Teachers
Team Leaders | |
Year 3 | Year 4 |
Mrs. Stretton (3SS)
Hello. I’m Mrs. Stretton. I began teaching at Michael Drayton in 2004 as a newly qualified teacher and I’ve loved developing my practice and being a part of children’s progress through our school over the last 19 years.
I particularly enjoy teaching in Year 3, watching our youngest pupils grow in confidence and independence whilst learning the Michael Drayton Way. In this year group, children show huge progress, not just academically, but also socially and emotionally and it’s a real pleasure to watch them develop during their time at Michael Drayton. I pride myself on helping children (and their parents) to settle at our school, through being approachable and listening to their worries and needs.
I have a particular passion for Music and the Performing Arts and I’m proud to work at a school that holds creativity and expression in such high regard. My hopes for this year are similar to any other year: for the children in my class to be ready to move on to Year 4 as happy, confident, articulate individuals, with a love of learning and a curiosity about the world around them. I hope we will have lots of fun along the way!
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Miss. Pannell (4KP)
From a young age, I always knew that I wanted to be a teacher and follow in the footsteps of those who had inspired me.
I have now been teaching for 17 years and during that time, I have worked in several schools within Warwickshire and undertaken many different roles. I joined the Michael Drayton team in 2018 and lead Reading and Moderation across our school, as well as being Year 4 Team Leader.
Teaching is my passion, and I am committed to providing a rich, challenging and diverse curriculum for all the pupils at MDJS. This year, I am excited about creating numerous wonderful memories for our Year 4 pupils and supporting them to reach their full potential.
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Year 5 | Year 6 |
Mrs. Wainwright (5JW)
I’ve been teaching at Michael Drayton for more than a decade and really enjoy both my roles in class and as part of the senior leadership team.
My favourite subjects in school are Maths and PE – things I’m lucky enough to be able to teach on a regular basis. I’m looking forward to passing on my enthusiasm for these, and other subjects, to the children in my class and year group.
Outside of school I love spending time with my family and crazy border-collie. I’m often found outdoors – walking the dog, playing on the water (paddle boarding, surfing and kayaking) and riding my bike. My class are also often found outdoors making the most of our fabulous grounds – great for our well-being and learning.
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Hello, I am James Reardon and I am a teacher and Team Leader working in Year 6. As if part of the furniture now, I have worked at Michael Drayton Junior School for nearly twenty years yet I am still as enthusiastic about children's learning as when I started.
My favourite subject to teach is Literacy which is why I enjoy my role as English Subject Leader so much. My main achievement in this role has been to popularise the reading of graphic novels in school so the stories I read can be enjoyed as much by me as by readers of all abilities.
Outside of school, and despite my advancing age, I enjoy rock climbing, running and walking in the mountains. It is my long-held ambition to travel to the Himalayas to see awesomeness of Mount Everest with my own eyes.
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Year 3 Teachers | |
Miss Davidson (3FD)
My name is Miss Davidson and currently I am teaching in Year 3. During the six years that I have worked at Michael Drayton Junior School, I have also taught in Year 4 and Year 5.
Throughout this time, I have developed a wide range of experiences in various curriculum areas; these include co-leading Art and leading Big Maths and Maths Fluency. Furthermore, I have led three pupil voice groups: House Captains, Junior Road Safety Officers, and Community Cohesion Officers.
I believe that every child can achieve, and I strive to support them to develop both academically and emotionally. This year, I hope that the children will perceive my classroom as a safe and supportive learning environment and I look forward to seeing them flourish.
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Mrs Gittins (3SG)
I’m Mrs Gittins and I teach in Year 3. I have taught in all year groups at Michael Drayton for many years.
My specialist subject is science, which I lead, and I am also in charge of outdoor learning. I like to take learning outside, helping children to develop a love for the outdoors that will hopefully stay with them into adulthood.
I am an enthusiastic teacher who likes learning to be enjoyable, and for all children to achieve their potential. I expect my class to always do their best, have fun and to leave year 3 ready for the next step.
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Miss Kaur (3SK)
My name is Miss Kaur. This is my first year of teaching at Michael Drayton Junior School and I’m excited to use my previous teaching experience across KS1 and KS2 to implement effective and engaging teaching strategies within my year 3 class.
One of my strengths as a teacher is my creativity which allows me to approach learning from various angles, making even the most challenging subjects engaging and accessible to my pupils. My plan for the year ahead is to foster a genuine love for learning among my students, through my own passion of learning.
I aim to provide a warm, welcoming, and positive environment where children can not only acquire knowledge so my pupils can grow into confident, compassionate individuals ready to embrace the opportunities of the future.
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Mr Riches (3LR)
My name is Mr. Riches and I qualified as a Primary school teacher in 2015. I started working at Michael Drayton in September 2023 in Year 3.
I have a wide range of experience teaching across all year groups within the primary phase from my previous roles.
