Staff and Governors

Education at St Nicholas' School is seen as a partnership between teachers, pupils and parents.

We are delighted to employ such a wide array of highly qualified staff.

Senior Management Team

Dr Olwen Wright PhD Winchester; MA; BA (Hons); PGCE; QTS	Headmistress; Deputy DSL
Mrs D.T. Canning FCCA	Bursar; Clerk to the Governors
Mr Lee Render MEd Buckingham; BA (Hons); QTS	Head of Nursery, Infants and Juniors; Deputy DSL
Mr Benjamin Pont BMus (Hons) Royal College of Music; PGCE	Director of Teaching and Learning; Director of Music
Mrs Stella Lawson BA Nottingham Trent; QTS	Director of Pastoral Care and Safeguarding; DSL; English Teacher
Mrs Helen Barnes BA Ed (Hons) Exeter; QTS	Deputy Head of Juniors; Key Stage 2 Teacher

Governors

Mr Chris Netherton	Chair of Governors ✉ chris.netherton@stnicholas.school
Miss Linda Kavanagh	Governor - Admissions and Marketing
Mrs Davina Maroothynaden	Governor - Finance
Mr Graeme Thompson	Governor - Education
Mr John Casey	Governor - SCR
Mrs Lynne Nixon	Governor - HR
Mr Tom O'Connor	Governor - Finance

Nursery Teaching Staff

Mrs Marcia Barrington NVQ in Childcare	Early Years Teaching Practitioner
Mrs Theresa Durrant BA (Hons) in Dance and Culture; University of Surrey	Head of Drama
Mrs Amy Franke MMus; BMus (Hons) Surrey	Music Teacher
Mrs Kaeleigh Hapsa CACHE Level 3 Diploma	Nursery Manager
Mrs Lucy Sartori BSc (Hons) Royal Holloway and Bedford New College; QTS	Forest School Teacher
Miss Hannah Willmott PGCE Exeter; BSc West of England; QTS	Physical Education Teacher; KS4 Phase Leader; Deputy DSL

Infant School Teaching Staff

Mrs Sophie Brown BSc (Hons) Nottingham Trent; QTS	Year 1 Teacher
Miss Sarah Cluett BA (Hons) University of the West of England Bristol; PGCE; QTS	Year 1 Teacher
Mrs Theresa Durrant BA (Hons) in Dance and Culture; University of Surrey	Head of Drama
Mrs Amy Franke MMus; BMus (Hons) Surrey	Music Teacher
Mrs Terri Gough DipHE, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg	Year 1 Teacher
Mrs Andrea Hutchison BSc (Hons) in Psychology and Early Childhood Studies, Oxford Brooks University; PGCE	Reception Teacher; EYFS Co-Ordinator
Mrs Joanna Pont MMus; BMus (Hons); LRAM	Principal Violin Teacher
Mrs Lisa Ruffell BA (Hons) in Theology and Religious Studies, Roehampton Institute; QTS	Year 2 Teacher
Mrs Lucy Sartori BSc (Hons) Royal Holloway and Bedford New College; QTS	Forest School Teacher
Mrs Carola Tavella Degree in Foreign Language and Literature, University of Genova	French; Spanish Teacher
Miss Hannah Willmott PGCE Exeter; BSc West of England; QTS	Physical Education Teacher; KS4 Phase Leader; Deputy DSL; Trips Co-Ordinator
Ms Susan Zhang MEd; BEd (Hons); PGCE Johannesburg SA	Mandarin Teacher

