Senior Leadership Team and Staff

Senior Leadership Team

Head – Jonathan Williams, MTheol Hons (St Andrews), PGCE (Oxford Brookes), joined Heathfield School in 2024, following five years as Deputy Head Academic at a prestigious British Curriculum School in Kenya. Prior to this, Jonathan’s experience of teaching and academic leadership was borne in the context of various schools across Hertfordshire and Oxfordshire, including four years at a top GSA school. Jonathan’s educational pursuits and involvements have led to his being awarded a National Professional Qualification for Headship with full marks; a Farmington Fellowship following studies at Harris Manchester College; and further collaboration and contracts with the University of Oxford and organisations such as PiXL. Jonathan’s spare time is invariably spent with family (including his three daughters), though despite the best efforts of various students, his love of sport has yet to be translated into significant progress on the lacrosse pitch!

Deputy Head – Claire Huyton, BSc (Liverpool), PGCE (Leeds) joins Heathfield from her role as Deputy Head Pastoral and Designated Safeguarding Lead at St Nicholas School in Fleet. Claire comes with a wealth of experience having previously worked in pastoral management and boarding at the Royal School, Hazlemere and at Sherfield School. Claire is a graduate of Liverpool University, where she studied Zoology before going on to gain her PGCE in Secondary Biology from the University of Leeds. Claire is a keen horse rider, competing in British Eventing and producing young competition horses.

Bursar – Rachel Frier, BSc Hons (Bristol), BFP, FCA, was appointed Bursar of Heathfield School in August 2015. Prior to this she was the Bursar at The Marist School in Sunninghill. Rachel started her career as an auditor for a Top 10 firm of chartered accountants before moving into industry working for the UK head offices of several global corporations in various commercial and financial roles. Rachel is a Trustee of a local multi academy trust and is Chair of their Business and Risk sub-committee, having previously spent 3 years as a governor for a maintained senior school in Guildford, Surrey.

Assistant Head (Academic & Operations) – Clare Wells, BSc Hons (Bath), PGCE (Exeter) is a longstanding member of the Heathfield community having arrived in 2006. Clare has held a variety of roles including Head of Science, and most recently Assistant Head (Operations). She strongly believes in valuing the individual and academically, how we can make a real difference in students’ lives, including through the use of data. In her spare time she is a keen golfer, committed churchgoer and avid limnologist.

Assistant Head (Pastoral and Boarding) and Deputy DSL – Andrew Valner, MA (Nottingham), BA (Nottingham), PGCE (London), has been working at Heathfield School since 2011, starting as a Newly Qualified Teacher and becoming Head of Department for Classics. His pastoral experience includes being Head of House for Austen for six years, before taking on his current role as Assistant Head (Pastoral and Boarding) in 2020. Andy is also a Deputy Designated Safeguarding Lead and the Attendance Lead at Heathfield. He particularly enjoys playing tennis and golf and watching football and cricket. He lives onsite with his family and can often be found wandering around the school with his young children looking for puddles to jump in.

Assistant Head, Learning & Partnerships – Judith De Villiers, MA, BA (Stellenbosch), PGCE (Christ Church) Judith de Villiers joins Heathfield after six years at Rugby School Thailand, where she was Assistant Head for Enrichment and Leadership. With 20 years experience teaching Mathematics, she enjoys creating lessons that are both engaging and challenging. She holds an MA in Educational Leadership and has a particular interest in pedagogy and understanding how students learn, which continues to shape her teaching philosophy. Judith is committed to holistic education, encouraging service and helping young people grow in confidence and belief in their potential. Away from school, she enjoys trail running and walking with her dogs, reading and making good coffee.

Assistant Head (Co-curricular) – Wendy Reynolds, BEd Hons (Liverpool), attended a boarding school herself. After 9 years at Benenden she became Head of PE at St. Swithun’s School, Winchester, before moving on to Queen Anne’s to become Head of PE and Assistant Head Co-Curricular. She represented her country for 13 years as England goalkeeper and has also been awarded an Emeritus by the International Lacrosse governing body for her all-round contribution to lacrosse as a player, coach and umpire.

