The Olive Tree Family

We are a warm, caring team of UK government-trained teachers. Our policies are made
jointly by all staff with the child at the heart of this process.

Our Senior Teachers

  • Audrey Reeder

    Audrey Reeder

    Headteacher

    Special Education Lead, Secondary

    Designated Safeguarding Lead

    B.A. Hons. French & Span, Oxford Univ.; PGCE French, Oxford Univ.

    Audrey founded The Olive Tree School in 2010 and still teaches in secondary school.

    Audrey loves art, history and being in nature.

  • Kevin Eastwood

    Assistant Headteacher in Secondary; English Teacher 

    MA in Education: Leading Innovation and Change, St Mary's University. 

    PGCE for Secondary Education, Worcester University.

    BA (Hons) in Performance for Live and Recorded Media, Teeside University.
    Kevin loves Japanese literature and has enjoyed traveling in Mexico and Indonesia.

  • Assistant Primary Headteacher

    Joshua Rutledge

    Assistant Headteacher in Primary
    (Saplings, Years 1-3) ; Year 4 Teacher; Creative Curriculum Co-ordinator

    Special Education Lead, EY - Yr 3

    BA Hons in Geography, Northumbria Univ.; PGCE, Sunderland Univ.

    Josh loves cooking and enjoys football and running.

  • Year 4 Class Teacher

    Anna Johnson

    Assistant Headteacher Primary (Years 4-6); Class Teacher Year 4; Performing Arts Coordinator

    Special Education Lead, Years 4-6

    BA Hons in Drama, York Univ.; PGCE Primary Education, York Univ.

    Anna loves musical theatre, singing and playing the piano.

Our Saplings Teachers (Ages 3 - 5)

  • Maz Newton

    Class Teacher Saplings

    BSc in Psychology with Drama, Manchester Metropolitan University, CELTA English Teacher and PGCE in Primary Teaching, Leeds Beckett University; CELTA - Teacher of English as a Foreign Language

    Marianne is interested in psychology, mental health and wellbeing and also loves fitness, snowboarding and performing arts!

  • Montse Ausin

    Teaching Assistant in Saplings

    BSc in Administration.

    Montse loves art and crafts, photography, reading and getting lost in nature.

  • Saplings Teacher

    Emily Begg

    Teaching Assistant in Saplings

    TEFL - Teaching English as a Foreign Language certificate

    COBIS – Diploma International Teaching Assistant EarlyYears (DITAEY)

    Emily enjoys walking, yoga, swimming, and travelling with her family.

Our Primary Teachers (Ages 5 - 11)

  • Nelia Fourie

    Class Teacher Year 1

    BEd Foundation Phase (Bachelor Degree in Primary Education, specialising in Learner Support and Guidance Counselling) - North-West University (Potchefstroom Campus)

    BEdHons (Honours Degree in Educational Psychology)  North-West University (Potchefstroom Campus)

    Nelia loves traveling, cooking and art! 

  • Clare Balayla Hird

    Teaching Assistant Year 1

    TEFL Teaching English as a Foreign Language

    Clare has a background teaching English as a foreign language for the past 20 years, especially Young Learners.

    She enjoys cooking, reading and walking in the countryside with her dog.


  • Zoë Simmons

    Class Teacher Year 2

    BA English Literature, Cardiff University; MSt in English Literature, Oxford University; PGCE Primary, Oxford Brookes University.

    Zoë loves swimming in the sea and baking cakes.

  • Rebecca Rohde

    Teaching Assistant Year 2 and Primary PE teacher

    B.A. in English Philology, Pedagogy and History, Münster Univ.; Certified Educadora Infantil, IfP Barcelona.

    PGCE

    Rebecca likes running with her dogs and doing triathlons.

  • Sharon Rose

    Year 3 Teacher

    B.A. Hons Managing Cultural and Major Events

    PGCE Lancaster University

    NNEB Diploma

    Sharon is very artistic with food and fabric! She loves baking celebration cakes and sewing anything she can get her hands on.

  • Karen Holmes

    Teaching Assistant in Year 3

    Karen also runs The Little Dome, a Nature Hub, bringing communities together via Gardening & Well-being activities.

    Karen is also an Alliance registered Yoga Instructor - Vinyasa Mysore 

    Diploma in Art Therapy 

    Children in Permaculture - Level 1 

    Karen is a well travelled mum and enjoys time with her family & nature

  • Saskia van der Kleij

    Teaching Assistant Year 4

    BA Social Work, Utrecht, the Netherlands

    Level 5 TEFL course, The TEFL academy UK

    Saskia loves spending time with her family and friends, and enjoys hiking and traveling.

  • Karen Duligall

    Class Teacher Year 5

    BSc Hons in Applied Biology, Imperial College, London.; PGCE, Cheltenham and Gloucester College of Higher Education

    Karen loves swimming, knitting, reading and traveling.

  • Helen McKetty

    Teaching Assistant in Year 5; SEN teacher; speech therapist.

    BA Hons, German, Nottingham Univ.; PG Dip, Speech and Language Therapy, London City Univ.

    Helen enjoys reading, cooking, swimming in the sea and walking in the countryside.

  • Will Smith

    Class Teacher Year 6 & Maths Coordinator

    BA Primary Education with QTS, Edge Hill University.

    Will plays for a local football team and enjoys playing the guitar.

  • Lizzie Langdon-Davies

    Teaching Assistant Year 6

    Level 4 Diploma in Therapeutic Counselling,  London South East Colleges

    Certificate of Higher Education in Contemporary Dance 

    (London Contemporary Dance School)

    Validated by University of Kent 

    Lizzie loves dancing, swimming in the sea and going to theme parks.

