Leadership and Governance

Having grown up in Dorset, I really appreciate all that this beautiful county has to offer. As a child, I made the most of all the outdoor opportunities and adventure that was available to me, something I continued into early adult life. These opportunities took me on expeditions to Thailand, Ecuador, India and Morocco as well as to work overseas in the Adirondack Mountains of upstate New York and then the Czech Republic.

This sense of wonder and adventure is something I am very proud to see in our school as the children seize every opportunity to push themselves both in our extensive outdoor education offering and in the classroom.

My own adventures, when I returned to the UK, saw me working for the Prison Service and the homeless charity Crisis before completing my teaching degree and settling into my dream role as a teacher. I first taught in Central London in 2002 before moving out to Somerset in 2004, with my wife Tammy and our son Max. I taught in a local primary school for 8 years before moving to the independent sector at a school, where I was Head of Year 6 and Housemaster. From there I moved to Eastbourne, where I became Head of Boarding and then Deputy Head at Bede’s Prep. When the opportunity for the Headship at Sunninghill Prep came up I was very excited to return and have loved every minute of it. Teaching is such a wonderful vocation and I feel incredibly privileged to lead Sunninghill and be part of this fabulous community. I really feel like I am home again.

Despite growing up in hotel industry and training as a chef when I left school, I always knew that what I really wanted to do was work in medicine, education, or be a world famous pop star! I was lucky enough to get a recording contract and record a debut album when I was 18, but life threw a curved ball and I ended up moving and settling in New Zealand in time for my 20th birthday. Fast forward five years and I graduated from the University of Auckland and the Auckland College of Education and began my teaching career. Within three years, I became part of the Senior Leadership Team in the largest Multiple Intelligences primary school in Auckland and enjoyed being a mentor in the teacher training programme and director of the Gladstone Performing Arts School.

Since returning back home to the UK, I have worked in a number of Dorset independent schools and in 2006 I joined Sunninghill Prep as Music Director and KS2 teacher. Now, many moons later, I am privileged to be the Academic Deputy Head at Sunninghill Prep. It is such a vibrant, happy school, where children’s individual talents, strengths and interests are actively encouraged and supported. I still thoroughly enjoy composing and recording music, travelling, enjoying the beautiful Dorset countryside and spending precious time with my family.

As a child, I always wanted to be a teacher. It is most definitely in my DNA with both my parents and Grandparents being teachers! I have worked in education for almost 20 years now, in primary schools across Dorset. After completing my A-Levels, I worked in an independent school as a teaching assistant which helped to cement my decision to further my education with the goal of eventually going into teaching.

I have been lucky enough to work in some wonderful Dorset primary schools over the years. I have taught all primary year groups, from Reception up to Year 6 and have been a senior leader for the majority of my career, leading many subjects, most notably English. I have worked as a moderator for Dorset, visiting schools to validate and support their assessments for Key Stage 1. I thoroughly enjoyed my time being an ECT (early career teacher) mentor, and supporting colleagues continues to be an important part of my role. A highlight has been spending time teaching in a school in Kenya, which was a wonderful experience. I met some very special children and teachers during this time.

Children’s mental health and well-being has always been hugely important to me, as I believe that if children feel safe, happy and supported at school, everything else will fall into place. I have led on developing and implementing the behaviour and relationships policy in previous roles and I’m excited to support children, families and colleagues at Sunninghill in my role as Assistant Head Pastoral.

I am Head of Junior Prep, looking after the staff and children from Reception to Year 4, as well as a class teacher to a lovely Junior Prep Class.

Growing up I always wanted to be involved in sports coaching and development. Sport has been a huge part of my life and other than dreaming of wanting to be a professional sports star, I always knew that teaching was the career destination for me. Having spent a lot of time in my teens coaching and volunteering in local primary schools, I took the leap and undertook a degree in education.

During my time at university, I loved the placements in local schools and the lacrosse coaching opportunities I was able to obtain. This further cemented that a career in education was something I was truly passionate about.

I have worked in schools across Dorset and Somerset, first starting as an NQT in Charmouth before moving to Glastonbury and working at St. John’s C of E Primary School where I gained valuable Senior Leadership experience, leading English and Physical Education across the school. However, having grown up in Dorchester I knew that I wanted to come home and enjoy a life close to the coast again with my fiancé and my dog.

I thoroughly enjoy being outdoors and active, particularly when water sports are involved. Children’s physical and mental health, as well as their holistic development, is incredibly important to me as these things allow the children to thrive in a safe and encouraging setting. I am now excited and privileged to be able to develop these and support children as Head of Junior Prep within this amazing school and all the opportunities that on offer to our children.

Vernon started his teaching career in a state school, prior to moving to the independent sector in 1986. He taught in a range of prep schools, becoming Deputy Head in New Zealand in 1994, before returning to the UK to be Deputy Head and Housemaster at Elstree School in Berkshire. In 2003 he was appointed as Headmaster at Aldwickbury School in Harpenden, where he remained until his retirement in 2021.

Having worked in 13+ prep schools for over 30 years Vernon is well aware of the benefits of the education provided in a school such as Sunninghill. A wider involvement in education has seen Vernon acting as a governor at two independent schools and is currently a governor with the Mill Hill Education Group. He has served on committees at a national level with the IAPS and RFU, as well as being an Honorary Vice-President at Redbourn Cricket Club. Vernon is a trained ISI inspector. Since September 2021 he has been the Deputy Chair of the Advisory Board at Inspired Learning Group and is involved across all the schools in the group. Vernon was appointed to act as Chair of Governors at Sunninghill when they became part of ILG in the winter of 2023.

Away from work, Vernon has a close connection with Dorset; his wife is from Wimborne and they were married at Canford, and also has fond memories of his childhood holidays at Charmouth. He now lives in Hertfordshire, enjoying village life and walking his Spaniel in the surrounding countryside. He has a lifelong passion for sport, although nowadays restricts himself to golf and the occasional game of cricket.

Kaye has been teaching in Dorchester for 35 years. Having started at Castlefield Girls school as a PE teacher in 1985. She quickly became Head of PE and moved through various positions as Deputy Head of the joint 6th form of Castlefield and Hardye’s schools, then Head of Year when the schools amalgamated as The Thomas Hardye School in 1992. Kaye continued her career becoming Assistant Head with responsibility for the International Baccalaureate, Pastoral Care and Safeguarding before retiring in 2020. Kaye now volunteers as a Governor in 3 local Dorchester schools (including Sunninghill Prep School) and is a member of the Wessex Multi Academy Trust.

Sunninghill is particularly important to Kaye as her son and daughter, Tara and James, went to the school from the ages of 3 years old until 13. They flourished in the environment of Sunninghill and have both gone on to have successful careers in Physiotherapy and Law.

Kaye is still very involved in sport having played a high level of Hockey and competed Nationally in Athletics. She continues to run, ski and cycle and is a Nordic Walk instructor and Mindfulness teacher. She and her husband John are also Beekeepers and spend their time inspecting the hives and watching the bees collecting forage and pollen to convert to honey.