Rachel officially stepped into the role earlier this month, bringing with her a wealth of experience and a long-standing commitment to improving outcomes for young people with additional and complex needs.
To mark the appointment, Rachel visited both Phoenix and Forestwood Schools on 10th June, accompanied by Cygnet Health Care CEO Stephen Firn. The pair spent the day meeting staff and learning more about the work taking place across the two educational settings, both of which are co-located with Cygnet’s CAMHS (Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services) hospitals.
Rachel joined Cygnet in 2019 as National SEND Coordinator. Before joining the organisation, she spent over three decades in mainstream education in a variety of leadership roles, including Assistant Headteacher, Acting Deputy Headteacher, SENCo, Head of Pastoral Care, and School Safeguarding Lead.
She qualified as a Headteacher in 2009 and has worked extensively with students with special and additional needs in both mainstream and specialist settings for more than 15 years.
Reflecting on her new role, Rachel said: “I am excited to take up this role at such a positive and exciting time for our schools. We have two amazing teams, and the potential to continue developing and extending the provision we offer our young people. I am proud of our contribution to CAMHS services, and the positive educational experiences we provide for each young person.”
Rachel’s appointment comes at a time of strong performance across Cygnet’s education services. Phoenix School, at Cygnet Hospital Sheffield, recently received an Outstanding rating from Ofsted and has secured Autism Accreditation from the National Autistic Society. Forestwood School, at Cygnet Bury Forestwood, which was rated Good by Ofsted, recently completed its own autism accreditation assessment, with results expected soon.
These successes mean all of Cygnet’s CAMHS hospitals and schools are rated Good or Outstanding, a testament to the dedication and expertise of staff across the organisation.
Stephen Firn, CEO of Cygnet Health Care, said:
“I’m delighted to announce Rachel Rix as our new Head of Education. The quality of our schools was demonstrated through the recent Ofsted inspections and at Cygnet, we are incredibly proud of the care and education we provide to young people in our CAMHS hospitals.
“This appointment reflects our continued commitment to excellence in both clinical and educational outcomes. I am confident that under Rachel’s leadership – and with the dedication and expertise of our teams – our schools will continue to thrive and grow stronger than ever.”