Director of Marketing & Admissions – Anna Morgan joined Heathfield School in 2015 from Notre Dame School in Cobham, Surrey where she was Director of Marketing & Admissions for 2 years. Prior to this Anna ran her own design, marketing and events company in London for 25 years working on a wide variety of multi-million pound projects for numerous blue chip companies.

Staff List

Academic Staff

Art & Textiles
Miss A Farrugia, BA Hons (Reading), PGCE (Reading), Head of Department and Head of House (Seacole)
Miss H Smith, BA Hons (Aberystwyth), PGCE (Bath Spa), Art

Business
Mrs G Kendall, BA Hons (Reading), PGCE (London), D&B Diploma in Credit and Financial Analysis, Head of Department

Classics
Dr D Stobart, PhD (Cambridge), PGCE (Utrecht), Head of Department Classics
Mr A Valner, MA (Nottingham), BA (Nottingham), PGCE (London), Latin & Ancient Greek and Assistant Head (Pastoral and Boarding)
Mrs J Nesbit, BA Hons (Cambridge), PGCE (Cambridge), Classical Civilisation & Latin

Computing
Dr R Claesen, PhD, MSc and BSc (Imperial College London), Head of Department

Cookery
Mrs M Blackburn, BEd Hons (Cardiff), Head of Department
Ms J Sherrard-Smith, BSc Hons, (London), PGCE (London), Leiths’s Cookery

Drama and Theatre Studies
Mr G Everard, Director of Drama & Theatre Studies
Mrs H Swain, Teacher of Drama

Economics & Sociology
Mrs J Uppal, BA Hons (Manchester), PGCE (London), Head of Department

English
Dr S Wragg, PhD (Oxford), MPhil (Cambridge), BA (Providence USA), PGCE (Buckingham), Head of Department
Miss C Fisher, BSc (Cumbria), PGCE (Buckingham), English and RS
Miss A Messina, BA Hons (Loughborough), MA (Derby), PGCE (Sussex), English

Geography
Dr A Hayward, PhD (Leeds), MSc (Reading), BSc Hons (Aberystwyth), PGCE (Sheffield Hallam), Fellow of the Royal Geographical Society, Fellow of Higher Education Academy

History & Politics
Dr C Bradshaw, PhD (St Andrew’s), MA (St Andrew’s), BA Hons (Exeter), PGCE (Gloucester), Head of Department
Mr R Willis, MA Hons (St Andrews), PGCE (Manchester Metropolitan), History & Politics and Head of Sixth Form

Mathematics
Mr R Braganza, MA Hons (Loughborough), PGCE (London), Head of Department
Miss K Johnson, Teaching Cert. (Nottingham), Mathematics
Miss S Obhrai, BSc Hons (Manchester), PGCE (Greenwich), Mathematics

Modern Foreign Languages
Mr F Troublé, MA (Paris), PGCE (London), Bccomm (DUT de Commerce), MFL Co-ordinator
Mrs A Flores Rodriguez, BA Hons (Cordoba), Head of Department – Spanish
Miss V Burke, MSc (Edinburgh), BA Hons (Durham) French & Spanish

Music
Mrs J Dance, BA Hons (Birmingham), PGCE (Birmingham), LRAM, Director of Music
Mrs K Jackson, MA Hons (Cambridge), Music

Photography
Miss K White, BA Hons (Oxford Brookes), ABIPP, Head of Department and Head of Year (Form V)
Mrs A Richardson, BA Hons, PGCE (Sunderland)

Physical Education
Miss C Baker, BSc Hons (Birmingham), PGCE (Buckingham), Director of Sport
Miss K Fisher, PE
Mrs K McIntyre, BSc Hons (Oxford Brookes), PGCE (Reading), PE
Miss E Noad, BA Hons (Bournemouth), PGCE (Buckingham), PE and Head of House (Austen)
Miss W Reynolds, BEd Hons (Liverpool), PE and Assistant Head (Co-curricular)
Miss J Talbot, BPhysEd (Otago, NZ), PE and Head of Year (Form III)
Mrs A Valner, BA Hons (Ohio), PE Cover
Mrs G Glimmerveen, Equestrian

