The Staff and Governors at Ghyll Royd School and Pre-School are just one of the reasons we have such a wonderful school. Many have been with us for a number of years which provides excellent continuity for the children and our specialist teachers offer a unique learning experience.
Teaching Staff
Headteacher – Mr David Martin BA (Hons) and MA in Business, PGCE (QTS), PGCE (QTLS)
After spending 13 years in the business sector, Mr Martin began his teaching career at Craven College and within Professional Sports Associations where he taught Sports Science. He has been at Ghyll Royd School for 16 years, firstly as a Physical Education Specialist, developing the PE curriculum, then as Form 2 and Form 3 Class Teacher. For the last eight years Mr Martin has been our Headteacher who has overseen three inspections in February 2015, 2017 and 2019. Mr Martin has also completed the SLQ ‘Leadership Course’ with the National Teaching and Leadership College. Mr Martin is the Designated Safeguarding Lead for the School and Pre-School.
Key Stage 2 Team:
Form 6 Teacher, Mrs Ruth Woodham BA (Hons) German, PGCE
Mrs Woodham has a BA (Hons) in German from Birmingham University and PGCE from Leeds Trinity University. She spent 17 years working for various Government departments in Britain and Germany then took a career break to bring up her family. She spent much of this break volunteering in primary schools focusing above all on children’s literacy and oracy. She enjoyed her voluntary work so much that she decided to retrain as a teacher and was lucky enough to get to know Ghyll Royd School during her placement here.
Form 5 Teacher, Mathematics and Computing Subject Leader and Deputy Headteacher – Mr Hadley Nicholson – BA (Hons) PGCE Primary (QTS).
Mr Nicholson has a BA (Hons) in Applied Psychology and Philosophy from Liverpool John Moores University. He completed his MA in Education, specialising in ‘Child Development’ and ‘Learning Outside the Classroom’. Prior to teaching, Mr Nicholson worked as an expedition leader in the Colorado Rockies and as a freelance travel journalist. In the past he has also been an England U19s Basketball player and before joining Ghyll Royd taught at Malsis School as a Form and Physical Education Teacher. Mr Nicholson has also completed the MPQ ‘Leadership Course’ with the National Teaching and Leadership College. Mr Nicholson has worked for school for eight years.
Form 4 Teacher, PE & Games and Humanities Subject Leader – Mr Richard Laycock – Certificate in Education, BA (Hons) Education (QTS).
Mr. Laycock has been a teacher at Ghyll Royd School for 17 years and has taught classes from Forms 3 through to 5. He is our Humanities specialist and has developed this area of the curriculum over several years.
Form 3 Teacher – Miss Katie Sheldon, BA (Hons) Sport and Physical Education, PGCE Primary
Miss Sheldon joined us from Wharfedale Montessori in 2021, starting as Room Leader in our Pre-School. Having trained as a teacher before a move into Early Years, Miss Sheldon has been looking at returning to teach in Key Stage 2. Miss Sheldon has a particular interest in Year 3 and 4 having enjoyed placements and teaching positions in those years prior to starting with Ghyll Royd. A big advocate for more opportunities in women’s sport, Miss Sheldon represented England Netball at Under 17 level and supported our children in their Netball coaching last year. Miss Sheldon hopes for the role are to bring her specialities in Sport and Maths to the school.
Mrs Claire Neild – Form 2 Teacher – MA (Hons) in Sociology, Higher Level Teaching and Learning Support Assistant
Mrs Neild started at Ghyll Royd as a Higher Level Teaching Assistant in Key Stage 2. In 2019, she started her teacher training and is now has Qualified Teacher Status and has made the move to Key Stage 1. Mrs Neild is also our PSHE specialist, working throughout the School.
Mrs Rebecca Picken – Form 1 Teacher – BA (Hons) in Primary Education
Mrs Picken qualified as a Teacher from Bradford University in 2003 before going on to teach at Girlington Primary School in Bradford. During her thirteen years at the school Mrs Picken taught from Reception to Year 6, specialising in English in the lower Key Stages where she became the Co-ordinator for this level. Mrs Picken’s role also involved in the development and improvement of Mathematics and Physical Education at the school. Mrs Picken joined Ghyll Royd in November 2019.
Reception Teacher – Mrs Helen Hudson BA (Hons) in English (QTS)
Mrs Hudson has worked in Early Years settings for over 28 years and holds a BA (Hons) in English and Primary Education with Qualified Teacher Status. Before moving to Ghyll Royd Mrs Hudson taught at Westville House School for 16 years where she was head of Early Years for seven years. Mrs Hudson has worked at Ghyll Royd School for six years.
Teacher – Mrs Sue Beeson – Diploma in Teaching (Australia)
Mrs Beeson began her teaching career in Australia and has taught for over thirty years in the primary sector. During her eighteen years at Ghyll Royd School she has taught Forms 1, 2, 3, and 6 and for seven years she was Head of Key Stage 2 and Deputy Headteacher.
Specialist Staff
Modern Foreign Languages Subject Leader – Mrs Keeley Smith BA (Hons) PGCE Primary
Mrs Smith has been teaching for thirteen years and previously worked at Malsis School for five years and prior to that Christchurch C of E School in Skipton. During her time at Malsis Mrs Smith was KS1 co-ordinator and class 2 teacher. Mrs Smith has ‘A’ Level Spanish and spent a year living in Barcelona to further her language skills.
Art and Design Subject Leader – Mrs Keeley Smith BA (Hons) PGCE Primary
During her time at Malsis Mrs Smith accepted the role as Head of Art. She has a degree in Art Therapy, later practising for five years before going on to complete her Post Graduate Certificate in Education. Mrs Smith is a keen Ceramicist and also runs her own adult Ceramic club at Ilkley Grammar School.
