Meet the teachers and staff who make our school such an amazing place.
Meet the teachers and staff who make our school such an amazing place.
Headmaster, Somerhill
Head of Pre-Prep
Deputy Head, Academic
Sectional Lead Yardley Court
Deputy Head, Pastoral
Sectional Lead Derwent Lodge
Deputy Head, Pre-Prep
Deputy Head, Co-Curricular
Duncan Sinclair
Born in Zimbabwe, Duncan and his family moved to South Africa when he was 7. Educated at The Ridge Prep School and St Alban’s College, Pretoria, Duncan left school to enjoy a Gap Year at Port Regis in Dorset where he caught the teaching bug. Having read English at the University of Cape Town, he then gained his teaching qualification and joined the staff at the prestigious Diocesan College Prep in Cape Town; ‘Bishops’ for short. Not long afterwards, he was tempted to travel back to England again and joined the staff at St Michael’s, Otford in 2002 as a Year 4 class teacher, and the UK became home for good.
At St Michael’s, Duncan rose through the ranks to Head of Geography, Head of PSHE, Senior Master and finally Deputy Head. After 10 years, he sought Headship and was appointed Headmaster of Taunton Prep in Somerset in 2013. Following four successful years at the school, Duncan joined The Schools at Somerhill in 2017 and is the Principal of the Schools and Headmaster of Yardley Court.
With his wife, Georgie, and young boys Hamish, Callum and Fraser, Duncan can often be found scrambling about the garden playing diggers and tractors, or reading “We’re Going on a Bear Hunt” endlessly! After an early career in semi-professional rugby in the Western Province, he now plays village cricket for Knockholt, is a goalkeeper for Sevenoaks Hockey Club and enjoys the odd round of golf. Given his mum was a music teacher, Duncan also enjoys singing and has played the clarinet, trombone and tuba in the past, resurrecting his tuba playing skills to join his pupils in the Somerhill orchestra!
Amanda McKnight
Amanda McKnight completed her undergraduate degree at Glasgow University, after which she studied at Durham University gaining a Post Graduate Certificate in Education. She has teaching experience in State and Independent sector in both the UK and USA. Passionate about developing a true sense of adventure, curiosity and confidence in each child, Amanda is driven by the need to do the best for all children and help them find their unique ‘gift’, develop a growth mindset and become resilient little learners. She is proud to be leading a team of enthusiastic, dedicated, and caring staff at Somerhill Pre-Prep.
Amanda and her husband David have three children; two daughters away at university and their son is at Cranbrook School. When not working, she enjoys spending time with her family and friends. Before Amanda’s teaching career, she worked in Public Relations and Marketing.
Deputy Headteachers | |
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Alex Holmes | Deputy Head, Academic, Prep |
Sian Lambert | Deputy Head, Pastoral, Prep |
Matilda Lowe | Deputy Head, Pre-Prep |
Jonathan Shute | Deputy Head, Co-curricular, Prep |
Somerhill Prep Teaching staff | |
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Nicola Barker | Head of English and Latin |
Francoise Blair | Teacher |
Bianca Bodenham | Teacher and Year 5&6 coordinator (DL) |
Charlotte Bowers | Teacher |
Anna Byfield | Teacher |
Andrew Caldwell | Head of PSHE and Year 7&8 coordinator |
Lesley Carley | Teacher and Year 3 coordinator (YC & DL) |
Emma Cashmore | Teacher |
Jane Cook | Teacher |
Carol Cleaveland | Cover Teacher and TA |
Tom Davey | Director of Sport |
Shiralee Davies | Teacher |
Isabel Ewing | Head of History |
Jane Findlay | Director of Music |
Jessica Garraway | Teacher |
Hayley Hartley | Head of Art |
Elisha Hoggart | Teacher |
Emma Howard-Williams | Head of Digital Literacy |
Laura Kerr-Sheppard | Head of Girls Games |
Laura Latimore | Teacher |
Andrew Leach | Head of Engineering and PSB Lead |
Danielle Limpinnian | French Teacher |
Steve Little | Head of Drama |
Vanessa Markham | Teacher |
Tara McGowan | Head of PRE |
Natasha McGuigan | Teacher |
Clare Marples | Swimming Instructor |
Johnny Matthews | Head of Geography |
Alison McLaren | Teacher and Year 6 coordinator (YC) |
Shona McTernan | Teacher |
Sophie Mills | Swimming Instructor |
Lizzie Payne | Teacher |
Georgie Sinclair | Teacher |
Gavin Smith | Teacher |
Henry Smith | Head of Science |
