Lower Primary
Getting Ready for Year 1 English

After completing a degree in English, I went on to complete a Primary PGCE specialising in Early Years and Key Stage 1. Although I initially began my career teaching in EYFS in the Reception class, I have since had the opportunity to teach throughout the whole Primary spectrum from Nursery all the way up to Year 6 and I have also had extensive experience of working with students with a range of special educational needs and disabilities. I think that having a broad teaching experience is really valuable as I am able to fully understand progression in learning and to recognise next steps.

Most recently I have taught as a 1:1 Tutor, working predominantly with pupils who are being home educated. I have found working with individual pupils to be hugely rewarding and I love having the opportunity to help the students to improve their self-confidence, and to develop motivation and enthusiasm. I firmly believe that these are the main attributes which lead to successful independent learning.

When I am not teaching, I love spending time outdoors walking in the countryside or by the coast. I also enjoy swimming, keep fit and I love to travel when I am able to. I am also an avid reader and like nothing more than curling up with a good book – preferably with my cat on my knee!

I believe that being a teacher is a really privileged position and I feel so fortunate to have been able to have the opportunity to share my love of learning with so many pupils over my teaching career. I am absolutely delighted to be a Tutor at Wolsey Hall and I look forward to sharing my enthusiasm for learning with many students and their families and to support them on their learning journeys.

I have a proven track record as a teacher in Primary Schools and as a lecturer focusing initially on Key Stage One and Early Years. However, I have taught all Primary age groups and children with Special Educational Needs and I have enjoyed mentoring both children and adults.

I have an affinity with homeschooling because it enables the needs of children and their individuality can be nurtured so effectively. Some of my friends’ children were homeschooled, and they went on to excel in their fields.

I like to help learners to become confident and enjoy their achievements. Having taken myself back to university to complete my Masters (in Education), I understand the pleasure that comes from continuing to learn. I recently attended a course on Phonics in The Early Years and Key Stage One and I’m a firm believer in lifelong learning.

I love to be reflective and am fully versed in study skills and pedagogy in education. I have successfully helped parents and children to develop these skills. I have spoken at educational conferences on work-based learning and education and have published a paper on online learning. I am flexible, adaptable, creative and enjoy working with others.

My hobbies are walking in the countryside and researching aspects of current affairs and science more deeply. I can draw and paint, and I like to dance.

I am delighted to be working with Wolsey Hall and to sharing my passion for education with you.

I began my career as a nursery nurse, working with children from birth to five in Foundation Stage settings, including as a pre-school manager. I thrived in creating a stimulating learning environment for children in which they could become active and curious learners. My experience as a nursery nurse highlighted the importance of laying strong foundations in the early years.

Whilst working as a nursery nurse, I studied with the Open University to complete my BA in English Literature and then completed the Graduate Teacher Training Programme with the Shire Foundation in Luton, gaining QTS in 2011.

As a trained teacher, I have taught in a range of Primary schools gaining a wealth of experience teaching in Early Years, Key Stage 1 and 2. I have found teaching such a rewarding career, and I am delighted to be a Tutor at Wolsey Hall. I’m passionate about teaching children to develop a love of learning and help inspire them to become lifelong learners.

I encourage all children to be resilient, independent learners and teach them how they can reflect on their learning in order to improve further.

I enjoy teaching all subjects, in particular, reading and writing. I love how reading can spark children’s imaginations and transport them to different worlds. Enriching children with the power of language and exploring the meanings of new vocabulary, enables their creative ideas to flow.

In my spare time, I enjoy reading a range of novels, experimenting with baking unusual recipes and participating in my Latin dance classes. Most of my time is spent being Mum to my three very energetic children and participating in their fun, imaginative and very messy adventures!

I have been a Primary School teacher for fourteen years. I enjoy inspiring children to learn through active learning and believe enjoyment should be the centre of everything. If a child is happy and enthused in what they are doing, they will want to learn. I am particularly fond of a memory when my class found a hidden den with a mystery inhabitant in the wildlife garden. This led to a creative curriculum that the children found motivating.

In my teacher training, I chose numeracy as my specialism, as I find it fulfilling to help pupils with their misconceptions and build links between concepts. For the last two years, I have held a Maths club, where the children enjoy mathematical challenges through games and puzzles; this enables them to develop their learning whilst having fun.