Music Subject Leader – Mrs Elizabeth Evans – BA (Hons) Music and English and PGCE Primary Music
Mrs Evans joins Ghyll Royd this September, bringing over 25 years of teaching experience with her. Previously working as the Music teacher at Oatlands Junior School and Westville House School, Mrs Evans has enjoyed exploring creative ways of adapting music to support young players. In her previous employment, she has lead children’s choirs, orchestras and organized productions. Mrs Evans holds a Grade 8 in Piano, accredited by the ABRSM.
French Teacher, Mrs Charlotte Hatch, BA (Hons) European Studies, PGCE with Specialism in French
Mrs Hatch has always had a passion for learning languages, studying French and German at A level, and then as part of her degree where she attended Lyon University for a year. Teaching English overseas gave Mrs Hatch the opportunity to learn some Japanese, and later some Italian, and prompted her desire to teach. Upon qualifying, Mrs Hatch’s first position was as a class teacher in London schools, later returning to Yorkshire schools whilst raising her family.
Teacher of Physical Education and Outdoor Activities – Mr Chris O’Connor – MA Primary and Secondary Education, Specialising in Physical Education
Mr O’Connor joins us this year to deliver high quality PE for Ghyll Royd School and Pre-School as well as our games afternoons, outdoor learning, holiday clubs and extracurricular programmes. Mr O’Connor has 11 years’ experience in coaching, including studying a 2-year Master’s Degree with a specialism in teaching Physical Education. Mr O’Connor has developed a high degree of knowledge in teaching PE within primary schools. He has proven his ability to create and deliver fun, challenging sessions for a range of ages, abilities and learning styles in the holiday camps that he has been running at Ghyll Royd for up to 60 children a day.
Early Years Staff
Pre-School Manager – Mrs Claire Bland – PGCE and MA Children’s Mental Health
Having worked in education for almost 20 years, Mrs Bland joins Ghyll Royd in September 2024 as the Pre-School and Nursery Manager. Mrs Bland has worked as a teacher and assessor in the UK, Germany and the Middle East and most recently completed her Master’s degree in Children’s Mental Health. Mrs Bland is passionate about all things wellbeing.
Room Leader (Great Explorers, 3-4 years) Early Years Teacher – Mrs Emma Tighe – BA (Hons) Sociology and PGCE Primary
Mrs Tighe joined Ghyll Royd in 2021. She holds a PGCE and is instrumental in preparing our children for their transition to primary school, particularly with her love for early phonics. Mrs Tighe joined us from Abacus Nursery and Pre-School, following a move up North from London where she was a Reception and Early Years class teacher for several years.
Room Leader (Little Adventurers, 2-3 years) – Miss Annabel Gibson – BA (Hons) Education Studies
Miss Gibson joined Ghyll Royd in 2022 from White Laith Primary School and Cliffe House Day Nurseries. Miss Gibson is a pro-active and enthusiastic practitioner, bringing a wealth of experience to the role.
Early Years Teacher – Miss Olivia Stacey – BA (Hons) Primary Education with QTS
Miss Stacey joined us in September 2023 and has been instrumental in preparing our Pre-School children for school life. She has a degree in Primary Education (QTS) working with children aged 3-7 years. Miss Stacey particularly enjoys the teaching of early phonics and reading a variety of books with children to inspire creative learning and play.
Early Years Practitioner – Miss Charlotte Jones – BA (Hons) Childhood Studies
Miss Jones joined us in June 2023 from Abacus Private Day Nursery, having previously qualified at Leeds Beckett University. A keen artist, Miss Jones is a big believer in outdoor learning and creative, messy play.
Early Years Practitioner – Miss Emily Trotter, BA (Hons) Early Childhood Studies – MA Childhood Studies and Early Years
Miss Trotter joined Ghyll Royd in September 2023 bringing her experience working with babies all the way up to Year 6, but her passion lies with the Early Years. Following on from her studies, Miss Trotter has previously worked at Brownberrie Lane Pre-School in Horsforth and Jolly Tots Pre-School and Nursery in Burley-in-Wharfedale. The biggest takeaway from her work is seeing how children grow and develop in their own unique ways.
Early Years Practitioner – Miss Sophia Tariq – BA Applied Social Science in Children, Young People and Families, Level 3 in Children and Young People
Miss Tariq Sophia has worked previously as an Early Years Practitioner at Esscroft Nursery, where she was then promoted to Deputy Manager. Miss Tariq has worked in childcare for over ten years, supporting young children’s development and needs. She joined the Early Years team in March 2024.
Teaching and Learning Support
Mrs Stacey Ellis – Degree in Early Childhood Studies and holds the NNEB qualification
Miss Katie Barker – Level 3 Childcare
Miss Tamara Kallas – BA (Hons) in Supporting Young People, Children and Families
Mrs Amy Pidd – BA (Hons) Young Children’s Learning and Development
Miss Samantha Burn – Level 5 in Education and Training
Peripatetic Music Teachers
Mr Alistair Pryde – Drum and Guitar – BA (Hons), L.MusLSM, NABBC
Mrs Clare Richards – Violin and Piano
Support Staff
Miss Michelle Wilkinson – School Secretary
Mrs Rebecca Benson – Marketing Manager
Mrs Emma Usherwood – Bursar
Mrs Sara McNaught – Finance Officer
Mr Dave Machell – Chef
Mrs Coco Leake – Catering Assistant
Governors
| Responsibilities | ||
| David Cunningham | Chair | |
| Anna Wood | Education | |
| Ben Thomson | Finance | |
| James Wharfe | Parent Governor | |
| Melissa Connor | ||
| Zandra Monroe-Cochrane | EYFS | |
| Jennifer Johnson | · | Safeguarding |