Meet our Leadership Teams

Please click on the staff photographs below to learn more about our team.

Senior Leadership Team

• Ms Katie Scott
  Executive Principal
  Ms Katie Scott

• Mr Dave Webb
  Vice Principal
  Mr Dave Webb

• Ms Niamh McGuinness
  Head of School (Jerningham site) Vice Principal
  Ms Niamh McGuinness

  BA (Hons) Religion & History - Dublin City University

  PGCE Secondary Education - National University of Ireland, Galway

  MA Curriculum, Pedagogy & Assessment - Institute of Education, UCL

  Chartered Teacher - Chartered College of Teaching

  NPQH - Ambition Institute

  It is an absolute privilege to join Haberdashers' Hatcham College in September 2024 as Head of School (Jerningham site). I began my teaching career in 2007 and have had the pleasure of serving many diverse London communities over the past 17 years, from the London Boroughs of Newham, Barking and Dagenham, Kensington and Chelsea and now Lewisham. I have worked in various roles over my career to date and bring with me a wealth of experience of working with children, young people and the adults who work with them. With a track record of nurturing academic and personal excellence, I'm dedicated to fostering communities that thrive on shared values, driving positive change at every step of everybody’s learning journey.

  I believe in the power of community and know that with this opportunity to serve Hatcham College, with the support of the Haberdashers Trust, we will be able to work together to ensure our that our students and our wider community gain the knowledge, understanding, skills and sense of community so that they can learn, grow, celebrate difference, break down barriers and flourish.

  I am proud to be a Haberdasher.

• Ms Sophie Pia
  Assistant Principal (Teaching, Learning & Assessment)
  Ms Sophie Pia

  , , ,

• Mr John Deane
  Assistant Principal (Raising Standards Lead)
  Mr John Deane

  BSc(Hons) in Mathematics - The University of Exeter

  PGCE in Mathematics - The University of Gloucestershire

  NPQSL - UCL Institute of Education

  I graduated with a Bachelor's of Science (BSc) in Mathematics before beginning a career in teaching. Prior to joining Haberdashers' Hatcham College in January 2019, I had eight years' experience teaching within inner city London schools. During this time, my responsibilities have included raising the quality of outcomes and progress for students through effective use of data and successfully leading mathematics departments within two separate schools.

  As a teacher of mathematics, I enjoy working with young people and sharing with my love for the subject. I believe that mathematics is a subject which is often misunderstood. For me, it is not fundamentally about learning sets of rules; it is about developing a way of thinking which can help to more deeply understand all kinds of situations and problems in the world around you. I love trying to develop an appreciation of the subject in pupils and I also love the fact that I use my subject knowledge, practically, within my leadership role in order to support the school's work to help all our pupils reach their full potential.

  Outside of school, I enjoy running, playing football and golf and watching almost any form of sport. During school holidays, I often attempt to explore new places and countries.

• Ms Hannah Kennedy
  Assistant Principal (Sixth Form)
  Ms Hannah Kennedy

• Ms Anieka Caynes
  Assistant Principal (Key Stage 4)
  Ms Anieka Caynes

• Mr Tom Pritchard
  Assistant Principal (Key Stage 3)
  Mr Tom Pritchard

• Ms Abigail Davies
  Assistant Principal (Personal Development)
  Ms Abigail Davies

  BA(Hons) in History - The University of Oxford

  PGCE in Education - Goldsmiths, University of London

  NPQLBC - Ambition Institute

  I joined Haberdashers' Hatcham College in 2024 as Assistant Principal for Personal Development. Prior to joining, I had six years' experience teaching within an inner-city London school. During this time, my responsibilities have included being a Head of Year for years 8 through to 11 and supporting the development of Early Career Teachers as ECT Lead. Teaching history remains my fundamental and earliest passion as a teacher. History supports pupils to think critically about their place in the world, to reflect on how our past has shaped our present and prepares pupils to prepare and present their own arguments with confidence and fluency.

  Outside of school, I love to cook, read and listen widely about politics and current affairs, as well as spending as much time as possible outside walking or running.

• Mr Wilfrid Jones
  Assistant Principal (Inclusion)
  Mr Wilfrid Jones

  I am delighted to be joining the team at Haberdashers’ Hatcham as assistant principal. My main role will be to make sure that we continue to be an inclusive community. It is important to me that every student can celebrate their progress and knows that they are valued here. Part of my job is to make sure that students are getting the right extra support if they need it. I work a lot with parents and guardians so that the school can know more about our students' needs and how they learn. Being inclusive in how we teach and how we treat each other is more than just being nice. It is at the heart of what it means to be a great school.

  In this role, I will be working with the families of

  • students with special educational needs or disabilities,
  • students who are looked after in the care system,
  • and students who speak English as an additional language.

  I am available to speak with families who have concerns in any of these areas.

