Staff

Senior Leadership Team

Mrs Helen Smith

Head Teacher & Designated Safeguarding Lead

I have been both privileged and proud to be Headteacher of Wivelsfield Primary School for over 5 years . I love how 'Team Wivelsfield' works so well together to create a happy and vibrant school, full of exciting learning opportunities in the classroom, outdoors and in our local community. The most satisfying part of my job is seeing children grow in confidence and develop a love of learning and individual talents as they progress through the school from Reception to Year 6.

Out of school, I unwind by horse riding, walking our dog, trying to keep my garden under control and keeping up with my family.

Miss Hayley Glassock

Deputy Headteacher / Foxes Class Teacher- Monday & Tuesday / Science Lead

From the moment I joined the team, the supportive community, in both school and the wider village, instantly impressed me.

When given the opportunity to take up Maths lead, I jumped at it. Having always enjoyed numbers and puzzles, I relish opening up maths for everyone and helping children and staff break down problems into easily accessible steps and spreading the love of maths.

Outside of school, I enjoy getting out of Brighton and going long walks/occasional runs and attending yoga classes. To balance out all the activity, I also enjoy cooking (and eating) tasty treats and competing in the family brownie making competition.

Miss Cosgrove

SENCO Monday - Wednesday

I am very excited to be joining the team at Wivelsfield Primary School. After being in Berkshire since University I am returning to the village I grew up in, just down the road. I have been teaching for many years, the majority of that time has been spent in Reception and Nursery which I absolutely love, with a few years in Year 2 and Year 5. Being a SENCO is a new role for me, but one I feel very privileged to be able to do.

When I am not at school I spend my days trying to tire out my two young children. We love going to the beach in all weathers and I am the unproud owner of the naughtiest cat in the world.

Mrs Green

Class Teacher - Badgers & English Lead/SLT

I have been teaching since 2008 and have been lucky enough to teach classes from Reception to Year 6, but I have a great fondness for Key Stage 2. I am very excited to be teaching Year 5 again this year, one of my favourite parts of this year group is going on residential to Bowles towards the end of the school year. Wivelsfield Primary is so welcoming and the staff and pupils are fantastic; I feel very proud to be part of a such a fabulous team!

I have trained as a Primary Maths Specialist Teacher and I have a real passion for teaching maths to children, helping them to develop a love of numbers, patterns and to solve problems. I love to help children to be curious in their learning, I always have this quote at the back of my mind… “The future belongs to the curious. The ones who are not afraid to try it, explore it, poke at it, question it and turn it inside out”.

I'm really excited to be leading English at Wivelsfield Primary School. I have a passion for reading stories and finding new books and authors that I've never heard of before and sharing their adventures with others. I also love learning new words and using them in my writing and challenging children to be the best writers that they can be.

I'm currently studying for my NPQSL and also starting training to improve our oracy skills across Wivelsfield Primary School through the Voice 21 project.

When I am not in school, I love to go to the theater, sew or read. My happy place is anywhere by the water!


Class Teachers

Mrs Beccy Gates

Class Teacher- Robins- Monday to Wednesday

I am delighted to be joining the teaching team at Wivelsfield Primary School this year as part of Reception. I have been teaching Reception for the past four years and I have loved the opportunity to support the children in the start of their school journey. It is wonderful to see the children develop a love of learning from such an early age. It is a privilege to teach Phonics and see the progress in early reading skills.

When I am not in school, I enjoy going for walks and picnics with my family. I also like to run and ride my bike although I can't seem to keep up with my children now! I really love baking and of course eating the cakes.

Miss Parris

Class Teacher- Robins Wednesday to Friday

I have been a teacher at Wivelsfield School for over a decade now and enjoy working with such a dedicated and enthusiastic team. I have taught across all the age ranges and have loved seeing the children grow into individuals we are very proud of.I am passionate about finding ways to learn beyond the classroom and I'm always looking for teaching opportunities in the real world.

