Students and Volunteers

We welcome students and volunteers coming into school and take a variety of professional and work experience students on placement.

For information on volunteering please contact Anne-Marie Hughes via or on 01604 714777.

Our teachers are a dedicated, skilled group of staff with acknowledged expertise and qualifications in the education of children with special needs. Our teaching staff are supported by a variety of other staff during the school day. We have a school nurse and part time support from speech and language therapists, physiotherapists, occupational therapists and educational psychologists. Classes benefit from high staffing ratios. 

Our support staff are made up of Cover Supervisors, Higher Level Teaching Assistants and Learning Support Assistants. Their role is to support the learning, care and physical needs of the children within the class. Some children are assessed as being in need of additional support, either to meet their medical or behavioural needs or in order to allow them to interact effectively with their environment or to gain access to the curriculum.

The school has a business manager, office and site staff who deal with the financial, administrative and premises duties within the school. We are committed to the continuing professional development of our staff. We ensure that all staff have access to relevant training to meet both their own personal and professional development needs and to facilitate the development of the school in line with strategic priorities.

All teachers have a wide range of in-service training, particularly in relation to special needs.

Our Leadership Team

           Lesley Elder                                        Nicola Wood                                 Sara Clarkson                                   Clare Farley

           Headteacher                                   Deputy Headteacher                      Assistant Headteacher                   School Business Manager

Staff Team Lists

Click on a section title or its [+] and [-] icons to open and see our staff team lists.

Our Governing Body is made up of Parents, Staff, Community and Local Authority Governors. They are responsible for the strategic leadership of the school and ensuring the school runs effectively. They also decide school policies and procedures.

Our Co-Chair of Governors are Katie Usher and Beverley Wright. A welcome letter to parents can be read here. 

Governors serve a four year term. Parent governors are elected and LA and Community Governors are recommended and approved by the Governing Body.

The Governors have two committees – Supporting School Structures (Finance and Personnel, Premises and Health and Safety) and  Excellence and Enjoyment (Curriculum). These are sub committees of the full Governing Body and they make recommendations that are ratified by the full Body.

We expect our governors to undertake any training that will enable them to carry out their role more effectively.

Governors need to have an intimate knowledge of how the school works to enable them to make decisions that ultimately affect the lives and education of the children in their care.

Parent Governor Vacancy

We are pleased to announce that Hayley Fruish has been elected unopposed as our new Parent Governor for a four-year term.

Contacting the Governing Board

If you would like to contact a member of our governing board, please do so by sending your written correspondence to: Clerk to the Governing Board, Fairfields School, Trinity Avenue, Northampton, NN2 6JN or by email .

 Governance Information

Fairfields School Fund

Due to ever restrictive school budgets, it is essential that we raise additional funds to help support and enhance our children's learning environment and opportunties. 

Fairfields School Fund has been set up with charitable status to create an additional funding stream to allow the school to go the extra mile in providing an inspirational education to our wonderful pupils. Parents, former pupils, friends and businesses are invited to make voluntary contributions to enable us to help every pupil in school. 

The School Fund has previously been used for the following:

• Purchase of school minibus
• Christmas presents for the children
• Enrichment - horse riding 
• School trips & residentials
• Music lessons

This page will be used to celebrate the companies, charities, individuals and families that have worked hard to support us and generously raise funds for Fairfields School. We will also highlight the projects for which we are currently fundraising and details on how you can help. 

We are currently working on setting up easier ways for our community to get involved, either donating directly or setting up a campaign to support our fundraising efforts, so please keep an eye on this page. 

Individual, Charity & Corporate Sponsers

We fully appreciate the support and generosity from our individual, charity and corporate donations. We would like to take this opportunity to thank all of our sponsors for their commitment to supporting our amazing school.

If you would like to get involved, please contact us on 01604 714777 or email

Pioneer B ladies Darts team donated £100 in April 2017.

Sugar and Spice Club donated £500 in February 2016 and £625 February 2017.

Thank you Lions Northampton Eighty Club for your generous donation of £686.11 in memory of Lion David. This will help support the development of our sensory garden.

Thank you to the Rotary Club for their generous donation of a sensory arch in memory of Kai & Paul Simpson.

We would like to extend a warm thank you to the family and friends of Lorraine Jennings, one of our retired staff members, who have raised a wonderful £2500 in her memory. We will be using the funds raised to create a new memorial garden as a special place to reflect, remember and celebrate members of our school community who have passed away.