NewickMeet our Staff
Mrs Lawrence - Headteacher
I have been the Headteacher at this amazing school now for three years. I love my job as I get to work with our fabulous pupils, staff and families, and every day is different.
Having been a teacher now for nearly 20 years I am still not sure of my favourite age range to work with. Luckily, being the Headteacher means I get to dip in and out of all the classes, and lead Collective Worships with everyone! I am really proud of our Christian values, and being a C of E school, and I am excited that Newick is now part of the wider DCAT family of Trust schools. This opens many more opportunities to us all. Prior to life at Newick I was a SENDCO, and I have accredited dyslexia specialist teacher status. I am passionate about children's wellbeing, PSHE and the development of the brain (as the children will all tell you!). I want all of our children at Newick to understand how their brain works, and to develop a positive, growth mindset, alongside an attitude of gratitude for all that we have.
In my spare time I enjoy walking in the Sussex woods with my children. I love to attempt DIY particularly upcycling old furniture. I also enjoy going to the gym and sea swimming (the colder the better!), we also try to get to the beach or river as much as possible on our paddleboard.
Mr Winn - Assistant Headteacher and Year 1 Teacher
I have been a teacher for 20 years, and joined the Newick community in 2018. Newick is the fourth school I have taught in; before coming here I worked at schools in West Sussex and Brighton. I particularly enjoy teaching English, Maths and Computing. Prior to becoming a teacher I worked in the publishing industry. I have lived in Sussex since I was 14, and went to Chailey secondary school, which is where some of you may go when you leave Newick.
My wife and I have three children, who keep me and my wife busy at home! In my spare time, I enjoy reading, cooking, baking and getting out onto the hills of the South Downs.
Mrs Stewart - Assistant Headteacher, SENDCo and Inclusion Manager
I have been teaching for over 18 years with a specialism of dance and drama. I have taught children from the age of 4 all the way through to 16 and have loved discovering the huge amount of talent in practical subjects.
I started my teaching career in secondary education where I was Curriculum Leader of Performing Arts and then became a specialist teacher of PE at a local primary school in Eastbourne. Having taught in all key stages, I have gained a deeper understanding of the different challenges and barriers many children face in education and will aim to help these children achieve the best possible outcomes.
Outside of school I teach ballet, modern and tap at a private dance school where I am a qualified Royal Academy of Dance teacher. My main joy though is spending time with my 2 dance-mad daughters, my husband and our little dog; we enjoy going for walks on the beach or simply relaxing together on the couch watching a good film!
I am committed to supporting the important Christian ethos and vision of Newick Church of England Primary School. I look forward to continuing to work with the children, staff and parents to ensure all children fulfil their dreams and achieve their true potential.
Mrs Dobson – School Business Manager
I joined Newick School in early 2022 and I am proud to be part of such a wonderful learning and working environment. I am a born organiser, an avid list maker and a lover of spreadsheets! I feel so fortunate to work somewhere that is so supportive and nurturing to its children enabling them to blossom and grow. Outside of school I am a busy mum to four boys, so can be found ferrying them around to their various after-school activities and sports events.
In my spare time I conduct and sing in a choir called 'Cantando'. I have sung all my life with various choirs including the 'National Youth Choir of Great Britain', the award winning 'Chantage' and 'Vox Anima Chamber Choir'. I have sung all around the world, most recently performing in Atlanta and New York in 2023.
Mrs Oldfield - EYFS Teacher
This is my tenth year at Newick, previously teaching in Years 3, 4 and 5. I have been lucky enough to teach in Buenos Aires, Vienna and London before lovely Newick. When I am at home, I am looking after my young daughters. My husband and I take our girls on plenty of family walks and try to spend lots of time outdoors in this beautiful county. I also really enjoy yoga and playing the piano to relax. I am the curriculum lead for Music and love the opportunity to get the whole school together for singing.
Mrs Brett - EYFS Teacher and Year 5 Teacher
I am so proud to be part of the wonderful team at Newick after previously teaching at a Primary School in Bexhill for the last ten years.
I am passionate about children learning outside the classroom and am so impressed with the fabulous Forest and Garden School that Newick has to offer. I particularly enjoy teaching Art and Design, encouraging children to let their creativity and imaginations run wild.
In my spare time I love to be outdoors with my husband and three children. We can often be found visiting a National Trust property, enjoying the outdoors with a hot chocolate!
