It is my great honour to serve as the Headteacher of Rooks Heath School, a community where every student is encouraged to strive for excellence. Each day, I am inspired by the dedication of our staff, the enthusiasm of our students, and the shared commitment to education that makes Rooks Heath such a special place. 

At Rooks Heath, we believe in nurturing the whole child. While academic success is a key focus, we also prioritise personal growth, resilience, and character development. Our motto, “Strive to be your best,” reflects our unwavering belief that every student has the potential to achieve greatness—both inside and outside the classroom. 

Students at Rooks Heath make excellent progress. Our students consistently achieve strong results in both GCSE and vocational qualifications, and many go on to attend top universities, including Oxford, Cambridge, and Imperial College or take up degree apprenticeships with reputable companies. However, success at Rooks Heath is about more than just grades; it is about fostering a lifelong love of learning, instilling confidence, and preparing students to thrive in an ever-changing world. I believe it is my responsibility to ensure the continued success of Rooks Heath.  

I am passionate about having a culture of high aspiration at and beyond the school. As a parent of a child at Rooks Heath School, you can rest assured that your child will be at a school that encourages excellent attendance, punctuality and attitudes to learning and behaviour. It is highly important to me that every student gains a taste of academic and personal success throughout their time at Rooks Heath no matter their starting point. The families that join us have the same passion and commitment to the seven-year journey with us, and we work together to guarantee this. Once students have their education, no-one can take this away from them. 

 As a parent myself, one of my mantras is that ‘education is your passport to the future’ and the quality of this education should allow every student to aspire to the highest levels of academic achievement possible. That is why we are unapologetic in setting the highest standards for attendance, punctuality, behaviour, and attitudes to learning. We work closely with families on this seven-year journey, ensuring that every child experiences academic and personal success, no matter their starting point. We want our students to be able to stand against their peers locally, nationally and even internationally.  

Our most recent Ofsted report reflects the outstanding culture we have built at Rooks Heath, with inspectors noting that: 

“Rooks Heath School is a diverse, inclusive school where pupils are safe and happy.” 

“The school is ambitious for all pupils, and pupils respond well to this ambition.” 

“The curriculum is broad and balanced, and teachers have strong subject knowledge.” 

Having experienced the warmth and inclusivity of Rooks Heath myself, I am deeply committed to working with our talented staff to provide an all-round educational experience for our students.  

Whatever your reasons are for visiting our website; a parent applying for a secondary school place, a prospective applicant or simply an enquiring visitor, I hope this website gives you a glimpse into the vibrant and ambitious spirit of our school. I warmly invite you to visit Rooks Heath in person and see first-hand I hope you get a flavour of what the school is about and what makes our community so special. 

Miriam Manderson BA (Hons) PGCE NPQH 
Head Teacher