  Before I trained at Cambridge University to be a religious studies teacher, I studied music at Oxford University. I then went to Birmingham University to study how theology and music overlap. I started teaching at a school in Cambridge and carried on studying education at Cambridge and Oxford. This means I’ve had the chance to explore how schools pass on their values and how working with students with SEN helps teachers develop. I went on to be a head of year and then assistant head at my first school. I then moved to West London to lead an Additionally Resourced Provision for students with autism in a mainstream school, along with a large SEN department. During this time, I also ran a course for teachers and university lecturers who train teachers.

• Mr Dan Crowley,
  Associate Assistant Principal and Senior Teacher (Acting Head of Year 13; Head of Social Sciences)
  Mr Dan Crowley,

  BA(Hons) in Cultural Studies - University of East London

  PGCE in Social Sciences - UCL Institute of Education

  MA in Sociology of Education - UCL Institute of Education

  NPQSL - UCL Institute of Education

  I joined Hatcham as a Newly Qualified Teacher when I was 29 and have worked here ever since. I love the strong sense of community at Haberdashers' Hatcham College and believe that we are a school that is strongly rooted in the local identity. The Haberdashers' Hatcham College name is well-known for prestige and status as well as for inclusion and high standards.

  I have worked closely with the Sixth Form team at Haberdashers' Hatcham College in a number of roles including Form Tutor, EPQ Coordinator, Oxbridge Coordinator and Head of Year. My vision is for young people to access all the amazing opportunities available to them at Haberdashers' Hatcham College and use them to carve out a varied and interesting future for themselves.

• Miss Jenetta Hurst,
  Associate Assistant Principal (Professional Learning)
  Miss Jenetta Hurst,

  MA (Leadership) - UCL Institute of Education. PGCE Secondary Music - Birmingham City University. BMus (Hons) - The Birmingham Conservatoire. HonBC - The Birmingham Conservatoire. NPQLTD.

  I am a flautist by training and play a range of instruments. I joined Hatcham College in my 17th year of classroom music teaching and leadership, and started my career as instrumental teacher and ensemble leader, for Birmingham Music Service and Aston Performing Arts Academy.

  I directed the Aston Performing Arts Inner City Orchestra, working side by side annually with the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra (CBSO) over a ten-year period and am an Honorary Member of the Birmingham Conservatoire.

  I have long held a keen interest in continual professional development, have written for and appeared on Podcasts for publications such as SecEd and Music Teacher Magazine, and work at Hatcham as the Associate Assistant Principal for Staff Development.

Extended Leadership Team

• Mr Robert Stott
  Curriculum Director of English
  Mr Robert Stott

  MA(Hons) in English Literature - The University of Edinburgh

  PGCE in English Teaching - UCL Institute of Education

  I recently joined Hatcham College in 2020 as Curriculum Director of English. I have taught English and Drama in several schools around London. Most recently, I was regularly observed as an outstanding teacher in St Thomas the Apostle College in Southwark, where I created the school's A Level English Literature programme, which specialised in expanding the study of English Literature to include lesser-known voices within the British Commonwealth and American history. The course started with five students, but in four years had grown to 50.

  When not in the classroom, I regularly work with the Curriculum Directors of English across the Trust in sharing best practice and to coordinate all aspects of the English curriculum.

  I have a strong interest in poetry, and walking past the Robert Browning plaque at the front of the Jerningham Road site lifts my heart every day. By encouraging all students to explore their creativity and love of reading, I hope to continue and strengthen this unique link to our nation's literary heritage.

• Mrs Tamara Sherer
  Head of Mathematics
  Mrs Tamara Sherer

  BSc in Sociology and Social Research with Statistics - London School of Economics

  MSc in Comparative Politics - London School of Economics

  PGCE in Mathematics - Institute of Education

  Secondary Mastery Specialist - National Centre for Excellence in Teaching of Mathematics

  Accredited Professional Development Lead - National Centre for Excellence in Teaching of Mathematics

  I joined Haberdashers' Hatcham College in 2014, and have always enjoyed Hatcham's strong sense of community, shared values, and mutual respect between staff and students. I have had the privilege of seeing students all the way through their secondary school journey and beyond, having taught a fair few all the way from Year 7 to Year 13!

  During my time at Haberdashers' Hatcham College, I have worked as a Key stage Coordinator, Deputy Curriculum Director, Teacher of Mastery Mathematics and I am currently the Co-Head of Mathematics. My professional life has always been led by the firm belief that every child can succeed in Mathematics, and all of us are mathematicians.

  Outside of school, I enjoy reading, going for long walks with my beagle, and baking. I'll usually (attempt to) make most of the Great British Bake Off recipes myself!

• Mr Rob Benson
  Head of Science
  Mr Rob Benson

  BEng Avionic Engineering from Coventry University

  QTS Accredited by Bromley Schools Collegiate

  I am a passionate, enthusiastic practitioner of science and love leading a strong department of highly skilled science teachers. I started my teaching career aiming to increase the number of students, particularly girls, studying physics and engineering degrees at university. I have worked in a number of schools around South-East London and taught in a well respected school in Sydney. I am driving the delivery a new, outstanding, bespoke 5 year curriculum designed with support from the trust to ensure our students get the best experience in the classroom. I encourage all students to take a deeper interest in sciences and explore the world around them. When not in the classroom I enjoy playing a number of sports, including Saturday football and cricket.

