Jay Blundell Condolence Page

Jay was an incredible Head Teacher and woman, who worked passionately and tirelessly to support the most vulnerable in our community. The newly opened Foundry College building is a testament to her drive, determination and commitment to provide the best possible education and life chances to every pupil who had the good fortune to cross her path. We are all the better for having known her and she will be very sorely missed. We recognise that this sad and shocking news will impact not only on our Foundry family community, but the wider Wokingham community as well, where Jay touched many lives.

Please join with us in celebrating her life by leaving a message. We will then pass all of your messages onto her family.

It is with deepest sadness that I offer my condolences on the loss of Jay. When I first took on the AD role in Wokingham Jay was one of the first Headteachers to extend her congratulations and welcome, and has been of incredible support to me ever since. I found her passion and enthusiasm for inclusion to be infectious and  informative, and her commitment to this agenda for Wokingham will be missed. I was impressed by her keen intellect and her attention to detail, and am very sad that I have only been able to work with her for such a short period of time. My heart goes out to all of her loved ones at this sad time.

 

Lovely, smiley Jay was an inspirational head teacher and leader but most of all,  she was brimming with kindness and forgiveness. She always saw the best in every situation and encouraged us all to see the positives in the young people we work with. I feel very blessed to have become part of her Foundry family and I hope Jay knew that. I am so very sorry for your loss and please know that you are all in my thoughts and prayers. Rest in Peace dear Jay x

 

Jay always walked around foundry smiling and happy. Always greeting me and my son. Foundry won’t be the same without her.

 

Jay was a truly special person who left us way to soon 🙁 My thoughts and prayers are with you all during this truly testing time. I hope you are blessed with the patience and resolve to be able to process it all and find some peace in all the support, positive vibes and quiet thoughts that are coming your way. I’m sure she’ll be flying high – hold onto that, embrace your emotions, be kind to yourself and know that Jay and all those she left behind are in so many peoples’ thoughts and prayers x

 

So sorry to hear of your passing Jay. You really were an amazing woman who genuinely cared for the children. The world has lost a truly genuine soul. You will be sadly missed. Lots of love to your family. Xxx

 

Although my relationship with Jay was strictly professional, I will always think of her as a friend. She made my role as Chair of the Management Committee easy, because she was always on top of her enormous work load and focussed on the well being of the Foundry Family-sometimes to the point where I worried about when she found time for herself. As a fellow cat lover I appreciated the  stories about her ‘boys’ and their various antics. Jay was super bright, compassionate , and determined and I know that her absence will be felt by everyone connected with the College . It seems to me that best way we can show our appreciation of her is to carry on with her mission to provide opportunity and success to the the most challenging and vulnerable pupils in our local area. It was a privilege to know her and my thoughts and prayers are with the loved ones that she has left behind.

 

I worked as a home teacher for Foundry under several head teachers. Jay moved Foundry on in leaps and bounds. She was well respected by all and I will always remember her kindness to me when I needed it. I will remember her as  approachable, professional & realistic.  The school community will miss her terribly and I send my love and sympathy to them all. My deepest condolences to Jay’s family. I hope in time they find comfort in knowing the significant contribution she made to improving many young lives and how well liked snd respected she was Rest in peace, Jay x

 

Sending my thoughts and love to Jay’s family.  It is such a huge privilege to be part of Jay’s Foundry family.

 

I have worked with Jay as part of the Berkshire PRU Heads group for the past 5 years.  During that time I have always been struck by her compassion and dedication to the children at Foundry and across Wokingham.  We worked closely together on many issues and she was wonderful to work with, funny, intelligent and kind.  She will be greatly missed.

 

As a local Headteacher, Jay was an invaluable source of support and guidance. Her clear minded determination that every child received the very best shone out. She had time for parents and staff, realising the huge effort they needed to support our most challenging children. Jay, you were a true inspiration.

 

We at Maiden Erlegh Trust were deeply saddened hearing about the death of Jay. Jay was a hugely positive influence in the local education community and, through her work, supported many, many young people and changed their lives for the better. She was also incredibly supportive of, and kind to, colleagues in other schools locally. We are thinking of her friends, colleagues and especially her family and loved ones. All our deepest sympathies.

