SANCTON WOOD - Key Persons
Job Titles:
- Chairman
- Founder
- Our Chairman and Founder
Aatif founded Dukes Education in 2015. He is also Chairman of Cavendish Education, a group of 11 schools for pupils with dyslexia and autism; and a trustee of St James Independent Schools. Aatif is also on the board of CReSTeD.
Aatif has a first-class degree in Mathematics and Economics and also had a British Army commission. In 2020, he was awarded the Freedom of City of London for services to education.
Job Titles:
- Finance Director of Dukes Education / Founder and Chairman
Job Titles:
- Member of the Senior Leadership Team
- Head of Senior School
Debra obtained her degree in English Literature from the University of Sussex and her MA from Anglia Ruskin University in Cambridge.
Prior to becoming a teacher, she had a varied career in the media and creative industries in London, working in the public and private sector. In addition to the UK, she has lived and worked in North America and Southeast Asia. She resettled with her family in East Anglia and retrained as a teacher. She worked in the state sector in schools in Essex, Suffolk and Cambridge. She taught English through to ‘A' Level, developed creative writing programmes and managed a project for economically disadvantaged students, focused on giving opportunities outside of the classroom.
She continues to be curious about the world and all things creative, but more than anything, likes the company of her own family.
Job Titles:
- Member of the Senior Leadership Team
- Assistant Principal ( Pastoral ) and Designated Safeguarding Lead
- Specialist
Hannah is a pastoral specialist who has responsibility for the well being and support of the students at Sancton Wood. She is ideally suited to this role as she has the dual qualifications of a PGCE and a Systemic Family Therapy qualification. She has more than 20 years of teaching experience and prior to starting at Sancton Wood, she was Head of Pastoral Care at Cambridge International School and before that an RE teacher in two state schools in Manchester.
Job Titles:
- Member of the Senior Leadership Team
- Assistant Principal ( Academic )
Having qualified from ARU Cambridge with a BSC (Hons) in Env Biology in 1996, I went onto work in conservation and then the veterinary world. Educating young people in the importance of protecting our planet led to an interest in primary education and I competed a PGCE in education at Homerton Cambridge. I spent 15 years teaching in the state sector followed by a move to Sancton Wood school where I have taught in every year group from Y1-11! I am committed in my role as Assistant Principal Academic to ensure that every child at SW reaches their academic potential through a relevant, challenging and enriched curriculum from the moment they step through the front door of the school receiving the support and encouragement they need to achieve the top results they deserve.
Job Titles:
- Member of the Senior Leadership Team
- Head of Prep School
Kylie is from New Zealand where she did her teacher training and received a Bachelor of education (Primary) from Auckland College of Education. She taught in New Zealand for 5 years before making the move to live in Cambridge. Kylie joined Sancton Wood in January 2011 after working in our sister school. Kylie has taught across the school in Years 2 to 7. In 2019 she became the Head of the Prep school.
Job Titles:
- Director of Operations
- Member of the Senior Leadership Team
Having worked in schools in the state sector for 15 years, Lisa moved into the independent sector in 2010, working as a bursar for a small group of schools. Since then she has continued to work with the group as Compliance Director, whilst undertaking the role of Bursar at Sancton Wood. She thoroughly enjoys the challenges of the role and working with the variety of schools in the group.
Job Titles:
- Member of the Senior Leadership Team
- Head of Nursery and Pre - Prep
Nic has a 2:1 hons degree in Psychology from The University of Liverpool, a PGCE from the Institute of Education, London and also successfully completed a MA level SENDCo accreditation. Prior to working at Sancton Wood, Nic spent 10 years in the state sector across Peterborough and South Lincolnshire where she was a lead Early Years teacher. Whilst working for Sancton Wood, Nic has completed the Senior Leadership training with Dukes, has been a moderator for the local authority and is part of the Executive Committee for Little Dukes.
Prof Mark Bailey was educated at Durham University, where he obtained a first-class degree in Economic History, and then went on to the University of Cambridge, where he was awarded a PhD in History. His academic career between 1986 and 1999 included Fellowships at two Cambridge colleges, lecturing in Medieval History, and spells as an Admissions Tutor and Domus Bursar. In 1999 he became Headmaster of Leeds Grammar School and in 2008 oversaw its merger with Leeds Girls' High School. He has been a headteacher for 18 years.
Mark was the 2018-19 James Ford Lecturer in British History at the University of Oxford and a Visiting Fellow of All Souls, Oxford. He previously played rugby for Wasps and England and captained Suffolk at cricket. He was President of Cambridge University RUFC between 2010 and 2018.
Most recently, Mark Bailey was the High Master of St Paul's School in London and is a Visiting Professor of Later Medieval History at the University of East Anglia.
Job Titles:
- Member of the Senior Leadership Team
- Principal
Prior to becoming Principal at Sancton Wood School in 2009, Richard gained 15 years of experience in the state sector, working in Manchester, Cambridge, and Luton as an English teacher, Head of Department and Advanced Skills Teacher. Under his leadership, Sancton Wood has expanded significantly and now has 360 students aged 1-16 across three separate sites. A great believer in the importance of kindness and pastoral support, Richard's mission statement is a simple one: to make each and every pupil aware of his or her innate qualities and skills, and to develop these to full capacity.
He's also a lifelong Manchester City supporter, marathon runner, and proud father of two.