In my spare time I enjoy exploring nature with my family. When we are not busy climbing rocks, you will often find us playing in mud, jumping in puddles and building dens.

Mrs Mach

Herons Class Teacher

I am the class teacher for Herons. I am in my twentieth year of teaching and have taught in both the state and independent sectors. The majority of my teaching has been in KS1 and KS2. My passion is teaching younger children. I love to watch the children when they are in their ‘own learning’ time, as I get to know and develop them through play, as well as in a more formal work setting. I nurture all the children that I teach, and I truly believe that any child can achieve their very best with an ‘I can, I can, I know I can’ attitude.
I love technology, especially engineering, so when I was asked if I would take on the lead of Computing at Wivelsfield, I was thrilled. I am also the lead for RE and I look forward to working with the staff and children to review and develop both of these subjects. In my previous two schools, I was the lead for both the Computing and STEAM departments (science, technology, engineering, art, and maths). I was also a deputy designated safeguarding lead and head of year.

When I am not teaching, I am mum to four children. We have a dog called Dolly and I love to take her for walks, or rather she likes to take me for walks! I love singing, listening to a variety of music, running, swimming, and socialising with family and friends.

Miss Faull

Class Teacher- Hares

I am excited that I have been given the opportunity to be part of the Wivelsfield team this year. I love Key stage 1 and was delighted to join Hedgehogs class in year 1 last February and continuing into Hares year 1 class this September. I recently completed my PGCE at Sussex university and Wivelsfield Primary have been a welcoming and supportive place to start my teaching career!

Living by the sea in Brighton means I spend a lot of time outside of the classroom on the beach, watching my dog Rupert dive in the waves and catching up with friends! I’m also a keen horse rider and enjoy riding Oscar in the countryside at the weekends.

Mr Pickup

Class Teacher - Rabbits. Maths Lead & Staff Governor

I am now entering my sixth year at Wivelsfield Primary school. From my very first day as a trainee teacher, I have been welcomed and supported by everyone. The whole school community works incredibly hard together to provide the children with a safe, rich and fun learning environment.

I have been Geography lead for the past two years, ensuring the teaching of Geography is progressive throughout the school. This year, I have also taken the roll of Science lead, something I was very keen to pursue. When I grew up, I always enjoyed practical Science lessons and I am excited to support the children at Wivelsfield to enjoy the same hands-on experiences that I had.

Miss Guy

Foxes Class Teacher Wednesday- Friday

I am really pleased to have joined the Wivelsfield team this year! The school has a friendly atmosphere and a really wonderful setting. I have been teaching in London for over ten years and have been lucky enough to have taught across every year group. Having been class teacher across Key Stage 2 many times, I have developed a real love for this stage and am very happy to be teaching Year 3 this year. It is a real privilege to work with children every day and I am particularly passionate about catering for different learnings styles in the classroom as well as helping all children reach their potential. I love teaching reading and writing and using art and drama across the curriculum. I have a degree in History and so am looking forward to leading both History and Geography across the school this year, bringing the world into the classroom and the past to life in fun ways!

In my spare time, I enjoy getting out in nature, running, swimming and going for long walks and am passionate about looking after and protecting our environment. I have a two year old son who keeps me very busy when I am not teaching!

Miss Penny Gough

Class Teacher- Otters

I joined the Wivelsfield team in October 2022. The Otters class and the school community were incredibly welcoming and I quickly felt part of the team. In my spare time, I enjoy playing football and I am looking forward to setting up more opportunities for the girls to be involved in the sport.

Miss Kelly

Class Teacher -Owls. Art & Design/Design & Technology Lead

I am very proud to be a member of the Wivelsfield community and have thoroughly enjoyed becoming part of the Wivelsfield ‘family.’

In particular, I enjoy seeing the children’s ideas develop and evolve into wonderful learning moments and achievements. It Is great to see the combination of small steps and giant leaps which all of the children make.

