OAKFIELD Academy staff and pupils have been celebrating the work of trustee Gary Smart who has spent the last 25 years at the academy.
The academy says, “Recently we celebrated Gary Smart’s incredible achievement of service to the academy; the average duration for a trustee is three years! Gary’s children and grandchildren have attended Oakfield; his son Joe even worked at Oakfield for some years as a teaching assistant. His support for staff and pupils has been immeasurable, even during the Covid period, he was kind enough to arrange gifts for each ‘teaching bubble’; the refreshments were greatly appreciated.
“When Oakfield changed from a middle school to an academy in 2011, he was at the forefront of the changes, helping the head teacher, Philip Hill, and the leadership team to make the transition as smooth as possible. He worked particularly hard to support the premises and curriculum teams, always giving helpful and practical suggestions for improvements.
“Gary has truly gone above and beyond the support that any academy can expect; staff, parents and pupils will always be grateful for his terrific input. Gary was awarded with an engraved glass and with a Mayor’s Commendation. Oakfield all look forward to working with him for another 25 years!”