 

So sorry to hear this terribly sad news.  Jay was an active member of the Berkshire PRU heads group and I will miss her drive and commitment to young people with SEMH as well as her quick wit and sense of humour.

 

I think I was lucky to have crossed paths with you. I always found you to be a witty, honest person who always wanted the best for the pupils in her care. Such a loss, my thoughts are with your family and close colleagues at this time.

 

I knew Jay from the countless behaviour and safeguarding meetings we sat on together over the years. Always an advocate for the underdog and always a driver for change.  If any of us leaves this life having made even one person’s life better, than that was a life well lived. Jay made very many lives better and I’m sure she saved some too. She is a person to be proud of. I’m sorry you have gone Jay, but I’m glad that you were here. Sleep well. x

 

Jay was a colleague at Ardingly College. I remember her as an excellent Chemistry teacher and an inspiring Housemistress with great sensitivity to the needs of her students. And an impish sense of humour!

 

We have fond memories of Jay at Ardingly College when she was Housemistress and we all worked together.  We send our sincere sympathy to all her family and will be thinking of you in the days to come.

 

Thank you for all the memories of fun days at Ardingly College in the 1990s.

 

It is such sad news to learn of Jay’s untimely passing and I send my deepest condolences to her family. I knew her when we were colleagues at Ardingly College many years ago and she was always a deeply committed colleague and one who always had the interests of her students at the heart of all she did.  So sad. I am so sorry.

 

Miss Blundell taught me chemistry for 3 years from 1996 to 1999. She definitely got me through that GCSE! She was also one of my housemistresses as a boarder at Ardingly College. I remember her as being a kind and engaging teacher with a brilliant, dry sense of humour. My deepest condolences to all who knew her.

 

Miss Blundell was a house mistress and a big part of my boarding experience at Ardingly College from 1996-2000. I often think of her to this day. Her excellent communication skills and the respect she commanded, I often think of her and I’m terribly sad to hear this news. Teachers really do hold such an incredible impression on your life forever and their dedication to create well rounded happy individuals amazes me to this day. She was no exception.

 

I taught on the same staff as Jay for eight years. She was delightfully positive, pleasant, interesting and interested, intelligent, indeed such a lovely person to be with. And she brought these qualities to her staunch and robust support and defence of the girls for whom she was responsible at our college.  An unforgettable colleague.

 

Very sad to hear of Jay’s passing.  She was a big part of our daily lives at Ardingly College.  Her commitment to looking after us girls was huge.  She will be sorely missed by all.

 

I have very fond memories of Jay’s time at Ardingly College.  My husband, Tom, was a Housemaster at that time and worked with her for many years.  She was a much loved Housemistress and a “demon” sports coach.  The article in our school magazine when she left said that “good things come in small packages” and it was so true in her case.  My daughters all remember her with affection and we send our best wishes to all her loved ones.

 

Please accept my sincerest condolences on the death of your much loved  Jay. Their Light Shines On Our loved ones leave behind a light that will never dim or fade. its kept bright by the love we feel and the memories we made. Jay was such a caring and supportive Head Teacher throughout the many trials I went through in my own life and will always have  a place in my heart. She will be sorely missed at the helm of Foundry College.

 

I had the privilege  of working in partnership with Jay through my role at Leighton Park. It was clear from our very first meeting that she was full of ambition and hope for her students. She took time to show me personally around Foundry College, to introduce me to colleagues and to visit us here on the Park to sign a Partnership Agreement between our two schools as she wanted to improve her students’ educational experience in any way possible. She was so warm, witty, intelligent and driven. An absolute delight to be in her company and I am so incredibly sad to hear of her passing. My deepest condolences to her family, friends and her Foundry Family. She was a truly wonderful human, and our partnership will continue in her name for the students she cared and worked so hard for. You are in my thoughts and prayers.

