senior leadership team
Mrs R. Ridley
Headteacher, Deputy Designated Safeguarding Lead
I joined St Joseph’s Catholic School in 2003 from a large comprehensive school in Wiltshire as the Assistant Headteacher, and was promoted to Deputy Headteacher in 2009 with responsibility for raising standards. This was a very rewarding job and the school went from strength to strength with the strategies that were implemented. Gaining national recognition for our school presenting at national conferences and witnessing our pupils achieve more than they thought possible was the highlight of my career. It was this that urged me to become a Headteacher.
I am an Art teacher by trade but have immensely enjoyed the leadership experiences that my roles at this school have presented. My promotion to Headteacher has been my career ambition for a number of years and I feel very privileged to lead such a vibrant dynamic and forward-thinking school.
Outside of school I am very much a family orientated person – they are to me the cornerstone. I also have a passion for gardening and antiques which keeps me very busy when not in school!
My outstanding leadership team and I have a clear vision for our school: to continue to be a place of excellence for future generations of young people in the Salisbury area.
Mr K. McGuinness
Deputy Headteacher (Curriculum Intent & Outcomes)
I am extremely proud to work with such a dedicated and talented staff and hope to share my passion for education and technology with colleagues and students alike. I have worked in leadership roles within a variety of schools ranging from rural Wiltshire to central London. Prior to this, I experienced a wide spectrum of jobs including hospitality, recruitment, and the armed forces.
As a self-confessed geek, my passion is driving technological change and embracing the opportunities it can bring to our students. I thrive in developing systems and structures that support pupils and staff to focus on learning.
Mr R. Rooney
Deputy Headteacher (Curriculum Implementation & Pedagogy)
I joined the St Joseph’s family in July 2014 and am very proud to be part of the leadership team of a school that combines excellent pastoral support with a great academic record. My teaching career up until that point was in an outstanding inner London school where I had a variety of leadership roles, including Head of RE and Head of Year. I have a real passion for teaching and learning and want the pupils at St Joseph’s to do the best that they can do and be the best people that they can be, neatly summed up by my mantra: “Do your best and mind your manners!” Developing our pupils into well-rounded young adults who fulfil their potential is what motivates me to get up in the morning!
My roles at St Joseph’s include: Head of Key Stage 3, Staff Voice & Wellbeing, Staff Development, Catholic & Community Partnerships, and KS2–KS3 Transition.
Previously, I also had a career outside of teaching where I was research director for a multinational conference company organising financial sector conferences and events.
Outside of school, I am a proud father of two, a happy husband, and a keen footballer. I also enjoy cycling around the Wiltshire countryside. I am a practising Catholic and proud to play an active role in St Osmund’s parish as a confirmation and baptism catechist.
Mrs F. Nobis
Assistant Headteacher (Pupil Premium, PSHE and CEIAG Lead, Designated Teacher for Children Looked After)
I have been at St Joseph’s since 2015, and with every year that passes, I become even more proud to say that I am part of the team. Our teachers are committed, our support staff caring and professional, and our pupils friendly and eloquent.
My role at St Joseph’s includes the support and monitoring of particular groups of learners: those in receipt of the Pupil Premium Grant, and those that have English as an Additional Language. I am also the lead for Careers Education Information Advice and Guidance (CEAIG), PSHE, and I line manage a number of departments. As a teaching staff, we work hard to ensure that all our learners are enabled to achieve their full potential. I feel that here at St Joseph’s we are ideally placed to help the pupils gain access to the future they want and also to develop as considerate, perceptive individuals. The curriculum we offer is exciting and engaging also.
Outside of school, I am a practising Catholic. My Italian ancestry has helped me to develop a love of growing and preparing food for my family, and we enjoy walking it off using our National Trust membership!
Mrs L. Furness
Assistant Headteacher (Pupil & Staff Personal Development)
I began teaching in 2012 and hold a PGCE in Secondary English from the University of Bath. Having taught in schools in Hampshire, Dorset and Wiltshire, I have held posts as Senior Leader for Curriculum, Teaching and Learning; School Governor, Head of English and Senior Examiner for AQA.
My unwavering belief that every child, irrespective of their background, deserves a first-class education continues to fuel my passion for the teaching profession, just as it did on my very first day in the classroom. I take immense pride in working alongside colleagues in a comprehensive setting, whose transformative impact on the lives of young individuals is immeasurable.
My own journey was shaped by a wonderful Catholic education in rural Warwickshire, instilling in me the profound significance of fulfilling God's promise in our lives. I consider it an honour to be part of the Senior Leadership Team at St. Joseph's, where every child is nurtured with respect and compassion, fostering their growth in the love of Christ.
Beyond my professional life, I am a practising Catholic, a member of the Union of Catholic Mothers, and attend Holy Mass at St. Benedict's church near my Dorset home. The natural world and the British landscape hold a special place in my heart and, outside of school, you'll find me creating a nature-friendly flower garden, restoring my Arts and Crafts era house and studying genealogy.
Mr O. Ford
Senior Leader (Behaviour & Attendance), Deputy Designated Safeguarding Lead
I began my teaching career at St Joseph’s in 2013. During my time here I have been fortunate enough to work as a part of two fantastic departments in ICT and PE. This has pushed me to constantly diversify and evolve my practise and the chance to work with our students both in the classroom and on the sports field. This has given me the opportunity to appreciate all of our students' strengths, both academic and athletic.
Since joining St Joseph’s, I have had the chance to fill many roles, including Form Tutor, Head of Margaret House, and Head of Faculty for Technology. Now, alongside Mr Bartel, I assume the role of Senior Leader with a focus on Behaviour and Attendance. The pastoral care of our pupils has always been my passion and I consider myself very lucky to be working at St Joseph’s where the emphasis is placed so strongly on the success of the whole child and not purely focussed on exam results.
Outside of school I like to keep active as a member of Parkwood Gym and also as a part of the Salisbury Basketball team who play in the Solent Area League. I am an avid Chelsea fan and currently hold the trophy for the St Joseph’s Fantasy Football league. However no weekend is complete without spending time with my family watching box sets!
Mr C. Bartel
Senior Leader (Behaviour & Attendance), Designated Safeguarding Lead
I am very pleased to be working at St Joseph’s where I have found a very welcoming, polite and talented community of pupils and staff. In previous work in education, I have been a PE teacher and a member of SLT in schools for pupils' Special Educational Needs, including specialist Social Emotional Mental Health provisions. My most recent post previous to St Joseph’s was at a mainstream school in Portsmouth where I held the position of Head of Years 9 and 10.
Before operating in schools I worked for PGL for a number of years, where I gained qualifications and a passion for a range of outdoor and adventurous activities. These include canoeing and kayaking, which I continue to do when possible alongside a bit of snowboarding.
Outside of school, I love spending as much time as possible with my wife and two young children. I play cricket for my village side in the summer and football in the winter. My family and I have been involved in our Parish community at our church in North Baddeley and we are looking forward to spending time in the Salisbury Parish at St Gregory’s and St Osmond’s.
Mrs L. Voce
School Business Manager
I started at St Joseph’s in March 2022, having previously worked for sixteen years in other local primary and secondary schools. St Joseph's is the most nurturing of schools I have worked for and the family environment this creates makes it a fabulous school to be part of.
The most rewarding part of my role is ensuring that staffing and resources deployed across the school maximise the opportunities and enhance the learning environment we provide to our pupils.
In my spare time we host foreign students who come to join our family for ten months of the year and attend local secondary schools. We have been hosting for over twenty years and we now have friends all over the world! I also have three wonderful children and three amazing grandchildren so life outside of school is always packed with fun.