms Tasker
Buisness Support Officer - Mrs Hussain
Buisness Support Officer - Mrs Wasim
Premises Manager - Mr Fox

Lunchtime Supervisors

Our dedicated lunchtime team helps make lunchtimes safe, happy, and structured. They support children in the dining hall and on the playground, encouraging positive play, friendships, and respectful behaviour.

Dining Hall

Mrs Khan
Mrs Ali

Reception Playground

Mrs Bibi
Mrs Ismail

Year 1 Playground

Mrs Aftab
Mrs Iqbal
Mrs Khan

Year 2 Playground

Mrs Sharafat
Mrs Akhtar

First Aid

Miss Ghanchi

Kitchen Team

Our school meals are freshly prepared on site by the Kirklees kitchen team, who work hard each day to provide healthy, balanced, and tasty meals for all pupils. They are an important part of our school community and help promote healthy eating habits from an early age.

Kitchen Supervisor - Thomas Crowther
Cook - Khadija Sohail
Customer Service Assistant - Fatima Desai
Customer Service Assistant - Nazia Rafiq
Customer Service Assistant - Tahila Sheraz
Customer Service Assistant - Nabeela Rizwan

Cleaning Team

Our Kirklees cleaning team helps keep the school clean, safe, and hygienic. Their hard work, often behind the scenes, ensures our learning environment is well cared for and ready for each new day.