Senior Leadership Team

Mrs E Gill, Head: BEd Hons, NPQH, NASENCO. Mrs Gill qualified as a teacher after studying History and Education at The University of York and then a PGCE at The University of Hull. Since qualifying she has taught pupils aged 3-11 in a variety of school settings including a school with a Special Needs Resource and another with a Speech and Language unit. She has been a headteacher since 2016 and has worked in schools across the state sector, moving into the independent sector in 2021. She is a fully qualified SENCO and has an MA in Teaching and Learning.

Mrs L Butler, Deputy Head: BEd Hons Primary Technology, NPQH. Mrs Butler began her working life at Lloyds Bank before changing careers and qualifying as a teacher after studying at Sheffield Hallam University. Since qualifying in 1996 she has taught pupils aged 3-11 in a variety of school settings in both Lincolnshire and Yorkshire, taking on different roles of responsibility. She joined the Foundation in 2008, initially developing the DT provision in QEGS Junior Section, before joining SLT in Pre-Prep where she now holds the role of Deputy Head and EYFS manager.

Mrs J Taylor, Assistant Head Pastoral: BA Hons (UCS, University of Durham), PGCE KS2 & KS3 (University of Bradford), MSc (University of Roehampton), FCMI CMgr. Mrs Taylor studied European Studies with French and Spanish at Durham University. Her teacher training took place in Kirklees teaching Key Stage 2 and Key Stage 3. She joined the Foundation in 2011, and has taught in both our Junior section schools, before settling into her current role as a Year 2 teacher. In 2022 she was appointed Assistant Head with Pastoral responsibilities. Mrs Taylor graduated with a MSc in Leadership and Management in Education in September 2023.

Year 1

Mrs C Martin, 1CM: BA (Hons) Primary Education with English (Leeds Trinity). Mrs Martin began her career within the creative side of Reprographics. Following a break to raise a family she retrained as a Primary School Teacher qualifying in 2008. She has worked as an FS2 and Year 1 teacher in the state sector before joining the Foundation to teach in Year 1.

Mrs R Mayes, 1RM: BEd (Hons) (Leicester). Mrs Mayes began her career in 1995 at a state primary school in Corby where she taught for 6 years before relocating to Yorkshire. She then worked at Richmond House Independent School in Leeds for 8 years before joining the Foundation in 2010. She has taught classes in Key Stage 1 and lower Key Stage 2. She currently teaches Year 1, where she is Literacy lead and Year 1 lead.

Mrs L Wale, 1LW: BEd (Hons) (Lancaster). Mrs Wale has over 25 years experience of teaching children aged 3-7. After qualifying in 1991, she worked in the state sector for 18 years, teaching across Early Years Foundation Stage, Year 1 and Year 2. Her roles during this period included Leading Literacy Teacher, EYFS leader and SENCO. Mrs Wale joined the Foundation in 2016 as an EYFS teacher before moving to Year 1 in 2022.

Miss N Waudby, 1NW: BSc (FND) Sport Science (Loughborough University), BSc (Hons) Child Studies (Open University), PGCE General Primary (St Mary’s University). Miss Waudby began her career working as a lead gymnastics instructor in London delivering a developmental programme for children aged 6 months to 12 years old. She started her teaching career in 2015 in an inner city London school and since moving back to Wakefield she has continued teaching in the independent sector. Miss Waudby has had the unique opportunity to work across the Foundation, teaching in our Junior section schools and now in Pre-Prep.

Specialist Support Staff

Mrs L Browning, Music Teacher: BMus (Hons) (Sheffield University) and PGCE Lower Primary (Cambridge University). Mrs Browning started her career teaching EYFS and Year 1 at an independent school in Surrey. After returning to Wakefield in 2001 she was able to pursue her passion for music. As well as a pianist, she specialises in woodwind with her principal instrument being the bassoon. She became the music specialist for the Pre Prep in 2010. She has an interest in languages and recently became the MFL lead.

Mrs V Gardiner, Foundation Director of Learning Support: BEd Hons, NASENCO, AAA – Patoss. Mrs Gardiner qualified as a teacher with a Geography specialisation in 1993 at Birmingham University. Since qualifying she has taught pupils aged 3-18 in a variety of school settings. Most of her roles have been linked to inclusion and included community engagement projects. She took her first leadership role as a SENCo in 2014.  She is now a fully qualified SENCO and Access Arrangement assessor. 

Mr J Ward, PE & Games Teacher: BA (Hons) Sport, Exercise and Physical Activity (Durham University). Mr Ward began his career working for a sports coaching company in Kirklees in 2012 before moving into the state education sector. He has taught PE in a range of primary schools within Sheffield and Barnsley, developing his passion for early intervention in physical activity. He then moved into the private sector; running SWFC’s community programme in schools before returning to teaching. Mr Ward joined Pre-Prep in September 2022. Away from work he has a love of sport, in particular cricket where he is a qualified cricket and multi skills coach and now umpires in the Yorkshire Cricket Southern Premier League.