Junior School Teaching Staff

Mrs Florence Ayache BA (Hons) Glamorgan; QTS	Head of Modern Foreign Languages; Business Studies
Mrs Helen Barnes BA Ed (Hons) Exeter; QTS	Deputy Head of Juniors; Year 6 Teacher
Miss Victoria Cooper BSc (Hons) Portsmouth; QTS	Year 6 Teacher
Mrs Theresa Durrant BA (Hons) in Dance and Culture; University of Surrey	Head of Drama
Miss Rachel Firth BA (Hons) Bath; PGCE; QTS	Head of Art and Textiles
Mrs Amy Franke MMus; BMus (Hons) Surrey	Music Teacher
Mrs Lee-Anne Hampson BA (Hons) in Textile Art, University of Southampton; Post Graduate Certificate in Education; QTS	Art Teacher and Artist in Residence
Mrs Rebecca Hoddinott BA (Hons) London	Head of Food Preparation and Nutrition
Miss Laura Homer BA (Hons) Wales; PGCE	Year 4 Teacher
Mrs Stephanie Hoskins BA (Hons) Bristol; QTS	Year 5 Teacher
Mrs Jomcy John BSc Mahatma Gandhi University; MA; PGDBA	IT / Computer Science Teacher
Mrs Abigail Longworth BA (Hons) Exeter; PGCE; QTS	Director of Sport
Mrs Deborah Martin BA (Hons) Surrey; QTS	Food Preparation and Nutrition Teacher; Mathematics Teacher; ELSA
Mrs Wendy Moller BEd University of South Africa	Year 3 Teacher
Ms Virginia Pearson MRes Southampton; BA (Hons); Perf Cert RAM	Assistant to Director of Music; Guitar and Theory Teacher
Mr Benjamin Pont BMus (Hons) Royal College of Music; PGCE	Director of Teaching and Learning; Director of Music
Mrs Lucy Sartori BSc (Hons) Royal Holloway and Bedford New College; QTS	Forest School Teacher
Mrs Carola Tavella Degree in Foreign Language and Literature, University of Genova	French; Spanish Teacher
Mr Dan Wileman BSc (Hons) in Sports, Fitness and Coaching, Open University	Physical Education; KS3 Phase Leader; Careers Lead
Miss Hannah Willmott PGCE Exeter; BSc West of England; QTS	Physical Education Teacher; KS4 Phase Leader; Deputy DSL; Trips Co-Ordinator
Ms Susan Zhang MEd; BEd (Hons); PGCE Johannesburg SA	Mandarin Teacher

Senior School Teaching Staff

Mrs Florence Ayache BA (Hons) Glamorgan; QTS	Head of Modern Foreign Languages; Business Studies Teacher
Ms Lily Bull BA (Hons) in Textile Design, University of Derby; PGCE; QTS	Art and Textiles Teacher
Mrs Gemma Cross BSc University of Wales; PGCE; QTS	Head of Science
Mrs Theresa Durrant BA (Hons) in Dance and Culture; University of Surrey	Head of Drama
Mrs Joanne Edwards BA (Hons) Brunel; PGCE	Head of History
Miss Rachel Firth BA (Hons) Bath; PGCE; QTS	Head of Art and Textiles
Miss Annemarie Glück Diploma in Education University of Cape Town; QTS	Head of Mathematics; Co-Curricular Lead
Mrs Lee-Anne Hampson BA (Hons) in Textile Art, University of Southampton; Post Graduate Certificate in Education; QTS	Art Teacher; Artist in Residence
Mrs Marina Heppenstall BSc (Hons) in Logic and Philosophy of Science - Physics, University of St Andrews; MSc in Philosophy and History of Science, University of London; QTS	Mathematics Teacher; Physics Teacher
Mrs Rebecca Hoddinott BA (Hons) London	Head of Food Preparation and Nutrition
Mrs Zaynah Hodges LLB (Hons) in Law, University of Surrey; Post Graduate Certificate in Education; QTS	English Teacher
Miss Irina James BA (Hons) in Biology, Odessa State University, Ukraine; QTS	Science Teacher
Mrs Jomcy John BSc Mahatma Gandhi University; MA; PGDBA	IT / Computer Science Teacher
Mrs Malini Kakkar BA (Hons) in Political Science, Delhi University; MA (Hons) in Political Science, Delhi University; QTS	English Teacher; Food Preparation and Nutrition Teacher; Learning Support Assistant
Mrs Pilar Kimber MA Reading	Head of Classics
Mrs Stella Lawson BA Nottingham Trent; QTS	Director of Pastoral Care; English Teacher; DSL
Mrs Abigail Longworth BA (Hons) Exeter; PGCE; QTS	Director of Sport
Mrs Deborah Martin BA (Hons) Surrey; QTS	Food Preparation and Nutrition Teacher; Mathematics Teacher; ELSA
Mr Lyndon Martin BSc (Hons) Surrey; QTS	Mathematics Teacher; Examinations Officer
Mrs Teresa Mills BA Manchester; PGCE; QTS	French; Spanish Teacher
Mrs Sarah Park BA (Hons) Keele; QTS	Head of English
Ms Virginia Pearson MRes Southampton; BA (Hons); Perf Cert RAM	Assistant to Director of Music; Guitar and Theory Teacher
Mr Benjamin Pont BMus (Hons) Royal College of Music; PGCE	Director of Teaching and Learning; Director of Music
Mrs Mary Porter MA UCL; BSc (Hons); QTS	Head of Geography
Mrs Lucy Sartori BSc (Hons) Royal Holloway and Bedford New College; QTS	Forest School Teacher
Mrs Carola Tavella Degree in Foreign Language and Literature, University of Genova	French; Spanish Teacher
Mr Dan Wileman BSc (Hons) in Sports, Fitness and Coaching, Open University	Physical Education Teacher; KS3 Phase Leader; Careers Lead
Miss Hannah Willmott PGCE Exeter; BSc West of England; QTS	Physical Education Teacher; KS4 Phase Leader; Deputy DSL; Trips Co-Ordinator
Ms Naomi Yip BSc (Hons) in Biology and Science Education, Hong Kong University of Science and Technology; QTS	Science Teacher; Mathematics Teacher
Ms Susan Zhang MEd; BEd (Hons); PGCE Johannesburg SA	Mandarin Teacher