PSHEE
Mrs A Diaz, BA Hons (Open), Cert Ed (Cambridge), Head of Department

Psychology
Mrs H Manton, BSc Hons (Nottingham), PGCE (Greenwich), Head of Department & Flourishing

Religious Studies
Mr J Choppen, BA Hons (Winchester), PGCE (Winchester), Head of Department
Revd E Saville, BTh (Oxford), BSc (Manchester), Chaplain

Science
Mrs U Uzo, BSc Hons (Birmingham), Acting Head of Department & EDI Co-Ordinator, Head of House (de Valois)
Mrs A Ellis, BEd (Bedford), Science and Careers Co-ordinator
Dr J Jones, PhD (Nottingham), MSc (Nottingham), BEng (London),
Miss L Jones, BSc Hons (Hull), PGCE (Hull), Head of Year (Form IV)
Mrs F Lehocky, MSc (London), BSc Hons (London), PGCE (London) Head of Department (Physics)
Miss C Wells, BSc Hons (Bath), PGCE (Exeter) and Assistant Head (Academic & Operations)

Teaching & Learning Support

Learning Support & EAL
Mrs S Reason, Head of Learning Support & SENCo
Mrs M Battleday, HLTA Maths, NOCN Speech and Language, ADHD, Dyspraxia, Dyslexia, SEN and Head of Year (Form I)
Mrs A Jones, HLTA Maths, Diplome de Langues (Paris), SEN
Dr M Snow, PhD (London), MA Hons (Aberdeen), MSc (Robert Gordon), PGDip (Aberdeen), CELTA, FHEA, EAL

Teaching Support & Co-ordinators
Ms A Essel, BA Hons (De Montfort), Fashion Designer in Residence
Mrs G Glimmerveen, Equestrian Co-ordinator
Miss A Le Mat, Resident French Language Assistant
Mrs N McGarvey, Examinations and Database Officer
Mrs A Milner, HND (Ulster), BSc (Ulster), Senior Science Technician
Mrs R McFadden, Technical & Theatre Lead
Mrs K Parkes, Photography Technician
Mr I Whitehurst, BA Hons (Surrey), Science Technician
Mrs L Whiting, BA Hons (Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama), Art Technician

Pastoral & Boarding

Boarding
Miss F Gray, BA Hons (Bath), Head Houseparent
Miss H Bowerman, BA Hons (York), Deputy Houseparent
Miss R Boyd, Deputy Houseparent
Miss S Broomfield, Deputy Houseparent
Mrs J Liepa, BA Hons (London), PGCE (Middlesex), Deputy Houseparent
Miss G Montant, ESOL International (Advanced), Deputy Houseparent
Mrs A Boeve, Boarding Assistant
Miss E Cox, BA in Media, Culture and Communications at Macquarie University, Resident Boarding Assistant
Miss O Ashley-Smith, Resident Boarding Assistant
Mrs A Valner, Boarding Assistant (Day)

Health Centre
Mrs J Hastings, RGN, Senior Nurse
Mrs L Brazel, BSc Hons (London), RGN, Nurse
Mrs E Delicata, NMC, Nurse
Mrs T Vevericikova, RCN, Nurse

Support Staff

Administration
Ms J Veater, PA to the Head
Mrs N Race, Executive Assistant to SLT
Mrs M Quelch, Receptionist Administrator

Bursary
Mrs R Frier, BSc Hons (Bristol), BFP, FCA, Bursar and Clerk to the Governors
Mrs W Staplehurst, Finance Manager
Mrs S Disley, Finance Assistant

Drivers
Mr S Chell, Driver
Mr T Creedon, Driver
Mr B Fejza, Driver
Mr M Gouws, Driver
Mr P Johnston, Driver
Mr A Militaru, Driver
Mrs A Militaru, Driver
Mr B Momi, Driver
Mr A Pearce, Driver
Mr N Tribbeck, MA, Driver