Rebecca Spence | Teacher and Year 4 coordinator (YC & DL) |
Sam Spence | Head of Maths and Year 5 coordinator (YC) |
Aletta Spittal | Teacher |
Estelle Taylor-Langley | Head of French |
Stephanie Vidler | Music Teacher |
Gemma Whitlock | Swimming Instructor |
Jordan Wadsworth | Games Coach |
Mike Waller | Games Coach |
Mitchel Walker | Games Coach |
Alexander Warne | Teacher |
Anna Watson | Teacher |
Andrew Wood | Games Coach |
Somerhill Pre Prep Teachers | |
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Rachel Bond | Teacher |
Camilla Bullen | Teacher |
Jordyn Campbell | Teacher |
Tom Carter | PE Teacher |
Samantha Clarke | Saplings Teacher |
Nicola Davis | Teacher |
Amanda Dawes | Pre School Room Leader |
Elaine Dodge | Teacher |
Stephanie Ferrabee | Teacher |
Lynn Harding | Teacher |
Kate Herbert | Teacher |
Alice Highwood | Teacher |
Sarah Hutchings | Teacher |
Grace Laverick | Teacher |
Hazel Levy | Teacher |
Matilda Lowe | Teacher |
Claire Matthews | Teacher |
Rebecca McGrath | Teacher |
Louise Munn | Saplings Teacher |
Maddie Nagel | Teacher (Maternity cover) |
Amber Passey | Pre School Room Leader (Interim) |
Carla Streeton | Pre School Room Leader |
Sarah Woodgate | EYFS Lead |
Somerhill Teaching Assistants and Technicians | |
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Sarah Benham | Prep School Science Technician |
Chaithra Bantwal Harish | After School Care Assistant |
Alex Bell | Librarian |
Polly Bishop | Art Technician |
Alison Cowen | Teaching Assistant Year 3 |
Emily Dickinson | Pre Prep Teaching Assistant (Maternity cover) |
Natasha Fagg | Pre Prep Teaching Assistant |
Jane Gillett | Pre Prep Teaching Assistant |
Isabel Hopkins | Pre Prep Teaching Assistant |
Hayley Janeke | Pre Prep Teaching Assistant |
Sandra Jeffrey | Pre Prep Teaching Assistant |
Rebeca Loras | Pre Prep Teaching Assistant |
Claire Martin-Coward | Pre Prep Teaching Assistant |
Kathryn Mason | Pre Prep Teaching Assistant |
Beth Miles | Pre Prep Teaching Assistant |
Amanda Page | Pre Prep Teaching Assistant |
Emma Peerless | Pre Prep Teaching Assistant |
Chloe Perkins | Pre Prep Teaching Assistant |
Kerryn Smith | Pre Prep Teaching Assistant |
Emma Spender | Pre Prep Teaching Assistant |
Julie Taylor | Pre Prep Teaching Assistant |
Sarah Wakeford | Lead Teaching Assistant Pre-Prep |
Auxi Westhorp | Pre Prep Teaching Assistant |
Leah Verity White | Pre Prep Teaching Assistant |
Brandon Bullen | Gap student |
Callum Davis | Gap student |
Isabelle Hillsdon | Gap student |
Nathan Kahl | Gap student |
Somerhill Learning Support | |
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Sally Brown | SPP Learning Support Coordinator |
Janet Chick | Learning Support Teaching Assistant |
Kate Helyar | Head of Learning Support |
Tineke Jennings | Learning Support Teacher |
Jo Leroni | Learning Support Teaching Assistant |
Lindsey Morris | SPP Learning Support Coordinator |
Elspeth Sax | Learning Support Teacher |
Louise Vaughan | Learning Support Teaching Assistant |
Karen Vousden | Learning Support Teaching Assistant |
Somerhill Support Staff | |
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Barry Baldock | Maintenance |
Vivien Bayley | Finance Assistant |
Michael Catt | Interim Finance Manager |
Christina Filby | School Office Administrator |
John Fuller | Minibus Driver |
Ian Funnell | Groundsman |
Donna Gaskin | Bursary Administrator |
Karen Gillan | Finance Assistant |
Chris Hockaday | Groundsman |
Julian Hunt | Bursar |
Tony Jennings | Groundsman |
Simon Killick | Minibus Driver |
Richard King | IT Technician |
Hannah Kirsop | Communications Coordinator |
Wes Laker | Groundsman |
Lucy Logan | School Office Manager and EA to the Headmaster |
Vicky Marriott | Finance and Payroll Assistant |
Lesley Martin | Admissions and Marketing Assistant |
Jessica May | Human Resources Manager |
Lucy Mitchell | School nurse |
Alan Miles | Maintenance |
Dennis Negus | IT Manager |
Victoria Osborne | School nurse |
Sally Paler | Registrar |
Ian Pearce | Minibus Driver |
Dale Perkins | Senior IT Technician |
Mark Pluck | Porter |
Laura Southall | Finance Manager |
Ben Sceal | Head of Grounds |
John Sceal | Head of Maintenance |
Jessica Stephens | Marketing Manager |
Ray Steward | Minibus Driver |
Simon Steward | Head of Premises |
Andy White | Minibus Driver |
Serena Woodcock | School Office Administrator |
Eloise Wright | School Office Administrator |