Throughout my teaching career so far, I have lead subjects across the curriculum including, Languages, E-safety, Computing and Spoken Language. In addition, I have contributed to the development of long-term curriculum maps to ensure the best opportunities and experiences for the children in my care.
I am looking forward to the year ahead creating a positive, nurturing environment for the children to reach their full potential.
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Year 4 Teachers | |
Mrs Allsop (4GA)
Hi, I am Mrs Allsop. I am the class teacher in 4GA. I have been teaching at Michael Drayton Junior School since 2016 and have taught all year groups across the school. I enjoy teaching all subjects across the curriculum, but particularly enjoy maths and science.
Having taught year 6 last year, I am excited to be teaching different topics in history and geography to my class, my favourite year 4 topics being Extreme Earth and Vikings. My hopes for this year is that the pupils in 4GA have a fantastic year where they have lots of memorable experiences and that their love of learning shines.
Outside of school, I am a keen photographer and like to share my knowledge with pupils in a photography after school club. During school holidays, I like to travel and have recently bought a trailer tent. My husband, dog (Murphy) and I are attempting to visit as many castles and canals around the UK as possible.
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Mrs Banks (4MB)
I have been a teacher for 26 years and have taught children from Reception to Year 8. I began my teaching career in London, before moving to New Zealand for a number of years, where I continued to teach and enjoy the experiences living and working in a different country offered.
On my return to the UK, I joined MDJS and have been part of the team here since 2017. I am also part of the maths team and enjoy teaching maths. It is my hope that by the end of year 4, students will leave with a plethora of positive memories and experiences alongside a love of learning and a sense of success.
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Miss Foy (4LF)
Hello, my name Is Miss Foy, and this is my first-year teaching at Micheal Drayton School. I am a dedicated and passionate primary school teacher with a strong commitment to fostering a positive and inclusive learning environment. I have had experience working within a variety of educational settings developing effective pedagogy strategies to develop my role as a teacher.
My skills include teaching a wide range of subjects to ensure academic and personal development, engaging in ongoing professional development staying up to date with the latest educational practises. I have expanded my skills in tailoring teaching methods to accommodate diverse learning styles and abilities.
I am committed to continue the nurturing of growth and development of young minds and creating a positive learning environment within the classroom. My target for this year is to ensure all children in my class excel and achieve to their greatest potential and overall enjoy their learning!
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I’m Miss Phillips, I have a love for reading resulting in a slight addiction to buying books. My favourite author is Agatha Christie, thanks to my Great Grandmother’s love for her.
If I’m not reading, I love all things arts and crafts whether that is water colour painting or embroidering pictures, both I find very relaxing. I have a cocker spaniel called Rocky who loves to go for long walks and visits to the sea whenever possible.
I have been a teacher for 8 years and I am currently teaching my 6th year at Michael Drayton, I love to create a calm and inviting environment in my classroom. Over the past couple of years, I have become the subject leader of Design and Technology, utilising my creative nature to create a fun and practical learning environment.
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Year 5 Teachers | |
I started working at MDJS as a teaching assistant with the hope of progressing into a career of teaching. My journey in doing so took a few years longer than I had planned but with a positive attitude and perseverance I succeeded and have now been a fully qualified teacher for 3 years- this academic year will be my 4th.
I previously taught in Year 4 for 3 years and am now excited to have the chance to teach in Year 5. I am also the lead of PSHE and the Rights Respecting School squad. I enjoy being creative and have qualifications in Art and Design as well as a degree in Visual Communication (Graphic Design).
My hopes for the pupils this year is to help build upon independence and a growth mindset to have the confidence achieving anything they want to in preparation for Year 6 and beyond!
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I started working at MDJS as an NQT in 2020 during the year of the outbreak of Covid-19. My journey to becoming a teacher took 9 years, I started off in nurseries and infant schools developing my knowledge of phonics; the seven phases, and learning through play. This progressed to a degree in education and finished with a PGCE in primary education with an expressive arts specialism.
I have been qualified for 3 years and am currently in my fourth year of teaching. I previously taught year 3 for 3 years and am now a teacher in year 5. I now lead Geography at MDJS.
When I was in school, I was usually told by teachers of the older generation that I would not succeed, therefore with a lot of determination and perseverance I made it my goal to go into schools and put a positive spin on education ensuring all children have a clear understanding that if they want something hard enough; nothing is impossible. Additionally, during my years of training, I have specialised and worked with a wide range of complex and behaviour needs.
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I am relatively new to MDJS, I started teaching in one of the Year 5 classes last Spring Term. I really enjoyed teaching the topic lessons last academic year and I am excited to teach these topics to our new Year 5s.
One of my favourite lessons to teach is science and most of my qualifications are based around this subject, in particular living things. Outside of school I have an interest in horses and enjoy spending time exploring the countryside with my two dogs. This year my hope is to support and enable the class to have the confidence to achieve anything they want to. I would also hope to spark the children’s curiosity for learning new things.