As the Subject Lead for Art and Design and Design and Technology I am passionate about providing fun, purposeful and creative learning opportunities for all of the children throughout their time at Wivelsfield.

Outside of school, I enjoy to read, cook and listen to music. I also love to visit and explore new places!

Mrs Awcock

Class Teacher- Currently on maternity

As a resident of Wivelsfield as well as a member of staff I truly believe it is an amazing place to grow up. Wivelsfield school and community are welcoming, supportive and creative and it really is a fantastic place to live and work! Although I am newer to teaching than other members of staff, I have been lucky to gain experience from working with children of ages ranging from 2 onward for the last 4 years.

Although I do love teaching English and Maths, my favourite subject to teach is our 'Topic'. This normally includes History and Geography; I just love learning with the children, discovering new information and building up the children's knowledge and understanding over the course of the year.

When I'm not in school, I'm busy trying to keep my two children entertained. We love being outdoors together, exploring in the woods with our dog Rosie and going on bear hunts!

Miss Hughes

Class Teacher- Currently on maternity

I am proud to teach at Wivelsfield Primary School and love the family atmosphere.

Teaching Early Years has become a passion of mine and I love seeing the children’s faces light up at each milestone. I enjoy making resources for the children to use in the classroom and planning for their interests – especially if they are Superhero or Pokemon related! Luckily, I really enjoy tidying up too, an important skill for Early Years!

Phonics is my favourite subject to teach principally as the children start to mark make and show their learning through their writing and reading. I am also passionate about children’s behaviour and wellbeing. I believe it is incredibly important for children to understand their feelings and learn of their experiences and behaviour.

Outside of school, I spend my time watching Disney+, reading (mainly Spiderman comics) and looking after my many beautiful houseplants.

Miss Griffith

Class Teacher- Currently on maternity

I was excited to become a part of such a friendly school community at Wivelsfield. I am a keen sports person so I was thrilled to take up the role of PE Subject Lead where I will support the children's physical abilities and help organise and run sporting competitions.

Outside of school I enjoy running and love to take part in organised runs such as The Brighton Marathon, Park Runs and Tough Mudder events. I also love long walks along the beach and through the forest and enjoy restful weekends.


Office Staff

Mrs Corinne Yates

School Business Manager

Mrs Sarah Milton

School Secretary

Mrs Ruth Howie

Admin Assistant

Mrs Natacha Bungaroo

Finance Assistant

Mrs Sarah Milton

Clerk to the Governors


Premises Staff

Mr Matthew Houghton-Stevens

Caretaker

Mr Kevin Payne

Assistant Caretaker/Cleaner

Louise Mayfield

Cleaner


Teaching Assistants and Individual Needs Assistants

Miss Toni Brennan

Mrs Louise Ferguson

Mrs Zoe Hilton

Mrs Melanie James

Mrs Lisa Johnson

INA

Mrs Sue Martin

Mrs Juliet Maslin

Miss Andee Mason

Mrs Geraldine Murtagh

Mrs Lisa Shorter

Mrs Cathy Sturgess

Mrs Sarah Theakstone

Mrs Gemma Thornton

HLTA

Mrs Annette Truss

Mrs Sandra Wakelen


Midday Meals Supervisors

Mrs Sue Martin

Lead

Miss Toni Brennan

Mrs Sarah Cole

Mrs Louise Ferguson

Mrs Melanie James

Mrs Tara Line

Miss Andee Mason

Mrs Claire Keast

Mrs Sandra Wakelen

Forest School Leaders

Hilary Vince

Forest School Leader


Kitchen Staff

Mrs Kelly Ellis

Cook

Mrs Jo Taylor

Kitchen Assistant

Mrs Claudia Hughes

Kitchen Assistant


Kingfishers Club Staff

Mrs Sarah Theakstone

Kingfishers After School Club Leader

Mrs Sue Martin

King Fishers After School Club Leader

Mrs Sandra Wakelan