Our Staff

I didn't take the traditional route into teaching. I started as a mature student studying English, History and Sociology at Anglia Polytechnic University. I then completed a School Centre Initial Teacher Training Programme (SCITT) which meant I spent term time in school working alongside experienced teachers and the school holidays in college. I started my teaching career at a large primary school in King's Lynn and completed my NQT year there. This meant I had the same class every day teaching them the National Curriculum subjects. I stayed at the same school for 11 years before moving to Downham Preparatory School, where I have spent many hours working alongside Mrs Sharpe to ensure I deliver a curriculum challenging enough for the children of Downham Prep School. I love working at the school, as I am able to work with all the children on an individual basis and watch them grow. When I'm not at school I run my own Brownie unit, I'm a committee member on the local playing field committee, I'm treasurer for a local school Friends committee and I run the tea hut for a local youth football team.

I also have a husband and two children at home who sometimes require my attention too. As a family we love to water-ski in the summer, something I have enjoyed since I was a small child and my children now share this enjoyment too. I also enjoy reading adult and children's literature and swimming, when I have time.

I have worked as a Teaching Assistant at Downham Preparatory School and Montessori Nursery since 2013. I started as an Advanced Level Apprentice in the nursery and then as a general classroom Teaching Assistant, also providing one to one support.

I have gained various Level 3 qualifications which enable me to work in Early Years all the way up to 18-year-olds.

For the last couple of years, the majority of my role has been providing one to one support. 

I enjoy my role as every day is different.  I find my job very rewarding, especially as you see the children you work with progress in their learning journey and achieve things they never believed they could.

I have worked at Downham Preparatory school for 25 years and I have never wished to teach elsewhere as teaching at Downham Preparatory school allows me to teach my specialist subject rather than having to teach a little of each subject. I believe subject teaching allows the children to receive a higher quality of teaching. I also believe the school provides an excellent environment for the children to grow and learn in, which is why I chose the school for my daughter. The skills and love of learning my daughter gained at Downham Preparatory helped to make her transition to secondary school a very smooth one and provided her with all the skills she needed. Working at Downham Preparatory school allows me to work together with the other staff to provide an interesting and stimulating learning environment for the children in a beautiful setting.

Originally a Suffolk girl, I attended Culford School for most of my school education benefiting from amazing sporting opportunities. I sat my A levels at County Upper School.

After studying a 4 year teaching degree at Brighton University, I was offered a job for my NQT year at King Edward VI school Bury St Edmunds. I stayed there for a further 5 years. Sadly, after losing my mother, I decided life was too short and I would follow my dream of event riding professionally.

I did this successfully for a further 6 years, breeding and producing horses, riding up to what is now 4* level and competing at prestigious events, such as Blenheim, and internationally at Samur in France.

During this time, I met my husband, who farms locally to Downham Market. Both he and his sister attended Downham Prep and have very fond memories of the school. Robert and I have two children, Mia and Archie, who also both attend the school.

At a young age, I knew that my vocation was in Education. I began by specialising in teaching and training in a retail environment then moved into teaching and liaising in programmes for those who struggled to fit into mainstream education and those with learning disabilities like dyslexia and dyspraxia.

My teaching experience in the UK includes colleges and high schools across Kent, Norfolk and Staffordshire. I have also worked in Dubai where I was the Head of Literacy in Reception, writing curriculum and lesson plans for the teachers at Gems Wellington Primary School. I have taught English, Maths, and Customer Service at GCSE level.
I found I missed primary education and I am so lucky to have found a permanent home at Downham Preparatory.

I hold an advanced certificate in Education from Christchurch University, a BA Hons in Management of Education, and a certificate in Professional Studies from Manchester Metropolitan University.

I am fortunate to be able to teach Music to the younger children and Drama throughout school. In these lessons, we explore through doing! In one lesson you could find Class 1 testing out percussion instruments, while class 6 and 7 are considering the qualities of a good director and applying these whilst directing their peers in sketches. With the support of the other staff members, I co-ordinate the summer production, which involves all pupils from Reception to Year 7. We are always so proud of our actors who try their best, achieving remarkable performances for their age.

As a member of the English department, you will find me happily sharing story books with classes 3 and 4. At Downham, we aim to inspire our pupils. Events such as visiting authors and theatre trips enhance the engaging work pupils undertake in class.

A passion of mine is Art, which I teach to classes 6 and 7. Having developed their Art skills further down the school, by this age, the pupils have the opportunity to develop their style and take increased ownership through their choice of medium or inspiration. With teacher guidance, pupils last year produced work of an exceptional standard.

My name is Mr Skelton and I teach IT and computing science throughout the school.  Everyone has a lesson every week where explore a range of different programs and discover how we can get a computer to help us achieve. We primarily use the pc's within our lesson but we also use ipads, floor robots and other tech to help us understand how computers can support us. During the year we complete a range of projects that develop word processing skills, data management, programming, computational thinking and understanding of e-safety. 

I have worked for Mrs Laffeaty -Sharpe since 2017, I first discovered the school in 2015 when my daughter first attended the Nursery, that is when I fell in love with the school, my daughter has since flourished. I gained my Level 3 Diploma for the Early Years Workforce (Early Years Educator) training in reception and within the nursery to complete my qualification.

I am very passionate about helping young children to develop into unique individuals and believe that early education is key to children’s overall development. This is achieved through a balanced learning environment that encourages them to play, discover, socialise and have fun! I enjoy getting to know the children and their interests, seeing them happy, confident and become independent. I feel proud when children achieve new challenges and learn new concepts, this is a very rewarding.

I have been working at Downham Preparatory school ever since I left school in 2017.

I have been working with sports companies ever since I was 14 as I have a passion for sport and for teaching. My chosen sport is football however I also partake in running, cycling and swimming, with a future goal to complete triathlons and an Ironman.     

My goal in teaching sports is to make sure children are staying healthy and active, to motivate them each day and to have the self-belief that they can achieve their goals, but most importantly I want to make sports a lesson they come into school looking forward to, where they’re not only learning and can build confidence but where they can also have fun.

I studied English and Music at Warwick University where I gained a B.Ed (Hons) for both subjects. I then went on to teach in Norfolk High schools. 

In more recent years I have supported and worked with many young children with a variety of needs. 

I am a Grade 8 Pianist and Oboist and I play the organ for my local church. 

I first started at Downham Preparatory School as a peripatetic piano teacher, I have more recently taken the position of Music teacher. I have introduced a school band and taken over Choir. I thoroughly enjoy teaching here and I am looking froward to bringing more music to Downham Preparatory School.