Quick Links

Useful Links Open/Close

Cragside Primary School

Senior leadership team

The senior leadership team at Cragside Primary School consists of Rebecca Jackson (headteacher), Lisa Hall (deputy headteacher), Louise Lennox (assistant headteacher) and Sam Wolff (SENCo)

Rebecca Jackson - Headteacher

Rebecca Jackson has been the Headteacher of Cragside Primary School since 2018, bringing over 30 years of experience in education. Her diverse career spans roles as a Learning Support Assistant, classroom teacher, and EOTAS (Education Other Than at School) tutor. 

Rebecca Jackson has been the Headteacher of Cragside Primary School since 2018, bringing over 30 years of experience in education. Her diverse career spans roles as a Learning Support Assistant, classroom teacher, and EOTAS (Education Other Than at School) tutor. She has also successfully led two other schools as Headteacher.

A dedicated advocate for educational excellence, Rebecca is a Fellow of both the Chartered College of Teaching and the Royal Society of Arts, as well as an associate member of the Association of Education Advisers. Her expertise extends to published work, having contributed a chapter to School Improvement, where she explored strategies for reducing the cost of education and improving accessibility for all students and their families.

Under Rebecca’s leadership, Cragside Primary School was the lead school for the Arts Council-funded Creativity Collaboratives, a national initiative exploring the role of creativity in education. The school now leads North East Primary Innovators, a newly established network of six schools dedicated to driving educational improvement and excellence. This initiative champions collaborative leadership and innovation in teaching and learning, fostering a culture of continuous development across the region.
In 2024, Rebecca further enhanced her leadership skills by completing the prestigious Leaders for Impact program, an initiative led by the Royal Opera House designed to cultivate visionary leaders in education and the arts.

In March 2025, Rebecca was delighted to receive the The Educators' Trust 'Inspirational Educator Award'.  

 

Lisa Hall  - Deputy headteacher

With over 25 years of experience in the primary sector, Lisa Hall has taught across KS1 and KS2 and held a range of leadership roles, including SENDCo, Assistant Head Teacher and now Deputy Head Teacher. She is passionate about arts and culture and the role they play in a rich, balanced curriculum. As Creativity Lead for the North East Primary Innovators (NEPI), part of the legacy phase of the Creativity Collaboratives, she promotes creative thinking across the region. In school, she is also Curriculum Lead, ensuring every child experiences meaningful and engaging learning.
Lisa began her teaching career in 1996 and has worked in schools across Durham, Gateshead and Newcastle. Over the years, she has led on English, SEND and music. Since joining Cragside Primary in 2008, she has been heavily involved in whole‑school arts‑based projects and continues to coordinate large‑scale cultural events. She no longer leads music, but she remains closely involved in the school’s arts work.
Her leadership includes steering the school’s creativity work through the three‑year Arts Council England‑funded Creativity Collaboratives pilot and into the ongoing legacy phase. She also leads a range of arts and culture programmes, including Artsmark, helping to create an environment where children can explore, express and grow. Lisa also coordinates the Ouseburn Learning Trust Heaton Shakespeare Festival, supporting schools to share, celebrate and enjoy Shakespeare’s work.

Louise Lennox - Assistant headteacher

Louise Lennox has been a dedicated member of Cragside for nearly 23 years. Currently, she teaches Year 3 four days a week and serves as an Assistant Head Teacher, which allows her to work pastorally with children across various year groups. She also manages the organisation of lunchtime support provision and oversees school attendance.

Since joining Cragside in January 2002, Louise has led maths across the school, navigating numerous changes both nationally and within the school. She is also a Primary Mastery Specialist with the Great North Maths Hub, a role she has held for the past four years. Through this position, she has gained accreditation as a Professional Development lead in maths. Currently, she leads a work group of 12 teachers in the ‘Sustaining’ phase of the maths mastery programme, which provides her with valuable opportunities to learn from other specialists and her work group members.

Her previous roles include serving as a Leading Maths Teacher and a Primary Maths Consultant for the Local Authority. Louise also holds an Open University qualification as a Specialist Primary Maths teacher. Passionate about the subject, she loves discussing, learning, and teaching maths, and is a strong advocate for helping everyone see themselves as a mathematician.

Sam Wolff - SENCo

Sam Wolff has been a class teacher and Special Educational Needs Coordinator at Cragside Primary School since April 2020. Before this role, Sam worked at a school in the east end of the city, teaching primarily in Years 2 and 6. Sam has a strong interest in supporting children with special educational needs and other vulnerable groups, ensuring they have access to inclusive education and can fully participate in all aspects of school life.

Sam brings personal experience in caring for family members with neurological conditions and neurodivergence. Professionally, Sam has worked as a teaching assistant, a 1:1 home tutor, and a camp counselor at a camp for adults and children with developmental disabilities.

Sam holds a degree in Psychology from Newcastle University and completed a PGCE at Sheffield Hallam University. In 2023, Sam earned a NASENCO qualification from Northumbria University, receiving an award for the best postgraduate academic performance in the faculty.

Alongside a commitment to Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND), Sam also trained as a moderator for the local authority in Key Stages 1 and 2 and has completed the NCETM Maths Mastery Programme.

 

Contact