I have also enjoyed teaching literacy, especially early writing and phonics. I love using children’s storybooks to build learning, looking at the language used and sentence structures to create children’s own versions of the text. My teaching has been inspired by educators such as Pie Corbett, who is a master of storytelling.

I’m always keen to encourage children to be resilient and independent in their learning, thereby enabling them to reflect and improve.

When I am not teaching, I enjoy being outside, either running, cycling with my husband on our tandem or enjoying the garden. I am also a keen music lover and go to over thirty concerts every year.

I am looking forward to working with Wolsey Hall Oxford as I particularly enjoy working with pupils individually, preparing them for their future and ensuring that they reach their full potential.

I have always believed that knowledge and learning are amazing gifts. I have also always enjoyed being creative. Becoming a teacher has given me the opportunity engage with all of these, and I thoroughly enjoy what I do. Since qualifying with QTS in 2006, I have taught in schools in Birmingham and Solihull from Early Years Foundation Stage to Key Stage 2. I enjoy working with younger children, as I believe that those early stages of education are vitally important. Children should be guided to learn in their own way, to express themselves fully, and to develop as individuals.

During my teaching career I have taken on different responsibilities including nursery manager, special educational needs support teacher and art leader. I currently divide my time between teaching in a Primary School and working as a Tutor with Wolsey Hall Oxford.

When not working, I have many interests. I have two energetic dogs with whom I enjoy discovering new walks. I am a keen gardener and grow many different vegetables each year, covering my entire garden and most windowsills in my house! I also love to cook and make meals with my own produce. I am a keen painter and I make and paint peg dolls and sew puppets, which I have used in my teaching throughout my career to help young children connect with their learning. I have also always loved languages. I am qualified to Level 2 in British Sign Language and I am currently learning German.

I enjoy helping children to find the path to achieving their goals and the challenge of engaging children with learning. The most rewarding part of being and educator is to see the joy on a child’s face when they understand a concept or achieve their next step. I look forward to helping your child in this way.

With my BSc in Geography and before gaining my QTS in Primary Education on a Graduate Teacher programme in 2003, I worked with children with physical and learning difficulties. This was in a residential and day school in Kent, and I found it very rewarding. I had known from an early age that I wanted a career in Primary Education.

I have been teaching for 17 years in a mix of EYFS and Years 1 – 6 classes. The two things that remain constant in my career are my love of teaching and the importance of health, nutrition and fitness. Buddha said, “To keep the body in good health is a duty otherwise we shall not be able to keep the mind strong and clear.” This perfectly sums up what I believe most about teaching and the importance of keeping children fit and healthy so as to become great learners.

I’m excited by the new challenges I face. I love teaching in school, online and one to one. I thrive on figuring out a child’s strengths and weaknesses, modifying my teaching style to suit them, and then seeing them inspired. I look forward to doing so with your child! As your child’s Tutor I’m here to support you and answer any questions you may have.

Following a move to Penzance in West Cornwall, I am in a county surrounded by beautiful beaches and views of St. Michaels Mount. I enjoy spending time as a mum with my three-year-old boy who loves being outdoors, and spending time walking with my friends along the coastline.

I enjoy playing tennis, cycling, baking gluten free bread and cakes and gardening.

Having grown up within a family of educators I realised early on that I shared their passion and wanted to follow in their footsteps. I completed my Bachelor of Education in Ireland and since then have taught all ages across the Primary curriculum both at home in Ireland and further afield in the United Arab Emirates. I am now very excited to expand my horizons to Wolsey Hall Oxford and facilitate the learning of students around the globe.

I love the challenge of using children’s strengths and interests to improve their education outcomes and develop their skills in areas that are more challenging for them. This involves getting to know a child as an individual which is always a pleasure because it allows me to then share in their success on a deeper level. This success and progress is what I cherish about teaching and what motivates me to keep going.

I am a proactive, approachable and diligent teacher and am confident in offering a child-centred, active approach to education. It is a privilege to play a part in enabling children to reach their potential. Having taught online for the last number of months I have been inspired to continue with this learning platform. I have found that many children thrive in this environment and I am enjoying the learning curve it has created for me through this journey. It opens many doors for students whilst encouraging responsibility, organisation, and discipline. These are life-long skills which will contribute to creating life-long learners.

Outside of school I can be found swimming, reading or baking. I also like to play tennis and hike with my friends or family. I dream of travelling freely so this can also take up some time!