I came to live in Edwinstowe in mid-2021, having recently retired from a teaching career of almost forty years, spent in Yorkshire.  Returning to Nottinghamshire felt like a kind of home-coming, as I had originally qualified at the University of Nottingham, of which I still have happy memories. Our son lives in Sheffield.

I taught equally in Key Stage 1 and Key Stage 2 during my career, which has given me a solid insight into what children might need – in terms of provision and support – to thrive on their primary school journey.  St Mary’s has a great ethos, inspired by its Christian distinctives, and it is inspiring to see how these ideals are woven into the day-to-day operation of the school.  I hope to use the benefit of my experience, together with my instincts of what tends to work best for children, to maintain and even improve the outcomes for the children at St Mary’s.  Education is about preparation for the future, but not exclusively so;  it is important that we strive to make every child’s current experience of primary education a positive and enjoyable one.

Away from other responsibilities, I enjoy reading and travel, and can always be persuaded to catch up with friends in France or Germany – my original degree was Modern Languages!  I’m also active at St Mary’s church, where I help with the music and “The Ark” children’s provision.