• Ms Estelle Cooch
  Head of Humanities & Head of History
  Ms Estelle Cooch

  • BA Honours in International History at the London School of Economics
  • PGCE History at the UCL-Institute of Education
  • Historical Association Teacher Fellow

  On the noticeboard of the history office at Pepys site I have pinned the words of American historian, Howard Zinn: The future is an infinite succession of presents, and to live now as we think human beings should live, in defiance of all that is bad around us, is itself a marvellous victory. I believe schools are microcosms of society and all of us can contribute towards seeing the society we wish to see, within school.

  I joined Hatcham College in 2015 after working in a school in West London and previously in publishing. I am currently Head of Humanities and am interested in the debates around the decolonisation of curricula. I believe the humanities subjects (history, geography and religious studies) allow us to interrogate the legacies of past worlds and equip us with the tools to change our own world in the future.

  In 2019 I was privileged to work with 15 other teachers around the UK on a project with the Historical Association to improve the teaching of Transatlantic slavery in British schools. My project was based around Nigerian and Ghanaian history and the legacies of slavery and colonialism in those countries.

  In my spare time I enjoy reading history books, watching history documentaries and visiting historical sites, mainly castles.

• Ms Anna van Veldhuisen
  Director of Music
  Ms Anna van Veldhuisen

  BMus Performance – The University of Melbourne (Victorian College of the Arts).

  Grad. Dip. Education – Deakin University.

  Master of Education – The University of Melbourne.

  Doctor of Education – The University of Melbourne.

  I joined Hatcham College in March 2024, having relocated from Melbourne (Australia) to the UK. I trained at university as a classical percussionist, but since that time have fallen in love with classroom music teaching and choral singing/conducting. In Australia, I taught secondary music for 12 years in some very different contexts; in state, alternative, and independent schools with diverse music programs and students, and in both city and regional areas. I’m particularly passionate about centring music by composers of cultural and ethnic minorities and celebrating women composers in the curriculum, and exploring aural skills and composition practically in the classroom. I am also an education researcher in the field of music education, and in late 2023, I submitted my doctoral thesis to the University of Melbourne, exploring the professional lives of Australian music teachers. This research work has had me presenting regularly at conferences like the International Society for Music Education. In my spare time, I enjoy playing board games, reading, travelling broadly, and attending live music and theatre. I am excited to now be leading the faculty at Hatcham, where music forms a cultural heart of the school and our specialism welcomes gifted musicians from the local area. I’m looking forward to exploring all the musical opportunities SE London has to offer!

• Ms Sam Ryan
  Head of Modern Foreign Languages
  Ms Sam Ryan

  ,

• Mrs Jacqueline Bowens
  Head of Design & Art
  Mrs Jacqueline Bowens

  BA(Hons) in Graphic Design - UAL

  PGCE Secondary - Goldsmiths, University of London

  I am an experienced Teacher of Art & Design. I joined Hatcham College in 2014 and have been Head of the Department for several years, I recently became Head of Faculty for Visual Arts.

  I enjoy working with young people to help them fulfil and achieve their creative potential and ambitions. It is important for our students to be motivated and encouraged to reach and even succeed in their full potential and enrich their Art and Design experience. I am passionate about empowering young people to rise to challenges and build confidence and resilience enabling them to be independent thinkers and risk-takers.
  
  I am proud of the Art specialisms that we deliver across key stages and our inclusive arts curriculum that has equality and diversity at its heart, including raising the profile of the Arts at the forefront of the wider life of the college. I believe the Arts is a creative platform that drives forward in delivering innovative ways to challenge and broaden knowledge, curiosity, courage and originality. In doing so it enlivens and compliments the academic life in a way that can exist beyond the art rooms.
  
  Outside of school, I enjoy travelling, cooking, visiting exhibitions, reading and spending quality time with my family.

• Mr Andy Waddingham
  Director of Sport
  Mr Andy Waddingham

  Bsc (Hons) Exercise & Sports Science - University of Exeter

  PGCE in Physical Education- University of Exeter

  I joined Hatcham College in January 2023 as Director of Sport. I have taught PE in several schools across London and also at an International School in Vietnam over the past 11 years of teaching. I am incredibly passionate about the value of PE and sport in education and its role in inspiring and giving students the confidence to maintain lifelong physical activity upon leaving Hatcham College. My dream is that all students come to at least one extra-curricular club per week and for as many students as possible to have the opportunity to represent Hatcham in a competitive sport at some point in their school life!

  Outside of school, I play football competitively (just about), play golf horrendously, enjoy travelling to new countries and cooking.

Heads of Year