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This is my 9th year of teaching at Michael Drayton Junior School, having previously worked at other schools in Coventry and Nuneaton. In this time, I have taught classes in all years from 3-6 and fulfilled the role of Subject Leader for Art and Design for the majority of this period.
As well as Art, I love teaching writing and maths, but possibly my favourite thing to do is to read with the class and unravel a good novel. I enjoy listening to audiobooks on long dog walks, drawing and playing board games with my family. I’m also a big football fan – both playing recreationally (though my knees tend to disagree) and watching Arsenal men’s and women’s teams (though my blood pressure tends to disagree).
My hopes for the year ahead for 5SW are that by the end of the year, each of my pupils will believe me when I tell them how wonderful I think they are. I hope they will feel confidence in meeting their challenges, satisfaction in how hard they’ve worked and pride in how far they have come. I suspect, though, most of all, come the end of July, that I will simply hope I get the chance to teach them again!
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Year 6 Teachers | |
Mr Groom (6AG)
After completing my teacher training in the city of York, I am proud to say that I have been teaching at Michael Drayton Junior School for 12 years now.
In school, I am in charge of Spelling, Punctuation and Grammar (SPaG) and English is one of my favourite subjects alongside History. Outside of school, I enjoy spending time with my family and reading stories to my two young twin daughters. I am also a keen gardener, like penguins and enjoy going to watch Leicester City play, my hometown football team. I pride myself on having high expectations, a tidy, organised classroom and in embedding a mutual feeling of respect.
As your teacher, I want the best for each and every one of my pupils. I am committed to supporting them and providing them with the tools and knowledge to succeed and reach their full potential. During their time in 6AG, I look forward to getting to know them all better, not just academically, but as an all-round person. I hope that together we will have both an enjoyable and memorable year.
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Hello, this year will be my sixth at Michael Drayton Junior School. I am an enthusiastic presence in the classroom who really enjoys working with children. Although this will be my first time as a Year 6 teacher, I have several years of experience in Upper Key Stage 2 and am excited for the new challenge. As the History coordinator, I am passionate about teaching History as well as Writing and PE. Outside of the classroom I love football, comics, movies, and gaming.
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After completing my teaching training in Birmingham, I graduated at the age of 20! (Perks of being born in August.)
This is now my fifth year of teaching at Michael Drayton Junior School and I am the leader of Religious Education and SMSC. However, I also thoroughly enjoy teaching Maths and History. Outside of school, I enjoy going hiking, completing escape rooms, going to the gym and I am fascinated by animals (camels being my favourite)! I would like to consider myself an expert in Harry Potter and all things related to Marvel!
As a teacher, I like to have high expectations of my class in which: pupils try their hardest and persevere with their learning; everyone treats each other with mutual respect and kindness, and everybody enjoys themselves! This year, I know 6HK will do a brilliant job of adopting a positive attitude and a growth mindset, and apply this to all aspects of their learning. I know that they will give each lesson their 100% effort. I am sure that they will do lots of growing, academically and personally, this year! I can’t wait to see how the rest of this year unfolds.
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Hi! I’m Miss Soanes. This is my fifth year of teaching (can you believe it?!). I’ve taught Years 3, 5 and 6 before, and this is my third year in Year 6!
It’s a privilege to help educate and shape these children at such an important year in their lives. For the second year in a row, I’m in charge of the School Council, where I work with a great group of children to fundraise for charity and organise events. Our Children in Need Bake Off and Red Nose Day raffle were a particular success last year! I also lead the subject of P4C (Philosophy for Children).
My favourite subjects are Literacy, History and Art because I enjoy being creative, using my imagination and learning about the past. I look forward to seeing what this year brings.
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Additional Teaching Staff | |
I started working at MDJS as a teaching assistant 9 years ago. 18 months ago, my role changed to be a Cover Supervisor - securing consistency for our pupils when staff are absent.
My role takes me across the school. Outside of school, I enjoy crafts and reading. My hopes for the pupils this year is create some amazing memories here at MDJS and to also to support our pupils to reach their potential.
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¡Hola! I am the languages teacher at MDJS and have been part of the furniture for 14 years! I teach Spanish to all 20 classes each week. I enjoy music, watching sport and the occasional cryptic crossword.
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My name is Mr Coupland, and I am the Physical Education Teacher here at Michael Drayton Junior School.
My passion for sport began in my own school years and it has always been an ambition of mine to teach. I completed my teacher training in 2021 and began working as a sports coach shortly after. I have taught PE and ran after school clubs/ extracurricular competitions across the EYFS, KS1 and KS2.
Away from teaching I enjoy playing football for my local team on Saturdays and watching as many sporting events as I can. |
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Mr Eardley
Mr CouplandOur Learning Support Team | |||
Mrs Collins | Mrs Brindley
| Miss Fennell (Outdoor Learning) | Mrs Dixon-Joist |
Mrs Watt | Mrs Brocklehurst | Miss Gilbert |
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