Mrs Smith - EYFS Teaching Assistant
I have been working at Newick School since 2009 and have spent the last eleven years in EYFS. I am a Speech & Language practitioner which over the years has been very rewarding. My children were pupils at Newick so I have been involved with the school for many years.
I spent my early life living in Abu Dhabi in the UAE. I enjoy spending time with my Husband and two grown up children, exploring and spending time in our family holiday home in the Dordogne, France.
Mrs Neilson - EYFS Teaching Assistant
This is my fourth year working as a Teaching Assistant in Otters for two days. I used to work as a Primary School teacher in London before taking a long break from education to move to Sussex with my husband and raise our twin girls, who have been incredibly happy at Newick. In my spare time I enjoy DIY, gardening, cooking and exercising. I am also a huge fan of music and have been running the school choir for the last four years, which I absolutely love and am incredibly proud of.
Miss Clarke - Year 1 Teacher
I have been teaching for 21 years and have been lucky enough to teach in many different places, including York, London, and Switzerland. For the past 11 years, I have been teaching in this beautiful setting at Newick and really enjoy working with this hard-working team. I am excited to be teaching Year 1 this year with Mr Winn and we are both looking forward to meeting our new class. I especially enjoy teaching maths and trying mathematical puzzles, particularly that wonderful satisfying feeling you get when you finally work out a solution, so leading Maths at Newick is a joy, sharing my passion for problem solving with you all!
When I am not working, I look after my two energetic boys. We can usually be found at one of the parks in Brighton or riding bikes along the seafront. In my spare time, I enjoy running, reading, baking, and supporting my favourite football team.
Miss Arias - Year 1 Trainee Teacher
I am very excited to be joining Newick School for my teacher training and have already received such a warm welcome from everyone in the school. Last summer I graduated from the University of Sussex where I studied History and Anthropology and I got the opportunity to study for a year in Sweden as part of the course.
In my spare time I love reading, going for nature walks and exploring Brighton’s markets. As I grew up in a bilingual household (English and Spanish), I have a love for learning languages. I studied French at school and I am currently continuing learning Swedish in my spare time.
Miss Kinderman - Year 2 Teacher
As a former pupil of Newick School I know first-hand the amazing opportunities and experiences the children are offered at this lovely school. I am therefore very excited to be going into my sixth year of teaching at Newick. I am really looking forward to getting to know the children in my new Year 2 class, enjoying a creative and fun year with them, and having the privilege of watching them grow. In my free time I love taking my lovely Labrador, Lola, for long walks and seeing all kinds of wildlife. I also love to cook and enjoy trying new foods and recipes. I can’t wait to share the exciting year ahead with my class.
Mrs Cullip - Year 1 and Year 2 Teaching Assistant
I have worked at Newick School since 2012 beginning my school working life as a Midday Supervisory Assistant, a role which I still have and thoroughly enjoy. During my time at Newick I have also been an Individual Needs Assistant and feel privileged to have been able to watch the children learn and gain independence.
My husband and I have two children who both attended Newick School which they have fond memories of. They have both now finished their education and on to new chapters in their lives.
In my spare time I love to read, visit historical places as I’m interested in History and long walks in the countryside. I am really looking forward to the new school year and can’t wait to get stuck into the amazing topics we will be learning about.
Mrs Hurkett - Year 2 Teaching Assistant
I have worked at lovely Newick School since 2012, initially as an MDSA and then in many year groups. For 3 years I was in Year 6 and have spent the past three years with the wonderful Year 2. I love helping and watching the children find their path through school and gain their independence. I have two sons who both loved their time at Newick. In my spare time I love to go on walking holidays in the Lake District, Peak District, the top of Snowdon to name a few! I also love gardening and recently running.
Miss Halls - Year 2 Trainee Teacher
I am delighted to be completing my teacher training at Newick School. I’ve had the warmest of welcomes and I look forward to contributing to this wonderful school community. I graduated with a degree in Psychology and have spent the last few years teaching English as a Second Language in Vietnam, Taiwan and the UK. I’m excited by the challenge of learning to teach in a new context.
My main interests include travelling to different countries, following and playing football. Angkor Wat in Cambodia and Chiang Mai in northern Thailand are two of the most interesting places I have visited. I support Liverpool FC and have played regularly for Cambridge United Women's FC. I also really enjoy being outdoors, particularly on the beach or going on long walks through the South Downs National Park.
Mrs Fletcher - Year 3 Teacher
This is my third year at Newick Primary School and I am so pleased to be teaching in Year 3 again this year. I am looking forward to teaching our exciting topics and seeing the children explore these through our curriculum and school trips.
