Pupils turn masters for Takeover Day

Photo: Tony Miller

IN the hot seat at Whitegate End Primary School is Mason Pickup, taking over from head Suzanne Ashton.

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SMALLER-sized suits and lowered chairs were the order of the day on Friday as pupils from Oldham schools took charge of the classroom on Takeover Day.

Newman RC College on Broadway gave pupils in its student council unique behind-the-scenes access to a number of jobs from front of house staff in reception to the job with the biggest office: the head teacher.

All 15 pupils who make up the college’s school council were given a job so they could experience a number of different roles.

The extraordinary day was organised and overseen by chair of the school council, 16-year-old Linda Wachaga.

Linda said: “Everyone was really excited about the takeover idea and I’ve had some really good feedback about how the students enjoyed their day.

The role everyone wanted was that of head teacher - a post normally occupied by Michael McGhee.

Mr McGhee said: “The Takeover concept is something that we have done in previous years in a lot of different ways but this year we have embraced the idea on a much larger scale with a number of different roles.”

For 13-year-old Callum Torley, who got an opportunity to chair one of the two leadership meetings Mr McGhee has a week, taking on the head teacher’s job was hugely exciting.

He said: “The best job is being the head teacher and I got to see a lot of behind-the-scenes teaching stuff.”

Chadderton’s Whitegate End Primary School children got a chance to understand the job process from start to finish as part of their Takeover Day, having had to fill in a job application for their temporary roles.

Oldham’s Roundthorn Primary Academy staff also sat back comfortably as Roundthorn Ambassadors and year six pupils took charge for the day.

Students tried out a number of roles including Academy head, teachers, midday supervisors, site managers, the school cook, office staff and reading specialists.