Laura Horne – Executive Headteacher
As the Executive Headteacher, Laura oversees both Oak Tree School and Redmoor in Lanivet. Working in a variety of education settings since 2006, Laura started with her BA in Primary Education in Birmingham where she taught at an inner-city primary school for three years. Following her move to Cornwall in 2008, Laura continued her education journey working as a Key Skills Lecturer at Truro College before moving to the Alternative Provision Academies (APA) in Cornwall as the Acting Teacher in Charge at the New Horizons Nurture Group for a year and a half.
Laura then completed her Master’s in Education and her NPQH whilst working at Oak Tree School, where she was Deputy Head for 6 years. Laura’s vast experience sees her very well placed to lead the teams at Oak Tree School and Redmoor School
Laura is wholly committed to ensuring that every student that enters Oak Tree School experiences the opportunities and success they deserve, in both their educational achievements and their social and emotional development.
Luke Bolsin – Deputy Headteacher – Behaviour and attitudes
Luke qualified as a Geography teacher in 2005 and worked as a secondary mainstream pastoral head of year for 10 years. In these roles he has dealt with a range of pupils from a variety of backgrounds and with a wide range of needs. Luke qualified as a SENCo in 2016 and has a passion for working with pupils with social and emotional mental health issues and staff training in these areas.
Luke has a firm belief in the positive and therapeutic effects of the great outdoors and their impact as part of a holistic personalised education. Prior to teaching he spent a number of years working in and running water sports centres. He still regularly enjoys being in the beautiful waters around the Cornish coast. He is also a CBT practitioner and a trauma informed schools trainer. He also sits on our therapy team.
Michelle Pascoe – Deputy Headteacher & Designated Safeguarding Lead
Michelle has been part of Oak Tree since it first opened in 2014, starting as an HLTA before developing the role of Parent and Child Support Worker. She later joined the senior leadership team as Safeguarding Lead and is now Deputy Head/Safeguarding Lead.
With a background as a therapist, Michelle continues to bring her expertise to the school, helping to shape our nurturing, therapeutic approach. She supports all staff, parents, and students, ensuring that everyone feels safe, valued, and supported. She also works closely with external agencies to make sure our children and families get the help they need.
Michelle oversees the Acorn Building alongside one of our Assistant Heads and leads our Family Support and Safeguarding Team. With over 20 years of experience working with children with social and emotional needs, she loves building relationships with the students and supporting them as they grow, overcome challenges, and achieve their potential during their time at Oak Tree.
Michael Abbott – Deputy Headteacher – Quality of Education
Mike qualified as a teacher in July 2015 after completing his training at St Helens College, where he worked in the Sport & Health and Social Care Department. In January 2016, Mike moved to Cornwall with his family and started working at Oak Tree School as a teaching assistant. Shortly after, he became a teacher at the school and later took on the role of head of the maths faculty.
In 2021, Mike left Oak Tree School to work at the newly opened OFG School Red Moor, located in Lanlivery, Bodmin, where he served as the assistant head in charge of the Quality of Education. In September 2024, Mike returned to Oak Tree School as the Deputy Head, overseeing Quality of Education.
Along with the rest of the team at the school, Mike strives to provide the best education for every child, ensuring they can be successful when they leave. He firmly believes in identifying children’s aims and ambitions and using this information to shape their futures, both during their time at the school and beyond.
Outside of work, Mike enjoys spending time with his family, usually in the great outdoors.
Becky Turner– Assistant Headteacher
Becky has an English and Classics degree and gained her PGCE in English in 1999. At the beginning of her career Becky worked in inner city mainstream Secondary schools in Birmingham and Bristol. Becky has always been passionate about supporting young people to achieve their very best, and has been lucky enough to have led Learning and Teaching and the curriculum as an Assistant Headteacher and then the Pastoral Team and SEND Team as a Vice Principal.
Becky moved to Cornwall in 2015 and began working as a SENDCo in an Alternative Provision, providing support to vulnerable students and families. Becky has always been a great champion of children. Above all she’s a passionate believer in the great and precious power we have as teachers, to improve the life chances of our students and do good as we go.
In her spare time Becky likes travelling the globe and experiencing new countries, cultures and traditions!
Barry Lea-Clark– Assistant Headteacher
Barry has been with Oak Tree School since 2022, initially as a Tutor and Teacher, to then head of faculty and now as an assistant headteacher overseeing the day to day running of Oregon building.
Barry has completed his Master’s in Education in addition to his PGCE and BSc in Sports performance and coaching, and is continuing his professional development through the national professional qualification framework.
Barry has a deep-rooted belief in the power of education, both academically and socio-emotionally and is dedicated to the pursuit of successful outcomes for every student at Oak Tree School.
Zoe Waitz– Assistant Headteacher
Zoe has had the privilege of working at OTS for 10 years, starting off as a Teaching Assistant. In this role, Zoer supported students with diverse needs, giving invaluable insight into the importance of individualised support, especially for those facing social, emotional, and mental health challenges.
Zoe’s passion for working with young people in SEMH grew as she took on the role of an Outdoor Education Instructor, using experiential learning in outdoor settings to help students build confidence, improve social skills, and manage their emotions in a natural environment.
After leaving OTS to complete her teacher training, Zoe returned as a fully qualified teacher. Since then, Zoe has had the opportunity to work in various roles, each enhancing her skills in SEMH.
Recently, Zoe was appointed Assistant Head, a role in which she oversees the pastoral care and well-being of all students. Zoe is committed to ensuring that SEMH is at the heart of everything we do, collaborating with staff, parents, and external agencies to create personalised support plans for students. Zoe’s experiences have shaped her understanding of the complex needs of SEMH students and reinforced her dedication to helping them overcome barriers and achieve success.
Jo Goldring- Business Manager
Jo joined our Senior Leadership team at the beginning of 2023 she first started with Outcomes First Group working with the children’s homes as an administration assistant and then joining Oak Tree School in September 2021. She loves being highly organised and ensuring procedures are communicated effectively. Jo has an enthusiastic approach to life and her role with a real passion for being helpful to staff and students ensuring the best possible outcomes.
Outside of Oak Tree, Jo spends a lot of time around the coast either in the sea (during the warmer months) or out walking. She finds it hard to sit still and is always looking for the next challenge in life and work.