 

Miss B was my housemistress at Ardingly and I really liked her. I used to share a room with Claudia and Kate right next door to her office. For work experience, the girls went home and I stayed and worked in the nearby town – I had a cigarette out the window every morning before I left, which was pretty cheeky given she was next door. Stupidly I’d forgotten to take the butt and left it in a cup on the window for Mrs A (the housekeeper) to find. Miss B called me in, I saw the offending mug and knew instantly what I’d done. Do you know what’s in this cup Amanda? I made some apology for leaving dirty cups in the room and she said that’s not what is in the cup before flashing the content at me. Shocked, I said did you find that in my room?  Yes, she replied. Well I say, it could only be me as Kate and Claudia aren’t here. Yes, it would appear that way. I then replied, I’m out at work experience all day so do you think someone has been smoking in my room while I’m out? That’s dreadful – if I find any more I’ll bring them straight to you. You do that, she said smiling – I walked out no fine or suspension. She knew damn well it was me, I knew she knew.  She was a great sport and I am really sorry to hear she was taken so soon.

 

I am so sorry for your loss.  Jay was my line manager during 2016-17, and she was always  a wonderful support to me personally.  I will miss her very much.  Sending my love and thoughts to all of her family and friends at this sad time. With Sympathy.

 

I have very fond memories of working for Jay.  She certainly encouraged you to believe in yourself and achieve the best possible outcome for you even though this meant  leaving her team.  She was so professional and and I will certainly miss sharing news about how my son is getting on with his swimming.  God bless!  xxx

 

 

Miss Blundell was my (very patient) Chemistry teacher, and my housemistress at Ardingly for many years. She was so supportive and kind and helped me through many teenage dramas. I remember her fondly and I am sad to hear of her passing. Sending condolences to her family.

 

I’m still in shock by the news. Jay was such a lovely lady. She interviewed me as an NQT and handed over the HOD role over  to me to focus on DH role in Bulmershe. She was such a caring  person, patient and full of vast knowledge of Chemistry and her love for the students was second to none. She was a great source of support and always backed her staff and trained us to be the best. She will be greatly missed. Rest on Jay

 

I met Jay on several occasions when I was Acting Head at RISE – the RBWM alternative provision.  We used to attend the Berkshire PRU heads meetings together.  I was so sad to hear this news today and just remember her as a positive, smiling, passionate and thoroughly ‘good’ person who cared so much for the young people in the community in which she worked. Sending my sympathy and thoughts to her family and friends and also the Foundry College community.  Such a sad loss

 

Miss Blundell truly was inspirational – a term that can be used lightly but in her case is completely deserved and is probably an understatement.  At A-Level, her incredible knack for making complex topics understandable was entirely behind me and two other friends (all three of us average Chemistry students) achieving top grades.  Her influence motivated me to obtain a place to study Chemistry at university – ultimately I selected another course, as I realised that I would struggle without her teaching.  Miss Blundell’s influence was not limited to school – a presentation in one of her classes led me and the aforementioned two friends to form a band.  The band’s name was a nod to her, and on our last day at school we performed a song we’d written for her (available on Spotify/iTunes if you know where to look!) thanking her for driving us to achieve the best we could.  Miss Blundell continues to inspire us: following her lead, one member of that band is now a Deputy Head well ahead of his years, working his way towards becoming a Head, and the other runs a unique project dedicated to vulnerable children and families.  Although she would have been too modest to know it, Miss Blundell changed my life and the lives of my two friends – it is a privilege to have known her.

 

There are no words to convey my  deep sadness, at the passing of Jay, and my heart goes out to her family. We shared many a joke from her office and she always made me feel welcome in Foundry. I miss her Friday joke cartoons…they were an amusing start to the weekend, and a true reflection of her warm nature. She has certainly left the world a better place, and her work for Foundry was tireless. So sad that she never had the opportunity to fully enjoy the end result. Rest in peace, Jay xx

 

Throughout my work with Jay, she was simply inspirational in her commitment to children in our local area with additional learning needs. She was a credit to the teaching profession. Jay’s non-fuss approach and great sense of humour will be greatly missed. My love and best wishes to all the staff at Foundry, her family and friends. All at Sonning CE Primary School