Facilities
Mr A Lata, Plumber & Assistant Facilities & Estates Manager
Mr C O’Connor, General Maintenance Assistant
Mr S Gigg, General Maintenance Assistant
Mr J McFadden, General Maintenance Assistant
Mr J Imms, Head of Grounds
Mr J Di Salvatore, Grounds and Gardens Assistant

Housekeeping
Mrs M Neagu, BA (Cuza, Romania), Domestic Services Manager
Mrs N Vis, Assistant Domestic Services Manager
Mr J Badley, Housekeeping Cleaner
Mrs Z Czajka, Housekeeping Cleaner
Mrs Y Falasca, Housekeeping Cleaner
Miss M KC, Housekeeping Cleaner
Mrs L Knight-Harper, Housekeeping Cleaner
Mrs T Ghale, Laundry and Housekeeping Assistant
Mr D Gurung, Housekeeping Cleaner
Miss D Jennings, Housekeeping Cleaner
Mrs I Kwiatkowska, Housekeeping Cleaner
Mr N Metzger, Housekeeping Cleaner

Human Resourses
Mrs G Toomer, BSc Hons Psy, FCIPD, HR Manager

IT Systems
Mr B Beeharry, BA Hons (London), IT Network and Services Manager
Mr T Gardiner, Senior IT Technician

Library
Mrs H Fernandes, MSc (Sheffield), BA Hons (Brighton), Librarian

Marketing & Admissions
Ms A Morgan, Director of Marketing & Admissions
Ms J Woodhams, Admissions Executive
Mrs E Potter, Marketing Executive

Summer School
Mr J Endean, DELTM, Director of Summer Courses
Miss N Gassoub, Summer School Executive Assistant

Visiting Staff List

Dance & Drama
Mrs N Shaw, BA Hons (West Sussex), ALAM, RAD.TC, AISTD, Dance & Drama
Miss A Elwood, Ballet
Miss R Findlay, Zumba & Aerobics
Mrs K Keeling, Pilates
Miss E Bingham, Dance
Mrs S Gurney, Dance
Miss R Herszenhorn, LAMDA
Mrs L Judd, LAMDA & Musical Theatre
Ms S Keogh, LAMDA
Miss Z Pembroke, Dance

MFL
Mrs M Strain, Diploma – Foreign Languages (Moscow), Russian
Ms S Zhou, BA (Birmingham), BA (Beijing), Mandarin
Mr A Reich, German
Mrs K Baldwin, Cantonese
Mrs Abbagnale, Italian

Music
Mrs V Auty, BMus, RNCM, MMus, GSMD (National Opera Studio), Singing
Ms S Barnhart, Trumpet
Mrs J Dance, BA Hons (Birmingham), PGCE (Birmingham), LRAM, Singing
Miss S Jubert, BMus Hons (Surrey), PGCE (Oxford Brookes), Piano, Cello, Drums, Saxophone
Mr J Halsey, Organ
Mrs L Hannah, BMus Hons (Birmingham Conservatoire), FIL KAND (Sweden) Lulea University, Violin, Viola
Ms A Hoyland, Clarinet and Saxophone
Mrs K Jackson, MA Hons (Cambridge), Harp
Mrs R Holden, BA Hons (Kingston), PGCE (Middlesex), Guitar
Miss L Rundle, BMus Hons (Royal College of Music), PGdip (Royal College of Music), Double Bass
Mrs A Smoot, Organ
Mrs T Thompson, ALCM Piano (London College of Music), Piano, Singing
Miss E Windham, BA Hons (London), Singing
Miss H Woodruff, Piano

Physical Education
Mr J Beardmore, Fencing Coach
Mr A Brade, Trampoline Coach
Mr A Moir, LTA Registered, Registered Professional BTCA, Tennis Coach

Wellness
Mrs E O’Kelly, Linguistics Dipl. (ANLP), Business & Life Coaching Dipl., Independent Listener & Life Coach
Miss L Snook, BSc (Hons), PGCE, Therapist

Swimming Pool
Mr D O’Toole, Swimming Pool Manager

Senior Leadership Team & Staff List