Our People

We are proud to be a world class centre of excellence for the training and education of classical ballet dancers where graduating students are prepared to secure contracts with national and international ballet companies. Teachers come from successful professional dance backgrounds and teach with passion and commitment.

Jessica Ward

Principal

Jessica trained as a contemporary dancer and choreographer at Trinity Laban and went on to perform with their resident company, Transitions, among other freelance projects. Having sustained an injury during her dance career, she took the opportunity to pursue her other passion – teaching. She taught dance in a number of schools and colleges as well as holding senior appointments in London Secondary Schools before joining Elmhurst Ballet School as Principal in 2010.

Jessica has always had a passion and interest in choreography and has enjoyed creating work for a number of youth companies including the award winning team at The Grange Opera.

In her role as Principal, Jessica is the Chair of the national Music and Dance Scheme school’s head teachers group and is involved in a number of other networks to support the development of Elmhurst, including being a committee member of the Society of Heads. Jessica is a Team Inspector for the Independent Schools Inspectorate. Ofsted have described her as a ‘highly effective leader’. In 2021, Jessica also joined the New Adventures' Board of Trustees. 

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Prof John Bryson

Governor- Finance, Facilities and General Purpose

Kirsty Cartwright

Governor- Finance, Facilities and General Purpose

Sarah Evans OBE

Vice Chair- Education

Jenny Hardy

Governor- Finance, Facilities and General Purpose

James Harris

Chairman

Brandon Lawrence

Governor- Equality, Diversity & Inclusion

Alison Matthews

Governor

Prof Matt Wyon

Governor- Health & Wellbeing

Michele Lawrence

Governor- Safeguarding

Ian Lowe

Governor- SEND, Health & Wellbeing, Boarding

Carlos Acosta CBE

Vice President

Sir David Bintley CBE

Artistic Advisor

Maina Gielgud

Vice President

Desmond Kelly

Artistic Advisor

Wayne McGregor CBE

President

Dame Merle Park

Vice President

Sir Peter Wright

Vice President

Lucy Caddick

Director of Finance and Operations

Robert Parker

Artistic Director

Erica Reeves

Vice Principal- Student Support

Manpreet Sambhi

Vice Principal- Academics

Sabina Storrod

Director of Business Development

Denise Whiteman

Director of Dance Training

Sarah-Jayne Blackwell

Dance Project Co-Ordinator and KS4 Leader and DSL

Tracy Cowper

Head of Upper School Boarding and DSL

Kieran Grinnell

Facilities Manager

Liz Innis

HR Officer

Nico Kolokythas

Head of Research and Performance

Michelle Lester

Teacher in charge of English, KS5 Progress Leader and DSL

Jennifer MacNamara

Head of Contemporary, Jazz and Related Dance Styles

Jeanette Mould

Cleaning Supervisor

Helen Pollard

Head of Learning Support and DSL

Dudley Ray

Director of Music

Joe Roberts

Teacher in charge of Languages and Staff Induction Lead

William Rowsley

Head of Camberley House, KS3 Progress Leader and DSL

Samantha Gavrovski

Head of Health and Wellbeing and DSL

Danielle Grieve-Carter

English Teacher and Head of Data and Performance

Joshua Barwick

Ballet Teacher

Sarah-Jayne Blackwell

Jazz Teacher

Rachel English

Dance Rehabilitation Coach

Sonia Fajardo

Ballet Teacher

Gloria Grigolato

Ballet Teacher

Alex Harrison

Ballet Teacher

Nicky Linzie

Ballet Teacher

Jennifer MacNamara

Head of Contemporary, Jazz and related dance styles

Robert Parker

Artistic Director

Cris Penfold

Jazz Teacher

Michael Raynaud

Ballet Teacher

Indra Reinholde

Choreography Teacher

Lee Robinson

Ballet Teacher

Andrea Tredinnick

Ballet Teacher

Mary Walsh

Ballet Teacher

Denise Whiteman

Director of Dance Training

Lei Zhao (casual)

Ballet Teacher

Thomas Crumpton

Teacher of Maths (part-time)

Danielle Grieve-Carter

Teacher of English

Claire Hardeman 

Teacher of Science 

Katharine Perl

Teacher in charge of Drama

Rozalyn McComish

Teacher in charge of History and RE, Health and Wellbeing Teacher

Joseph Roberts

Teacher in charge of Languages and Staff Induction Project Lead

Michelle Lester

Teacher in charge of English and Progress Leader

Manpreet Sambhi

Vice Principal- Academics 

Vikesh Vadukar 

Teacher in charge of Science 

Lucy Wensley 

Teacher in charge of Geography 

Helen Pollard

Head of Learning Support

Liz Woehrling 

Laboratory Technician

Deborah Underhill

Teacher in charge of Art

Asty Allen 

Pianist 

Tanya Avchinnikova

Pianist (casual)

Peter Allsopp

Accompanist for the Sunderland Young Dancers Programme 

Andrew Bland 

Pianist (casual)

Hannah Chiu

Pianist (casual)

Stephen Crewes

Pianist and Accompanist for the Birmingham Young Dancers Programme

Martina Cuevas Cuevas 

Pianist (casual)

