The UK's special educational needs community is mourning the loss of an inspirational figure, Joanna Ross, who passed away aged 70 after living with Alzheimer's disease. A teacher of extraordinary energy and creativity, Ross was celebrated for a career defined by her unwavering commitment to inclusive education and the dignity of every child.
A Legacy Built on Inclusion and Innovation
Joanna Ross dedicated a significant portion of her professional life to Richard Cloudesley school in Islington, north London, a setting for children with complex needs. She joined the school in 2004 and remained there until her retirement in 2018, leaving a profound and lasting impact. Her influence was physically cemented in 2008 when she played a pivotal role in designing the school's new building, ensuring the plans placed students' physical and cognitive requirements at their very core.
Her classroom was widely known as a hub of joy and possibility, where challenges were reframed as opportunities. Whether directing an ambitious acrobatic pyramid for a school production or guiding pupils through personal milestones with deep compassion, Ross empowered everyone around her. She was a tireless advocate not just for the children, but for their families, fighting to ensure each pupil had the necessary tools and opportunities to thrive.
Recognition and Humility
In 2015, her exceptional contributions were nationally recognised when she was named special needs/early years teacher of the year at the Pearson Teaching awards. Characteristically, she accepted the honour with great humility; for Ross, the true reward was always the chance to make a tangible difference, not public acclaim.
Born in Bristol, Joanna was the fourth daughter of Barbara and the Reverend John Beall. After a childhood in Lancashire and education at Accrington high school, she embarked on adventures abroad, working as an au pair in Spain and later as a bilingual secretary in Paris and London.
A Life of Learning and Love
She returned to the UK to study linguistics at the School of Oriental and African Studies (Soas), graduating in 1984. This was followed by a PGCE in early years education at the London Institute of Education in 1988. Her teaching career began in north London primary schools, with a long tenure at Sebright primary from 1991 to 2004, before she found her true calling at Richard Cloudesley.
In the early 1990s, she met Ed Ross, an American maritime lawyer based in London. The couple married in Las Vegas and shared many happy years together until his death in 2019. In the difficult years following, during the pandemic, Joanna began to experience the early stages of Alzheimer's. She entered full-time care in 2022.
Joanna Ross is remembered by friends and colleagues as a kind-hearted rebel, a woman whose creativity and dedication touched countless lives. She is survived by her two sisters, Barbara and Holly, two nieces, Naomi and Amy, and a nephew, David.
