Upper Primary
Skills for Life

My desire to work in children’s education began during my role as Art Teacher at a Summer Camp in New York. These children didn’t have much, but what they did have was an enthusiasm for learning! It was an honour to watch them grow and develop new skills.

Since then, I have taught a variety of ages and subjects in several schools. I believe a teacher can ignite a love for learning and a passion for a subject. My passion lies in the creative areas of the curriculum: I love art, design and music. I follow these passions in my spare time, creating elaborate cakes, transforming windows with snow spray art and frequently enjoy playing the piano.

Whilst I teach all areas of the curriculum day to day, I love to run extra-curricular clubs to encourage children’s interests in many creative areas. Over the years, my clubs have included, potion making, nature crafts, fashion design, silk screen printing and CSI (forensics) club to name a few. 

During the pandemic, I embraced online teaching, discovering ways to overcome any challenges presented by learning remotely. I was amazed at how children’s education could continue seamlessly with the guidance of online support. 

I am excited to be tutoring with Wolsey Hall Oxford and to continue to ignite creative passions in all of my students, whilst offering care and support throughout their educational journey. 

I completed my PGCE in 2010 at the University of Leicester, gaining QTS at the same time. My degree is in Equine Sports Science as horses have been a passion of mine since I was nine years old. I also obtained a Postgraduate Diploma in Working with Children and Families: A Psychoanalytic Observational Approach in 2017. When time allows I am looking forwards to completing the Masters year of this course, but not just now, as I am enjoying learning to be a mummy to my nine-month-old son.

My main area of expertise is helping children for whom English is an additional language to learn English, particularly younger children. I have worked in many schools where the majority of children did not have English as a first language, and this taught me the value of using pictures and sign language to help children acquire new words. I honed these skills while teaching at an international school in Thailand. I have worked across the whole of the Primary age range but I have extensive experience within the early years and the foundation stage.

I am also passionate about helping children to become emotionally literate through the use of mindfulness. Mindfulness is a powerful tool in helping children (and adults) to understand, accept and manage their changing emotions.

In my spare time, I enjoy spending time with horses and have recently begun learning how to work with horses without using a bridle so they are free to make more of their own choices. This has been (and still is) a huge learning curve for me, but I am relishing the challenge.

Other pastimes of mine are yoga, walking, playing my flute and reading. A varied life helps to keep me feeling my best! I always think of imaginative ways to help children grasp tricky concepts and am really looking forwards to helping your child fulfil their potential.

I have always been interested in how children learn. Indeed, my work experience placement at the age of 15 was spent in a Special School observing the various approaches that were used to ensure individual pupils had the very best provision. This led me to a four-year teacher training degree, graduating in 2001 with a QTS with English qualification.

Since then, I have been teaching mainly across the KS2 age range in Blackpool, Lichfield and Walsall. I played a big part in the development of PE and School Sport in Blackpool between 2002 – 2006, and then led Science, English and Maths in Lichfield, Dr Samuel Johnson’s birthplace. I love connecting with pupils and their education. In every class I have had, there are pupils who love or hate Maths or English or Science.

But there is always a way to spark their interest and to promote enthusiasm for every subject. And I take pride in enabling children to learn in their own way.

When I am not working, I love playing squash and going for a run. My Squash partner beats me regularly, but we somehow manage to have a really good battle on the court each week! I was never a runner growing up and even in my 20s, but I took it upon myself to get a bit fitter as I entered my 30s, and found myself running the London Marathon in 2017! It was the biggest challenge of my life, but the sense of satisfaction was incredible.

I am excited to be working with Wolsey Hall Oxford because of the time I will be able to spend with individual pupils, discussing and guiding their learning. I look forward to welcoming you as your Tutor, and to joining you and your child on your learning journey.