Peripatetic Music

Mrs Wendy Busby BMus (Hons) GSMD; CTABRSM	Voice Teacher
Miss Sally Cartwright BA (Hons) LTCL; ATCL; CTABRSM	Saxophone and Clarinet Teacher
Mrs Amy Franke MMus; BMus (Hons) Surrey	Music; Violin Teacher
Mrs Claire Hickling BMus (Hons)	Flute Teacher
Mrs Oksana Maxwell LTCL	Piano Teacher
Ms Virginia Pearson MRes Southampton; BA (Hons); Perf Cert RAM	Assistant to Director of Music; Guitar and Theory Teacher
Mrs Joanna Pont MMus; BMus (Hons); LRAM	Principal Violin Teacher
Mr Ben Steggall BMus (Hons)	Brass Teacher
Mr James Stephens BMus (Hons)	Drum Teacher
Mrs Rebecca Whittock BA (Hons)	Cello and Violin Teacher

Curriculum Support Staff

Mrs Marwa Aladl BA (Hons) in Journalism and Mass Communication with Advertising and Marketing Specialisation/IMC (London); BA (Hons) American University Cairo; Level 2 Certificate in Young People’s Mental Health; TQUK Level 2 Certificate in Specific Learning Difficulties; Cambridge English Level 5 Certificate in Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (CELTA)	Learning Support Assistant
Mrs Celia Beard OCR Level 7 Diploma in Assessing and Teaching Learners with SpLD, Helen Arkell Dyslexia Centre; OCR Level 5 Certificate in Teaching Learners with SpLD, Helen Arkell Dyslexia Centre	Head of Curriculum Support
Mrs Hannah Hopkins City & Guilds Level 3	Higher Level Teaching Assistant; ELSA
Mrs Georgina Hugill BA (Hons) in Business and Finance, Brunel University	Learning Support Assistant
Mrs Malini Kakkar BA (Hons) in Political Science, Delhi University; MA (Hons) in Political Science, Delhi University; QTS	English Teacher; Food Preparation and Nutrition Teacher; Learning Support Assistant
Mrs Karen Lisle City & Guilds Level 3	Learning Support Assistant
Mrs Holly O'Brien Cache Level 3 Diploma in Child Care and Education	Learning Support Assistant
Mrs Rose Pentangelo BA (Hons) in Legal Studies, University of Greenwich; LLM in Commercial and Corporate Law, University of London	Learning Support Assistant
Mrs Louise Wallace BA York; PGCE; QTS	SEND Teacher
Mrs Clare Wegrzyk BA (Hons) in European Business Administration (Business Studies and French) University of Humberside; Higher Level Teaching Assistant (HLTA); Emotional Support Literacy Assistant (ESLA)	Learning Support Assistant; ELSA; Librarian