Outside of the classroom I enjoy being part of a book club, where I can explore and discuss books I may not have discovered. At weekends, I like to stay active enjoying Pilates, long walks and more recently running. I love going to the beach with my husband and two children and being near to the sea. During the summer we often spend time in Cornwall, exploring beach coves, the rockpools and most importantly the cafes.
Mrs Cheeseman - Year 4 Teacher
I am extremely proud to be the Year 4 Teacher at Newick Church of England Primary School. I have been teaching at Newick since 2014, but have worked in education since 2002 across both Key stage 1 and 2 in a variety of schools.
I love making a difference to children's lives, planning and teaching creative lessons, which engage children and help them to learn and grow. I thoroughly enjoy leading Science and RE in the school. I love finding ways to enhance these subjects further and planning enquiry based, hands on science weeks that will engage children and remain in their memories for years to come. In my free time I love to read, learn more about history and science, visit historical places, garden and spend time with my wonderful husband, 4 children and 2 grandsons.
I am really looking forward to the exciting year ahead!
Mrs Coote - Year 3 and Year 4 Teaching Assistant
Having worked as a Primary School Teacher for over 15 years, I have taught a range of age groups across KS1 and KS2, both in Sussex and at an international school in the French Riviera. I decided to take a break from full time classroom teaching to prioritise time with my young son. I love supporting children with their learning and development in my role as a Teaching Assistant and PPA cover teacher at Newick Primary School and I feel lucky to have such a rewarding job.
In my spare time I enjoy relaxing and having fun with my husband and 5 year old. My hobbies include yoga, bike rides, walks in the Downs and by the beach and pottering in my garden.
Mrs Cox - Year 4 Individual Needs Assistant
I have previously worked at a secondary school as an LSA supporting students of all different ages with additional needs. I enjoy a challenge and love to help children reach their potential. I believe all children should be given the same opportunity to access their education in a kind nurturing environment, so I am very pleased to become part of the Newick team.
I currently live in Haywards Heath with my husband and 2 young children. In my spare time I enjoy spending time with my family, usually outside going for long walks in the woods! We also love going to the beach, explore the countryside, as well as having movie afternoons at home on the sofa eating popcorn!
I am extremely passionate about Autism awareness and have recently organised 2 Abba tribute fundraising evenings, raisng just over £3,000 for a local Autistic charity and for SEN resources for my children's school. Both evenings were a great success and lots of fun! I hope to carry on raising awareness of Autism with future fundraising events.
Miss Strachan – Year 5 Teacher
I have been teaching at Newick for 12 years now. I absolutely love teaching and I am always excited to share with the children what they will be learning across the year. I have previously really enjoyed being the Sports/PE lead and working with other year groups to develop their sporting knowledge. I am now the English lead and look forward to moving the curriculum forward to strengthen literacy skills across the school. My free time is spent taking care of my 7 year old daughter and 3 year old twins, and spending time with friends and family. I also enjoy playing the piano and running.
Mr Taylor - Year 6 Teacher
Having taught KS2 for 11 years, I was excited to join Newick CE Primary as the Year 6 teacher in 2022. I believe that learning is a lifelong journey. Therefore, I hope to inspire others to go the extra mile and continue to develop their love of learning – whatever they are interested in!
For me, I am passionate about PE, Forest School and English. I love reading and enjoy talking about new and exciting books. I am looking forward to sharing some top picks with staff and pupils alike.
I have two young boys and I spend most of my time outside exploring the beautiful Sussex countryside.
In my spare time, I enjoy running and playing rugby. I also love solving problems and stretching my thinking. I taught myself how to solve a Rubik’s Cube and I can now crack one in under two and a half minutes!
Mrs Middleton - Year 5 and Year 6 Teaching Assistant
I started working with the wonderful team at Newick in 2018, having previously worked at Beacon Secondary school. I have worked in years 5 and 6 and have truly enjoyed being able to support the children in their education and wellbeing. This year I will be supporting both year 5 and year 6 and am very excited about all the wonderful topics we will learn.
I have three children, one going into year 12 and twin boys who started secondary school last September. I love sport, especially football and Formula One. I also love listening to all types of music.
I can't wait to meet you all in September!
Mrs Conway - Year 6 Individual Needs Assistant
Mrs Oliver - Learning Mentor
I have been fortunate enough to be part of the lovely Newick family since 2014, holding a variety of different roles during this time. Currently, Learning Mentor and EYFS Forest School Lead.