I have been working with children now for around 25 years – starting off as a voluntary leader with Girlguiding UK, progressing to a Specialist Learning Support Assistant and then training as a Primary teacher specialising in History. Over the past 15 years, I have had the opportunity to teach a whole range of ages, from three year-olds up to adults, in both state and private schools. During that time, I have also specialised in working with learners with SEN, particularly dyslexia, ADHD and ASD, including training as an Irlen Visual Stress Screener.

I absolutely love learning and am particularly drawn to History and English – so much so that I continued to study Humanities, Art History and English whilst doing my teacher training. I like to visit museums and historic towns and villages around the UK with my husband and two daughters.

When I was a student, I had the opportunity to volunteer in a museum, interviewing local people for their oral history archives. A few years ago, I also teamed up with a film-maker to record a local history walk. I am fascinated by knowing about the lives people used to lead and how this relates to us now! It is also interesting how our language has evolved and this helps tremendously when teaching English.

When I’m not teaching or visiting interesting places, I like to keep fit. I was always very active as a child and this continued through playing various sports over the years including ladies’ and mixed rugby. I am now running again. I used to run 100m/200m for a club but, this time, longer distances from 5k to training for a marathon.

I have used my expertise to teach PE and the Sports Leaders programme at both Primary and Secondary Level, and most recently qualifying as an England Athletics Run Leader. I think it’s incredibly important to balance studying and working with wellbeing and health. I am qualified as a Mental Health and Mindfulness Coach, something that I have found is essential for all learners in any educational setting.

I am excited to be sharing my skills and experience with the students at Wolsey Hall Oxford.

Following the award of my degree in Drama and Education, I trained as a Royal Academy of Dance ballet teacher going on to teach ballet for a number of years. The joy, delight and curiosity of my pupils, and of my own children, sparked my desire to become a Primary School teacher. I completed my PGCE in 2006 and have taught in a variety of schools across the Primary age range.

Teaching should ignite a questioning mind and I love to help children make connections to the world around them. I encourage a positive attitude to learning, resilience and confidence in their own abilities in every child I teach.

As a Primary School teacher, I have an interest in many subjects with Reading and Writing the foundation stones for learning in them all. I am an avid reader and love to promote reading through my teaching, making links with authors, illustrators and opening children’s eyes to the wide range of amazing books that are available.

I have further specialised in Computing, which is a fantastic subject to explore as it develops logical thinking with imagination and creativity. I actively link the debugging of code to all other subjects – if you can spot, learn from and improve upon your mistakes you will go far in whatever you set your mind to.

In my free time I enjoy archery, representing my county at regional and national competition. I also love walking in the countryside around my home and taking photographs of the beauty around me. I have recently taken up the banjo, re-igniting my childhood passion for music.

I am looking forward to supporting your family through their learning journey here at Wolsey Hall Oxford.

After achieving a degree in BA Combined Arts (Psychology and Sociology) at the University of Leicester in 2006, I completed my PGCE at the University of Northampton and accomplished a life long ambition, gaining QTS in 2007. Teaching has been a dream of mine ever since I used to line up my toys and take the register! Having always wanted to be a Primary school teacher, my passion and enthusiasm for the role has continued and is something I’m excited to bring to Wolsey Hall.

Throughout my career, I have taught from Years 2 – 6, which has given me a great feeling for the whole Primary learning journey. I have a particular interest in Maths and Science. Experiencing those ‘light bulb’ moments of clarity in Maths, as well as the awe and wonder of scientific discovery were the memories that I cherish the most about my own learning. Seeing similar reactions in the children I teach brings me such joy!

I have taught in two Primary schools in Buckinghamshire, been a Subject Leader for Science, and have run After School Science clubs in order to extend children’s knowledge and curiosity for the subject. Teaching Maths is a strength and I’ve always enjoyed helping children learn and apply different problem-solving techniques.

Writing stories and humorous poems has always been a passion, along with a great love of baking, cooking, and making things for family and friends. The rest of my out-of-school time is dedicated to entertaining and being with my two children.

