About me
Originally from Norfolk, I gained a BEd (Hons) in Geography at Cambridge University with Qualified Teacher Status. I had a wonderful experience at Cambridge, not only benefitting from a superb education, but also gaining a Full Blue for Modern Pentathlon. After University, I taught for a year in a prep school in Norwich before moving to Berkshire in 2000. During my teaching career, I have been a Class Teacher at St. Andrews, Brockhurst and Marlston House and also spent time working in local state schools. After nearly 20 years as a primary school teacher, I decided that I would like a new challenge and trained to become a specialist EAL and LS teacher and was very pleased to join Pangbourne College in 2018.
In my free time, my passion is horse riding and I enjoy competing my horse at amateur level in Dressage and Eventing.
Why do I love teaching EAL?
Having had nearly 20 years' experience as a Class Teacher, I always felt strongly about supporting the pupils who struggled to understand in lessons. I was keen to help them work through any problems that they had until they had gained confidence and were able to work independently. For this reason, I knew that I would really enjoy becoming a specialist Learning Support Teacher. Watching pupils arrive in your lessons feeling a little low and unsure, helping to explain things to them and seeing them leave with confidence gives me a buzz and makes me feel proud of what they have achieved. Supporting our EAL pupils is also extremely rewarding and I enjoy helping them academically and also offering pastoral care for those who are so far from home.
If I hadn't been a teacher I would have been...
Given my passion for horses, I would have loved to have been a Groom for an international event rider.
My role model is...
In my final teaching practice at University I was fortunate to be mentored by an excellent teacher. He made learning fun for the children and they were always engaged and enthusiastic in his lessons. I have been lucky to have worked with some inspirational teachers throughout my career and always try to learn from them when developing my own techniques.
I would describe Pangbourne as...
a wonderful community where all pupils and staff are encouraged to do their best in a beautiful setting.