I am passionate about understanding our children’s needs and providing them with pastoral support, as well as regularly teaching PPA sessions across the school. I love to see our children thriving across the fantastic wider curriculum Newick has to offer.
In my spare time, I am kept busy by my young children and our ever-growing collection of animals.
Mrs Rose - Cover Teacher and Interventions
I am so excited to be part of Newick Primary School and I am lucky enough to teach children across the school in my role. I have spent the last 9 years as a class teacher at a primary school in Hastings and have taught Reception, Year 2, Year 3, Year 5, Year 6 and even spent some time with the little ones in Nursery! Some of my highlights during this time was being Music Lead and having the opportunity to take groups of children each year to perform at the O2 in London at the Young Voices Concerts! Just magical!
In my personal life, I love spending time with my friends and family. We have a one year old boy, who is our biggest joy and keeps us very busy! We usually spend our time together as a family, walking along the seafront with a coffee or ice cream in hand, exploring National Trust properties or renovating our house! You will often find us steaming off wallpaper, sanding down floorboards or painting walls! We also love walking holidays and have spent many holidays walking in the Lake and Peak District. Being in the fresh air is my favourite place to be!
Miss Hall - KS2 Teaching Assistant and Interventions
I started working at Newick School in 2023 working closely with children from all year groups at Junior Adventure Group (formerly Pioneer Childcare), getting to spend my mornings and afternoons with the children, having fun and making sure they’re being able to show their creative and sporty sides.
I recently started as an Intervention TA and MDSA, which means I get to spend even more time with the lovely children of Newick school, supporting any struggles they may have within the classrooms, making sure they feel supported with their work and keeping them safe and happy at lunch time!
Mrs Manners Moss - Secretary
I am delighted to continue being part of the fantastic team at Newick CE Primary School. As School Secretary I get to build strong relationships with the children, the staff, the parents and wider community. Every day is different and I embrace the variety of work thrown my way. It is an exciting environment to be part of.
I love to travel and see the world, having travelled to Australia, New Zealand, Fiji, Italy, France, Spain and The Caribbean to name a few! I used to enjoy bungee jumping and sky diving. I have a passion for baking and I have recently started paddle boarding.
Mrs Dunlop - Finance Assistant
I have worked in the school office since 2023, juggling my time between School Secretary & Finance Assistant. However, my association with the school goes back to 2014, when my eldest child started in Otters. All three of my children have now been Newick pupils and, just like that, I am in my final year as a school parent with my youngest now in Year 6.
It is fair to say I wear a few different ‘hats’ within the school. My 4-year tenure as a parent governor comes to an end in November, at which point I will become the Clerk to Governors. In addition to my paid roles in school, I am also the Treasurer of our PTFA. I really enjoy the different roles I have in school and the opportunities they give me to work with all the children, staff, parents and volunteers that make up our amazing school community.
In my spare time, I spend many hours standing outside, coffee in hand, watching my children’s various sporting activities. When I’m not doing that, I can usually be found mum taxi-ing, trying to get back in to running, doing house renovations or baking.
Mr Watmore - Site Manager
I am honoured and very excited to continue my role of Site Manager here at Newick. The premises are a delight and the whole school community; teachers, support staff, pupils, governors and parents have been extremely welcoming and supportive. In my previous long career in events, theatre and the arts I enjoyed a very similar experience and feel very grateful to be part of such an environment again.
Away from work you’ll find me either out cycling around the local countryside or walking on the South Downs - Sussex has been my home and my workplace my entire life, why would anyone want to be anywhere else?
Mrs Kidman - Midday Supervisory Assistant
I have lived in Newick since 2016 with my husband and children. I really enjoy my role at Newick School and really love getting to know the Early Years children. I used to be a Cleaner for the school, but now work for Pioneer Childcare, that provides wrap around care before and after school in a Breakfast Club and After School Club.
In my spare time I love to spend time with my four children and two grandchildren, and visiting the rest of my family.
Mrs Lane - Midday Supervisory Assistant
I joined Newick Primary School in 2026. It's my first job working in a school. The staff are welcoming, warm, and supportive. As a Midday Supervisory Assistant, I look forward to working with the children outside and in the Hall at lunchtime, catering to their individual needs. In my spare time, I enjoy walking, cooking, and dancing to African music.
Mr Cherryman - Midday Supervisory Assistant
Awaiting Biography.
Mrs Speight - Midday Supervisory Assistant
Awaiting Biography.
Miss Atkins - Midday Supervisory Assistant
Awaiting Biography.