Non-Teaching Staff

Mrs Michele Axton BA OU; NEBOSH (National General Certificate in Occupational Health and Safety)	Senior Science Technician; Health and Safety Coordinator
Mrs Amanda Bullock CACHE Level 3 NVQ	School Assistant
Miss Natalie Dimmock CMktr; BSc (Hons); Post Graduate Diploma in Marketing	Enterprise Manager
Mrs Kathryn Kulik BSc (Hons); PRINCE2	Executive Personal Assistant to the Headmistress
Mrs Natasha Mabilat BA (Hons)	Head of Admissions, Marketing and Enterprise
Mr Alex Pape BSc (Hons)	IT Infrastructure Manager
Mrs Debbie Smitherman Dip in Pensions and Payroll Management	Finance Assistant
Mrs Sarah Watkins Paediatric First Aid	School Secretary; Medical Officer
Mrs Clare Wegrzyk BA (Hons); Higher Level Teaching Assistant (HLTA); Emotional Support Literacy Assistant (ESLA)	Librarian; Learning Support Assistant; ELSA

School Clubs and Visiting Professionals

Alex Baker	Boxing Teacher
Rebecca Baker	Specific Learning Difficulty Assessor
Eleanor Bowyer	LAMDA
Lloyd Brown	Speech and Language Therapist (SALT)
Emily Carter	Speech and Language Therapist (SALT)
Laura Caswell	Trampoline Coach
Kathryn Charles	Tennis Coach
Jamie Cheetham	Tennis Coach
Helen Coleman	Speech and Language Therapist (SALT)
Stuart Cousens	DofE (Duke of Edinburgh's Award) Lead
Stephen Finn	Football Coach
Louise Hancock	Netball Coach
Heather Marshall	Speech and Language Therapist (SALT)
Anne-Marie Mitchell	Specific Learning Difficulty Assessor
Miriam Mitchell	Speech and Language Therapist (SALT)
Sarah Newey	LAMDA
Helen Owen	Yoga Instructor
Anita Parry	School Photographer
Nick Pert	Chess Coach
Magda Pickersgill	Netball Coach
Brian Rodricks	SEN Tutor
Ghislaine Ruhomutally	Dance Teacher
Elaine Rusby	Trampoline Coach
Sarah Seddon	Netball Coach
Mark Spain	Tae Kwon Do Coach
Noel Thompson	Rugby Coach
Grainne Yeatman	Speech and Language Assistant (SALT)

Maintenance Staff

Mr Peter Attwood	Afternoon / Evening Caretaker; Bus Driver
Mr Adrian Bewick	Bus Driver
Mr Timothy Hunt	Morning Caretaker; Bus Driver
Mr Trevor Mills	Bus Driver
Mr Paul Rippingale	Head of Maintenance and Grounds
Mr Bruce Sharp	Assistant Maintenance Officer; Bus Driver
Mr Richard Sharp	Groundsperson

Catering (Lodestone House)

Hayley Chubb	Chef
Maria Gomes	Kitchen Team
Odusola Makinde	Kitchen Team
Yi-ni Mok	Kitchen Team
Benyl Sydney	Kitchen Team

DISCOVER MORE

welcome from the headmistress

St Nicholas’ is a unique school where children have the chance to grow up at their own pace, and where they can let their talents and imagination run free.

what people say about us

We are extremely proud of our engaging community of parents. pupils and alumni who aid and uphold the ethos of St Nicholas' School. Read their testimonials here.

"The teachers at St Nicholas' School are so dedicated! They have encouraged and supported our daughter every step of the way and really have gone above and beyond. We are so thankful to each and everyone."

Senior School Parent

"I just wanted to say a big thank you to the incredibly caring and supportive staff you have."

Junior School Parent

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