Peter Marshall, Head of Service
Peter’s role as Head of Service is to provide strategic leadership of all the children’s services at Acorn Park, including education, care and therapeutic support.
Peter has a strong record of accomplishment in service improvement and is dedicated to improving the lives of young people and their families through outstanding education and care. He has significant experience in Autism, SLD, ADHD, SEMH, Attachment and Trauma and has held a considerable number of leadership positions during his career.
Emma Willis, Co-Head of School, Formal Pathway
Emma joined Acorn Park in 2007 as a Speech and Language Therapy Assistant and has since worked her way through the Education team. Emma stepped into this role in January 2024 following five years as Deputy Headteacher. She has extensive experience of classroom teaching, curriculum development, ASD and SEND knowledge. As Co-Head and leader of the formal pathway, Emma is dedicated to the academic journey and quality of education for our young people.
Emma is currently on maternity leave, and will return to the school later in 2025.
Adam Masterson, Co-Head of School, Semi-Formal Pathway
Adam joined Acorn Park in January 2014 as a class teacher. Since joining Acorn Park Adam has held many different roles: training lead, Maths lead, Upper school lead, Deputy Head and has now progressed into the role of Head of School, overseeing the Quality of Education, Behaviour and Attitudes and the Semi-Formal curriculum.
Adam has worked with autistic young people for 14 years in school, college and also supporting families with autistic children. Adam’s passion within autism lies in supporting the needs of the students and focusing on planning for the future to ensure students are able to grow and reach their full potential.
Georgeena Taylor, Therapy and Wellbeing Lead and Occupational Therapy Lead.
Georgeena started working at Acorn Park in May 2022, as a Specialist Occupational Therapist. Before Acorn Park, she was fortunate enough to work in very rewarding clinical settings including: a child and adolescent mental health hospital, community mental health and crisis response team, primary care, residential services and within school settings.
Georgeena has continued to develop her specialism in Sensory Integration, obtaining Advanced Sensory Integration Practitioner status, and uses this to guide and support interpretation of the young people’s presentations and their own unique sensory profiles.
She looks forward to leading the therapy team, in the wonderful work they do in supporting the young people. Alongside care and education, with effective intervention to encourage the young people, to do their very best here at Acorn Park.
Sam Hayon, Facilities Manager
Sam joined Acorn Park in 2023, having previously gained considerable experience in Facilities Management. Sam started his career as an apprentice electrician in London, where he became a qualified electrician and worked on projects such as the Olympics site, amongst others within the M25. Sam later moved on to work with Network Rail, The University of East Anglia, The Eastern Daily Press and several Police investigation centres across Norfolk – both at a supervisory and managerial level.
Sam is passionate about compliance, health & safety and project management. Sam’s goal is to improve the quality and safety of our service, for both pupils and his fellow colleagues. Sam is delighted to join the service in a senior position, having been struck by the warmth of the school, its values and ethos, and the reward of supporting the young people and adults to Grow, Strive, Care and Thrive
Education Leadership Team:
- Co-Head of School, Formal Pathway: Emma Willis (Maternity Leave)
- Co-Head of School, Semi-Formal Pathway: Adam Masterson
- Deputy Headteacher (Formal Pathway): Karen McAtear
- Deputy Headteacher (Semi-Formal Pathway): Sarah Short
- Assistant Headteacher (Whole School Curriculum and Assessment): Aziza Cranmer
- Whole-school SENDCo: Paula-Marie Leech
- Family Outreach Manager: Amy Young
- Senior DSL: Jennifer Banol
Our SWIFT Team
The wellbeing of children and families is of the greatest importance to us at Acorn Park and so we have a dedicated family and pastoral support team, our SWIFT team – Student, Welfare, Integration, Family Team.
This team works across the school with young people, families and outside agencies to improve the welfare, wellbeing and integration of our learners and to provide support and advice for families as we recognise that supporting a child with Autism and often other conditions, can be challenging, exhausting and at times, incredibly lonely.
Family Outreach
Our Family Outreach Team work in the home and community with families and carers to provide support to pupils not attending school, requiring home support ( referral is through the SWIFT team) or with specific challenges.
They run parenting courses and group meetings as well as facilitating training and sourcing local speakers and support groups.