Yijiao Feng 

Pianist (casual)

Peter Flower

Pianist - Music Resources Co-ordinator

Margaret Green 

Accompanist for the Plymouth Young Dancers Programme

Roman Kosyakov 

Pianist (casual)

Elaine Li

Pianist

Dominic Mason

Pianist

Mikael Pettersson

Head of Accompanying and Royal Birmingham Conservatoire Pianist Placement Scheme Coordinator

Sarah Potjewijd

Pianist (casual)

Dudley Ray 

Director of Music 

Mike Read

Peripatetic Woodwind Teacher (self-employed)

Yin Yu

Pianist (Casual)

Dr Sue Barbour 

Houseparent-Hetherington

Sarah-Jayne Blackwell

Deputy Houseparent - Camberley and Fischer (casual)

Tracy Cowper 

Head of Upper School Boarding and Houseparent- The Elms 

Rhiannon Curtis-Davis

Deputy Houseparent - Camberley

Emily Davenport 

Deputy Houseparent- Hetherington 

Diane Fox 

Deputy Houseparent- Casual 

Zoe Fulton

Deputy Houseparent- Camberley

Sean Graham 

Deputy Houseparent- The Elms 

Jasmine Hepple

Deputy Houseparent - Fischer

Raluca-Ioana Mihaila 

Deputy Houseparent (across all houses)

Sophie Jones

Deputy Houseparent - Camberley (casual)

Egle Lukoseviciute

Deputy Houseparent - Camberley (casual)

Will Rowsley

Head of Camberley House, KS3 Progress Leader, Deputy DSL

Lesley-Anne Tulley 

Houseparent- Fischer

Huda Abdirizak

Healthcare Assistant (part-time)

Dr Parveen Bangher 

GP

Anya Bailey

Independent Student Advocate (volunteer)

Anais Dibben

Nutritionist (self-employed)

Amy Douglas

Healthcare Assistant

Samantha Gavrovski

Head of Helath and Wellbeing

Victoria Hawkes

Physiotherapy Assistant (part-time)

Janet Hinds 

Healthcare Assistant

Hayley James 

Registered Mental Health Nurse (self-employed)

Dr Wakeel Jamil

GP

David Merlin

Physiotherapist (Bank)

Ellie Mayhew

Physiotherapist (part-time)

Matthew Potter

Self Employed Senior Mental Health Nurse (Eating Disorders)

Beata Strizikova 

Administrator (casual)

Hannah Windows 

Registered School Counsellor (self-employed)

Rhian Bertie

Development Events Assistant

Clare Davis

Head of Fundraising

Louise Gale

Graphic Design Consultant (Self-Employed)

Sophie Jones

Digital Content Executive

Claire Lishman

PR Consultant (Self-Employed)

Amar Sraan

Videographer (Contracted)

Sabina Storrod 

Director of Business Development 

Susan Bailey 

Cleaner 

Jacqueline Ellis 

Cleaner 

Adam Harris 

Catering Manager 

Charlotte Hooper 

School Receptionist/Administrator (Mornings)

Liz Innis 

HR Officer 

Grzegorz Kwiatkowski

Facilities Assistant (casual)

Sian Martin 

Laundry Assistant (part-time)

Silva Martin

Finance Officer (Purchase Ledger and Payroll)

Patricia McDermaid 

Cleaner 

Nathan McLaren 

IT Technician 

Moubarack Mougamadou

Cleaner

Shabina Nawaz

Cleaner 

Claire Newland 

Funding and Finance Administrator 

Halimo Omar 

Cleaner 

Comfort Otoo

Cleaner

Renata Ratajova 

Executive Assistant 

Janet Rose

Cleaner

Daniel Stevenson

Weekend Locking-up Attendant 

Natalie Timbrell 

SIMS & School Administrator 

Rachal Torrance 

Registrar

Lina Valiukaite

Cleaner 

Francesca Wareing 

Cleaner 

Laura Woodall

Assistant Accountant

Irum Zahbar

School Receptionist/Administrator (Afternoons)

                                                                      

Nico Kolokythas 

Head of Research and Performance 

Raluca-Ioana Mihaila

Assistant Strength and Conditioning Coach (Placement)

 

 

 

Ann Atkinson

Ballet Teacher - Sunderland

Sarah-Jayne Blackwell

Administrator

Denise Cornall

Ballet Teacher - Manchester (maternity cover)

Alex Harrison

RAD Syllabus, Ballet Teacher - Birmingham

Marion Lindsay

Ballet Teacher - Plymouth

Alexandra Sherman 

Ballet Teacher- Birmingham 

 

Danielle Black

Rosie Price

 

Ballet Teacher- Manchester

Ballet Teacher- Birmingham

Laura Green 

RAD Syllabus Tutor, Ballet Teacher- Birmingham

Victoria Thornton

RAD Syllabus, Ballet Teacher- Birmingham 

Mary Walsh

RAD Syllabus, Ballet Teacher- Birmingham 

Denise Whiteman 

RAD and EYD Co-ordinator 

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