About me
I have had a varied career which has always centred around inspiring children with a love of learning. Brought up in an army family, we moved a lot and books were constant companions. I went to boarding school aged 10 and loved it - being the third child helped as I was very keen to follow my siblings. My prep school was a wonderful place for the imagination, with a damp and dripping underground tunnel, photos on the wall of nuns whose eyes followed you around the room and a haunted library with slippery staircases.
Education
I went to Durham University to study Classical Studies, which involved both Latin and Greek, and an English subsidary. I completed a Primary PGCE at Oxford Brookes in 2001-2.
Employment
From Durham, I went to London and found my first job in publishing, working for ex-ambassador, foodie, writer and publisher Alan Davidson. I moved into children's publishing and became an editorial director and publisher of children's non-fiction books and CD-ROMs.
I entered teaching in 2002 having completed my PGCE at Oxford and went to teach at Kingham Primary School in Oxfordshire.
After a two-year return to London, I then moved to Yorkshire to teach Latin and English at Aysgarth School - the leading prep school for boys in the north. I prepared the boys for their Common Entrance as well as scholarships to senior schools as I was scholarship coordinator. From Aysgarth I was then appointed Assistant Head Academic at The Elms in Worcestershire - a glorious prep school with its own farm and rural studies on the curriculum. Both prep schools are independent and send children on to the top senior schools in the country, including Ampleforth, Cheltenham Ladies' College, Cheltenham, Downe House, Eton, Fettes, Harrow, Marlborough, Radley, Rugby, St Mary's Calne, St Peter's York and Uppingham.
I am now following a pluralist's life and developing a career based upon my experience both in teaching and publishing. I tutor children for top schools in London and throughout the UK and I am establishing a children's authors agency, Tyild's Agency, encouraging and supporting teachers both past and present to have their work published.
In brief
St Leonards-Mayfield School
11 o'levels and 3 A levels
Durham University
Classical Studies (with Greek) BA (Hons)
Oxford Brookes
Primary PGCE
Employment
Publishing children books, magazines, CD-Roms, websites.
Aysgarth School
Head of Latin and Scholarship
co-ordinator
The Elms
Director of Studies
Rye St Antony
Head of Prep
I hold a current DBS certificate.
Interests
I love reading and am thrilled that having a young child means I am able to enjoy some of my old favourites again as well as keeping up with the latest publications. I enjoy singing and was a member of the Bach Choir in London. I visit museums and galleries as much as possible and walk every day with my gorgeous dog.