  • Shama Arif Azmi

    Primary Special Education Teacher

    DBA - Psychology, English & Journalism, Bangalore University

    M.Sc General Psychology, Bangalore University

    Diploma in Autism Spectrum Disorders

    Diploma in Reading & Writing Difficulties

    Shama loves writing poetry and enjoys travelling and listening to old Hindi songs.

  • Lulu Melotte

    Primary & Secondary Drama Teacher. Teaching support, Primary and Early Years, KS1 choir leader.

    NCFE Cache Level 3 Certification in Supporting Learning & Teaching in Schools. Inspiring drama teacher diploma.

    Lulu has a background in acting, voice artistry and production.

    Lulu directs the senior musical theatre club and loves singing jazz.

  • Aina Bosch Codina

    Spanish and Catalan teacher

    BA in Early Childhood Education and Primary School Teaching, majoring in English (Universitat de Vic-Universitat Central de Catalunya).

    Aina loves travelling, and writing and enjoys getting out into the countryside.

  • Ayesha Mendham

    Music and Choir leader

    BA (Hons) Social Psychology from the University of Sussex,

    BKA Certificate of Professional Practice in the Kodàly Concept of Music Education,

    RSL Level 4 Professional Diploma in Teaching Performing Arts,

    Choral Leadership & Pedagogy from the Association of British Choral Directors,

    Ayesha loves travelling, yoga, ceramics, and dance.

Our Secondary Teachers (Ages 12-16)

  • Brooke Cairns

    History & Geography Teacher; Outdoor Learning Coordinator

    Diversity & Cultural Inclusion Lead

    BA Geography (Univ. of Newcastle); PGCE Secondary Humanities (Univ. of Sunderland)

    Brooke loves reading and hiking.

  • Lindsay Corr

    English Teacher

    BA Hons in English Language and Literature, Plymouth University.

    PGCE in Secondary Education with Enhanced SEN training, Truro College partnered with the University of Exeter.

    Lindsay loves the outdoors and spends her time taking road trips along the coast in her campervan with her dog, Summer.

  • Annette Pollard

    Chemistry, Biology and Physics Teacher

    BSc Physics Exeter University

    PGCE Secondary Science, Bristol University

    Annette loves swimming, surfing and hiking

  • Paula Hetherington

    Mathematics & Science Teacher; Mentor

    B.Ed Mathematics, Univ. of Canberra; Dip. Teaching Mathematics & Science, Univ. of Technology, Queensland; Qualified Teacher Status, De Montfort Univ.

    Paula loves cooking, baking and walking her dog.

  • Jara Sanchez-Ocaña

    Primary & Secondary Spanish Teacher & Secondary Spanish Humanities

    CELTA certificate (Spanish as a foreign language teaching certificate)

    QTS and taught MFL in London for 7 years

    CAP ( Equivalente to PGCE), Universidad de Oviedo

    Bachelor degree in Philosophy, Universidad de Oviedo

    Jara loves basketball and trekking.

  • Joan Bonastre

    Spanish Teacher

    B.A. Humanities

    M.A. Teaching Spanish as a Foreign Language

    M.A. Creative Writing

    M.A. Literary Research: Spanish and Latin American Literature

    Joan loves languages and teaching them, as they enable us to live and travel the world. He also enjoys hiking and basketball.

  • Aileen Hamilton

    Art & Design Teacher

    BA Fine Art (National College of Art & Design, Dublin); Higher Diploma in Art & Design Education (National College of Art & Design, Dublin)

    Aileen is a painter and loves making art.

  • Beatriz Chumassy

    Beatriz Chumassy

    Art & Design

    BA Communication (Universidad Ibearoamericana, Mexico); Master in Art Therapy (Universidad Pompeu Fabra / Escuela Metafora, Barcelona)

    Beatriz teaches art projects to pupils Y7, Y8 and Y9.

    Beatriz loves yoga, dance and walking in nature.

  • Tamara Naval Pesqué

    PE Teacher

    Sports Science Graduate , The National Institute of Physical Education (INEFC), Lleida

    Pedagogical Aptitude Cert. from the Univ. of Lleida

    Master in Sports Management, The National Institute of Phys Educ (INEFC), Leida

    Tamara love transmitting the values of physical activity and sport to the pupils at The Olive Tree School.

  • Secondary Teaching Assistant

    Francisca de Teves Costa

    Teaching Assistant in Secondary & Exams Officer.

    BA, English Literature, London Univ.

    Francisca loves reading, travel and film.

  • Ricardo Sanchez

    ICT and Music teacher

    Master in Education Technology with La Salle Campus, Madrid

    Ricardo loves composing music, and is a keen tennis player.

Our administration team

  • Saray Gallego

    Front of House & First Aid

    Red Cross First Aid (Asistencia Sanitaria Immediata, Level II); lifeguard training.

    Saray loves reading and traveling.

  • James Hoyle

    Finance Director

    MA History, Oxford Univ.

    James loves cooking, gardening, mountain biking and walking.

  • Ursula Ragettli

    Finance & Accounts

    B.A. Accountancy, KLZ Zurich.

    Ursula dances tango, loves art and being in nature.

  • Jessica Bruzeau

    Admissions Manager

    BA Psychology, University of Nice.

    BA Education Science University of Lyon.

    French as a foreign language Degree, Alliance Française, Paris.

    Jessica loves to read, dance & travel.