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 first became interested in teaching while on work experience in a Primary school when I was 14. I loved the busy atmosphere of school life and the energy of the children. As a teenager, I was fortunate to have some amazing teachers who took the time to make their lessons fun and inspiring. The idea of creating an environment where children are happy, confident and excited to learn has stayed with me and shapes my teaching to this day.

I graduated with a BSc in Psychology from the University of Plymouth after completing my dissertation in Childhood Emotional Development. I continued to volunteer in Primary schools throughout my degree and went on to take a PGCE at Plymouth Marjon University. Over the last eleven years, I have taught across the Primary age range, with most of my experience being in Year 5 and 6 and specialising in Maths.

I have always been curious about the world around me and love learning new things. I love being outdoors, hiking and exploring my local area and further afield. Since childhood, I have been fascinated by History and now volunteer with a local archaeology group. I love to imagine what a landscape was like in the past and how people might have lived there.

Now working from home with my one-year-old daughter, I am seeing my role as a teacher in a whole new light. Watching her experience the world for the first time has made me more aware than ever of how valuable a child’s learning experiences are.

I strive to nurture curiosity and a sense of wonder in my pupils, encouraging them to ask questions and explore. I strongly believe that while we cannot teach our children everything they need to know, we can teach them how to find out.

I gained my first degree from Sheffield Hallam University, and straight after that, I moved abroad to Spain, where I taught English in a Pre-Preparatory School for several years. It was here that I discovered that children teach you just as much as you teach them because I came away fluent in Spanish, having not taken one lesson and not knowing a word before working there!

Fast forward a few years and living back in England, I married and started working for the Open University as an IT Project Manager. I took advantage of being able to study for free with them and gained a BSc (Hons) in Psychology. I am therefore fully aware of the challenges presented when you are learning from home, the pressures associated with submitting assignments and the wait for that precious feedback. It is why I always try to return assignments promptly!

Becoming a foster carer was a turning point in my life and pointed me back to my passion for teaching children. Supporting children who have had trauma in their lives to regain the joys that learning can give makes everything worthwhile. I, therefore, gained my PGCE and have now taught in a variety of Primary School settings. I particularly love how technology can bring lessons to life, and it is here again that I frequently learn just as much as I teach. I love being amazed by the combinations that a child’s imagination mixed with technology can bring; a geographical biome being created and described in Minecraft being my favourite!

I am also the literacy lead in my current school and enjoy using different texts to promote the joy of reading, and I love encouraging those budding young authors amongst us. Science is also a passion of mine; I thrive on encouraging children to ask questions on how the world works and find joy in watching them discover the answers.

As well as being a Primary School teacher and foster carer, I also keep myself busy through learning new languages; endeavouring to make my morning shuffles more into a morning jog, and writing fiction stories.

Growing up in a home that placed education as the utmost priority, I knew from a young age that I wanted to be a teacher. After graduating with a Bachelor’s Degree in History and Education, I began teaching. A few years later, with experience under my belt, I went on to earn a Masters in Teaching with a focus in Literacy.

During my time as an educator, I have taught a variety of subjects in the Primary curriculum to a wide range of learners, tutored for the 11+ and marked English exams. The two things that remain constant in my career are my love for teaching, and for reading and writing. Reading and writing are both fundamental in understanding all subjects across the primary curriculum. They are also essential in understanding others and expressing yourself so that others will understand you. Writing also enables me to learn so much about my students, not just as authors but who they are as people.

Ignacio Estrada said, “If a child can’t learn the way we teach, maybe we should teach the way they learn.” This quote perfectly sums up what I have enjoyed most about teaching over the last 14 years and what continues to motivate me. Every child is different. I love the challenge of figuring out their strengths and weaknesses, and then tweaking lessons to suit those strengths and seeing them inspired. I look forward to doing so with your child!

When I’m not teaching, I love reading, playing football, doing yoga and running outdoors! I also continue to learn by taking online courses. At the moment I am taking ‘Introduction to Family Engagement in Education’ which explores the research linking family engagement to better educational outcomes. I have also recently obtained a certificate as a Dyslexia Therapist.