Meet Our Staff

Abbey has been part of my life for as long as I can remember — quite literally! I grew up around the school when Mrs Greinig was Headteacher, and the room that is now my study was once where I used to have my naps as a baby.

After completing my BA (Hons) in Geography and MSc in Policy Research at the University of Bristol, I came back to Abbey to help out for six months. Twenty years later… here we are! Along the way, I’ve taught different ages and subjects and held responsibility for areas including safeguarding, pastoral care and health and safety before becoming Headteacher.

I believe children should leave primary school with much more than good academic results. I want our pupils to be kind, confident and resilient, to have a go at new things and to discover something they can be proud of.

Creating those opportunities is something I’m passionate about. I’ve been particularly proud to drive forward our competitive swimming programme, giving Abbey pupils the chance to compete through IAPS at the highest level. I’ve also developed our academic and swimming scholarships, helping to widen access to an independent education and giving talented children opportunities they might not otherwise have.

Some of my favourite moments as Headteacher, though, are much smaller. I’m proud that children know my study is somewhere they will be welcomed and celebrated. There’s often a never-ending stream of little visitors coming in to share some news, show me something they’re proud of, say hello — or simply check out the prizes on my desk!

There’s something rather lovely about the room where I once slept as a baby now being somewhere Abbey children choose to come and see me. That’s what I love about leading a small school: I really do know our children, and they know me.

After gaining a BA in Primary Education and a BSc in Early Years Development in Bristol, I returned to Torquay and taught across both Key Stage 1 and Key Stage 2. I joined Abbey in 2007, initially working in the Nursery, before moving into the school. I now teach our Reception class.

Reception is such an exciting year to teach. Children make an enormous amount of progress, but just as importantly, they grow in confidence and independence and begin to see themselves as part of the wider school community.

Having worked in both our Nursery and School, I understand just how important that transition can be. I work closely with our Nursery team so that children moving up to Reception already know me and feel comfortable in their new surroundings. We learn through a mixture of practical activities, stories, songs, games and more focused learning, giving children plenty of opportunities to explore, ask questions and develop their own ideas.

I want children to be excited about learning and confident enough to have a go, even when they aren’t sure they’ll get something right first time. Seeing those little moments when something suddenly clicks — whether that’s reading a word, solving a problem or doing something independently for the first time — is one of my favourite parts of the job.

Abbey has been a big part of my life for many years, both as a teacher and as a parent. My two younger children are now pupils here too, so I get to experience Abbey from both sides of the classroom door!

Following my first degree from the University of Exeter, a BA (Hons) in Creative Writing and Sociology, I went on to gain a Distinction in my PGCE in Primary Education from Marjon. I began my teaching career in Cornwall before joining Abbey School in January 2013. Since then, I’ve taught across different year groups and am now looking forward to teaching our Year 2 and Year 3 class.

I have always loved learning myself and want the children I teach to develop that same curiosity. I believe education should inspire children to ask questions, explore ideas and become increasingly confident and independent learners. My role is to encourage, challenge and support them while helping them recognise just how much they are capable of.

Alongside my classroom role, I am Abbey’s Designated Safeguarding Lead and a member of the Senior Leadership Team. I am also a qualified counsellor and have undertaken further training in attachment and trauma-informed practice. These different parts of my role complement one another and have given me a deeper understanding of children’s emotional needs and the different experiences they may bring with them into school.

For me, children’s wellbeing and learning go hand in hand. When children feel safe, understood and confident in themselves, they are in the best position to learn, take on new challenges and enjoy being at school.

Before becoming a teacher, I studied Marine Biology at Newcastle University and was fortunate to take part in conservation projects in Madagascar, the Comoros and Brazil, where I also taught English within local communities. I later completed my PGCE in Secondary Science at the University of Reading.

I began my teaching career teaching Science from Year 7 through to Year 13 and have worked in a range of schools, including as a Head of Year and later as Head of Science in a special school. I eventually made the move into primary education and have now been part of Abbey for a number of years, teaching across the Juniors. I currently teach Year 5 and am our Junior Science specialist, teaching Science to pupils across all of our Junior classes.

I love making Science practical and encouraging children to be curious about the world around them. I want them to ask questions, investigate ideas and discover that getting an unexpected result can sometimes be just as interesting as getting the answer they expected! I’ve particularly enjoyed involving Abbey pupils in challenges such as Primary Engineer, where they can use their creativity and scientific thinking to tackle real problems.

I’m also a great believer in learning beyond the classroom. Before teaching, I worked in outdoor education and I still enjoy being outdoors myself, including kayaking and scuba diving. The confidence, resilience and problem-solving skills children develop through practical experiences are just as valuable to me as the knowledge they gain along the way.

Abbey has become part of my family life too, with both of my young children now pupils at the school. Being both a teacher and a parent here gives me another perspective on the school and the community our children grow up in.

I completed my teaching degree at Plymouth University, specialising in Early Childhood Studies, and during my training I was fortunate to spend a summer teaching in Finland. Experiencing a very different education system gave me an interesting perspective on how children learn and the different ways we can help them become confident, independent learners.

Abbey was where I began my teaching career and, a number of years later, I’m still here! I’ve taught different ages during that time and have more recently moved into teaching in the Juniors. I’m now looking forward to taking on Year 6 and helping pupils make the most of that very special final year at primary school.

Books are a huge part of my classroom. I absolutely love picture books and firmly believe they aren’t just for younger children — the right one can start conversations, spark imaginations and inspire some fantastic work at any age. I particularly enjoy the challenge of finding a book for a child who says they don’t like reading. Whatever their age or interests, I’m convinced there’s a book out there that will capture their attention — sometimes we just have to find it!

Alongside my teaching role, I am our PSHE Co-ordinator and a member of Abbey’s Safeguarding Team. Helping children understand themselves, their relationships and the world around them is an important part of my role, particularly as they grow older and begin preparing for the move to secondary school.

For me, Year 6 is about making sure children are ready for that next step — academically, but also with the confidence, independence and resilience to embrace everything that comes next.

During my teaching career, I’ve worked in a variety of roles across primary education, including as a Class Teacher, Language Support Teacher and County Adviser for Reading and Language Development. I’ve also taught Art and Craft to BEd students at Middlesex University and worked with NNEB students at Kensington and Chelsea College.

I joined Abbey in 2005 and, after many years of classroom teaching, now have the pleasure of teaching Drama to children across the whole school.

For me, Drama is about much more than performing on a stage. It helps children develop confidence, communication and imagination, while learning to listen to others, work as part of a group and express their own ideas. I love seeing children discover that they can do something they might initially have felt nervous or unsure about.

One of the great joys of teaching Drama across the school is watching that confidence develop over time. Children begin by exploring characters, stories and ideas within the security of their class and gradually become more comfortable speaking and performing in front of others.

Of course, there are plenty of opportunities to put those skills into practice too! From class performances to concerts and productions, I love helping children experience the excitement of performing and the enormous sense of achievement that comes afterwards.

The most rewarding moments aren’t always the biggest performances. Sometimes it’s simply seeing a quieter child find their voice, watching someone overcome their nerves or seeing the pride on a child’s face when they realise, “I did it!”