Teaching Staff
Dorothy Betts (Teacher Leader)
Dorothy Betts trained at Bishop Lonsdale College of Education in Derby. She has taught in large Primary schools in Suffolk and Cambridgeshire and has had experience of all age groups. Dorothy was seconded for a complete year to study in Cambridge for an Advanced Diploma in education in 1976, and has been Headteacher of Park Street Primary School in the centre of Cambridge for 11 years. This is a small school of 120 pupils. Her particular interests are literacy, provision for more able children and the use of ICT throughout the curriculum. She has had the privilege of visiting schools in a number of countries – France, Sweden, Singapore, Australia and Croatia.
Debbie Higham (Teacher Leader)
Debbie Highan is currently the Headteacher of a new and rapidly developing school in Cambourne. She started teaching in Moss Side, Manchester where she spent two years before moving to Brent. She then relocated and taught specialist language groups in Cambridge city centre before moving to teach in a town school in St Ives.
She then had a Deputy Headship position in a new school in Huntingdon – and from there became Head in a school in Abbots Ripton for 9 years. However the opportunity to open a new school was too exciting and in February 2005 was appointed Head of The Vine Primary and the School opened in September 2005 with 88 pupils in 4 classes. There are now 230 pupils in 10 classes with a staff team of over 50 – and are still growing!
Jo Newman (Primary Course Designer and Stream Leader)
Jo Newman studied Geography and trained as a teacher at Cambridge University. She has taught at Haberdashers’ Aske’s School for Boys and been Head of Fairseat, the Junior Department at Channing School in Highgate. At North London Collegiate School she has held a variety of posts which have involved teaching all subjects across the 4 to 11 age range. Her current post is as Head of the Junior School. Last year she organised the first Primary Day at the Summer School.
Judith O’Connell (Teacher Leader)
Judith O’Connell has been a Literacy Co-ordinator for nearly 33 years. She had been a Leading Literacy Headteacher for Cambridge for some years and a Headteacher in Essex and Cambridge over the last 17 years. Her passion is children’s literature, especially picture books for older pupils; raising standards and providing exciting learning through the use of quality texts and the role of drama and speaking and listening in developing understanding. She is retiring at the end of July to live in France and….write children’s books!
Caroline Peet (Teacher Leader)
Caroline trained at Froebel College London and taught in both primary and secondary schools in London. After she moved to Cambridge she became a deputy head at Queen Edith Primary School in 1991. Two years later she was appointed to the Headship. Over the last fourteen years Caroline has greatly enjoyed the challenges of headship and the rewards of working in a vibrant school community with dedicated staff. Highlights of her career so far have been completing her MA, and best practice scholarship, representing local heads on the Cambridge Head's group and speaking at many local conferences about imitative the school has developed.
James Sabben-Clare (Primary Stream Leader)
James Sabben-Clare was for fifteen years Headmaster of Winchester College and in 1999 was Chairman of the Headmasters’ and Headmistresses’ Conference. Latterly he has worked as an Education Consultant, in this country and overseas, and has been involved in the development of PTI from its very first beginnings in 2001. He has been, and continues to be, a governor of numerous schools and colleges, ranging from Primary to HE, both independent and maintained.
Stephanie Wilcox (Teacher Leader)
Stephanie Wilcox has been a primary school teacher for 15 years, having taught the full primary age range. She is currently teaching Year 5/6 in a south Cambridgeshire village school. Stephanie has recently achieved an Advanced Diploma in Language, Literacy & Literature from the Cambridge Faculty of Education and become a Leading Literacy teacher for the county. Stephanie is passionate about picture books and is always looking out for new inspiring reads especially texts suitable for older readers; her two children enjoy the benefits of this book shopping weakness!