Meet our team

I started my teaching career as a Key Stage 2 teacher in Wakefield in 1996 and have worked in schools in Kirklees, Bradford and Calderdale teaching across all Key Stages. I have been a Headteacher in two other schools and became the Headteacher at Old Earth in January 2021.

I’m responsible for providing the vision and leadership of Old Earth, ensuring high quality education for all its pupils and maintaining outstanding standards of learning and achievement. Continuing the school’s shared vision of always providing ““opportunity, support and respect” being at the heart of everything the school does, remains paramount as we continue to drive forward..

It’s my job to ensure it is a centre of learning where all stakeholders “feel safe, work hard and are happy.” I am also the schools Designated Safeguarding Lead and along with the 2 deputy DSL’s have a rigorous approach to ensuring safeguarding measures are a priority.

When not working, I enjoy spending time with my family, often playing ‘Dad taxi service’ for my 3 children. Weekends see me coaching football and walking my dog Millie. I enjoy attending music concerts and as a keen Huddersfield town fan, regularly attend their matches.

My teaching career started in Bradford as a KS1 teacher. Spending 15 years at the school, I taught all year groups. Whilst there I was accredited as an AST (advanced teacher status) working with the local authority in many different settings, supporting teachers who needed it. I moved as an AST in 2010 to Calderdale and continued in this capacity, taking on SENCO role and OOSC (Out of school club) manager roles too.

Moving to Old Earth in 2015, as Deputy Head, remains the highlight of my career to date. It felt like ‘home’ immediately. I have the privilege of working with an outstanding team of children, staff, parents and governors. You can hear me sing proudly, “I have Old Earth in my heart” .

A key role of mine is as a safeguarding lead and senior mental health lead across school. Our open door policy means I’m available to see and speak to parents and children to answer questions, signpost services for additional support and hopefully solve any problems that may arise. I’m outside mornings and evenings and if you can’t catch me there, I’m on the end of a telephone or email- should anyone need it.

In my personal life I’m blessed with a wonderful family. My husband and I , our 2 children – both now at secondary school, reside locally with our very spoilt cat Molly. We enjoy family film nights, trips to the cinema and lazy chilled out days at home, with holidays when we can.

As a child and into my teens, all I ever wanted to do was teach. I left Manchester in 1993 and moved across the Pennines to West Yorkshire, to start my teaching degree at Bradford University.

I was incredibly lucky to get a permanent job at Myrtle Park Primary School in Bingley, where I taught across all the Key Stages. This is where I developed a passion for Early Years and wanted to pursue my interest in this area of education.

Following 7 incredibly happy years at Myrtle Park, I moved to Wheatly Primary School in Bradford to take up the role of Early Years and KS1 Leader, then progressed to an Assistant Heads position.

Due to relocating to Halifax with my family, I decided to apply for schools in the area and the day I walked into Old Earth School, I knew it would be the place where I would spend the rest of my working life. The children, staff and families at our school are amazing. The children have a zest for learning and an enthusiasm that is admirable. The staff are a team, who support each other to make the curriculum, the daily experiences and the learning fun.

So, in a nutshell, it is an absolute privilege working at Old Earth School, I have thoroughly enjoyed the last 16 years here and I hope there are many more to come!