Meet the Staff

The next academic year will bring a number of changes to the structure of our school with all year groups, except nursery, having new teachers in charge.  It has always been a policy of the school to develop teachers across the first school age range and we believe that it brings new strengths to each year group.  I know all the teachers are excited about their new challenges and are looking forward to meeting their new classes in September.

	Mrs Lynn Johnston, Headteacher. She teaches in years 2, 3 and 4 when these teachers have their P.P.A. time. It was in 1986 when Mrs Johnson first started teaching. Before she came to Wylam she had taught in Lemington, Allendale and West Woodburn First Schools. She likes most things about the school including the children that attend because we all are different. In her interview with us she said.“I don’t like my office because it can be lonely, but it’s better than it used to be.” It was obvious to us that Mrs Johnson is a fun-loving person and really enjoys being our Headteacher!
	Our Nursery teacher is Mrs Hamilton. Mrs Hamilton has been our nursery teacher for 6 years.  She is very nice and kind to all of the children. Mrs Hamilton organises and teaches plenty of lovely activities for the nursery children to do. She likes being here at Wylam First School because everyday is fun and exciting and a great place to be. When we asked her if there was anything that she would like to do to improve the school she told us that she would like to do more lessons outside and make the most of the beautiful surroundings. Mrs Hamilton has also taught in Reception, Year 1 and Year 3 where she has done PPA cover.  She is also our Art coordinator.’
	Mr Daly is our Reception teacher. He joined our school in September 2008 after moving from a school in London and has taught in Year 1 for 4 years.  Mr Daly is also the assessment coordinator and health and safety coordinator in the school, runs film club and helps with the school choir. He says he really enjoys teaching in Wylam and loves Northumberland. He also has a dog called Dora – who keeps him very busy!!!!
	Mrs Long is our Year 1 teacher. (On Maternity Leave from Jan 2012, Mrs Dukes will be teaching in Year 1). Mrs Long has worked in our school’s nursery and years 2 and 3 before teaching in year 1. Mrs Long coordinates Mathematics and Special Educational Needs within our school. She enjoys working in Wylam First School because everyone is friendly and the children are nice. We asked Mrs Long what her favourite part of her job was and she couldn’t decide because she does so many interesting things each day. Mrs Dukes is well known to the school for being one of our long serving supply teachers.  She has a wealth of experience across the first school range and the children are already familiar with her.  We are looking forward to her joining us as a full time member of staff.
	Mrs Cooper is our Year 2 class teacher and the school’s ICT co-ordinator. Mrs Cooper trained to become a teacher at Durham University and has been teaching for eight years. She really enjoys teaching at Wylam and thinks that both the school and children are fantastic! Mrs Cooper’s favourite subject is Numeracy. When we asked her about her hobbies we found out that she enjoys eating and going out for meals, mostly Italian food. Mrs Cooper also told us that she loves the school dinners and has one most days. As well as this, Mrs Cooper likes to work in her garden and travel to different places.
	Mrs Kroese is our Year 3 teacher. After seven years in our reception class Mrs Kroese is now in Key Stage 2. She says she is very excited about teaching in this year group and has many exciting things planned for 2012-2013.  We asked her which schools she had worked in and her response was Benedict Bishop C.of E. Primary School in Sunderland and Hexham Middle School. She also told us that she thought Wylam First School was the best school she had worked in because the teachers were great and the children even better!!Mrs Kroese came to Wylam in 2004 and is very happy to be here.
	Miss Howells is our Year 4 teacher. Miss Howells studied English at Birmingham University before going on to do her PGCE teaching qualification at Newcastle University. Miss Howells really enjoys her job because she likes working with children and helping them learn. Miss Howells is Literacy Co-ordinator and also co-ordinates history and Geography and runs Chess Club for Year 3 and 4. In her spare time, she likes reading, going to the cinema and walking.
	Miss Hawes is our PPA teacher and works in all year groups. Miss Hawes is also the P.E. coordinator in the school. She has been a teacher at our school for a very long time. When we asked her what job she would like to do if she weren’t a teacher, Miss Hawes confided in us and told us that she wanted to be either a dancer or an artist!
	Assisting Staff
	Mrs Mitchell is our school administration officer.  She likes love stories and creepy stories and also likes mystery books.  She like knitting, riding on her bike and of course, coming to work as our secretary.  She also likes baking cakes and shopping at the Metrocentre.
	Mr Stanberry is our caretaker.  He likes working here because its fun.  He likes fixing things and helping other people.  In his spare time he plays with his 2 children.  He is very funny and likes to make people laugh.  He likes eating chocolate and Chinese take-aways but he doesn’t get them very often.  Mr Stanberry is very fit so he cycles to school.  He starts work at 6 o clock in the morning and ends work at 6 in the evening.  He said the staff are very nice.
	Mrs Mahon is a SEN Teaching Assistant.  She loves it at Wylam First School because she can share time with other children.  She also loves walking her dog and has started doing zumba with Mrs Hartland and Mrs Theobald.  Mrs Mahon has worked at Wylam First School for four years, she also came to the school as she was offered a job to look after one of our pupils.  Mrs Mahon is a great helper and is very nice.
	Mrs Liddle is a Classroom Teaching Assistant.  She loves working with children and going to the pictures with her boys Jake (6) and Lucas (3).  She has been at Wylam First School for 14 years and has never been to another school.  She thinks the funniest teacher is Mr Daly.  Her favourite dinner from Mrs Sanders is Friday’s fish and chips.  If she was not a classroom helper Mrs Liddle would like to be a midwife or nurse.  She has a pet rabbit called Lucky.
	Mrs Green is a SEN Teaching Assistant.  Mrs Green started working here 3 years ago.  In her spare time she likes painting, sketching, her allotment, looking after her chickens and walking her dog.  She wanted to work here because she likes children and it’s fun because she works with the best people.  She works at the moment in year 4.  She had two years training in her childrens school.
	Miss Cross is a Classroom Teaching Assistant.  Miss Cross started working here in 2009.  She was 18 when she started working.  In her spare time she does dancing and plays songs on her guitar.  She likes to see friends and looking after her pet rabbit.  She also likes taking photographs. She likes nursery because she gets to see the little children and help them to do what they need to do.  Miss Cross works every morning.
	Lunchtime Supervisors
	Mrs Sanders is our school’s fabulous cook! She is in charge of the kitchen, ordering and preparing the food. Her dinners are delicious and her puddings are out of this world!! When we interviewed her about her job she told us that she likes her job at Wylam because she loves to cook. Mrs Sanders was first hired at Wylam First School 19 years ago and has been head cook for 5 years.
	Mrs Storey works as a dinner lady.  She started working here 12 years ago because there was a little boy with special needs and she wanted to help him.  In her spare time she works at Wylam Playgroup and she cooks, washes and cleans her house.
	Mrs Wilson is a Kitchen Assistant.  We asked Mrs Wilson why she wanted to be a kitchen assistant and she said “to meet all the children”.  She loves cooking especially pasta and enjoys her job.