Who's who...

  • Mrs R Rood

    Head of School and Teacher - Starling Class

    spaxtonschool@educ.somerset.gov.uk

    Mrs Rood is our Head of School. After 12 years of teaching, both in London and Somerset, she has decided to embrace the challenge of leading a school. She is keen to embrace all the wonderful aspects Spaxton has to offer and develop them further, so that we have a school the whole community is proud of. Mrs Rood would like the school to be a hive of activity where children become independent, resilient and hard-working learners. She would like all the children to develop a love of learning, but most importantly become caring and thoughtful members of the community.

    In her spare time, Mrs Rood enjoys spending time with her family, including walking the dogs. She also enjoys baking and doesn't mind getting her hands dirty and helping out on the family farm.

  • Miss E Shortland

    Teacher - Starling Class

    spaxtonschool@educ.somerset.gov.uk

    Miss Shortland is our Starling Class teacher. She is a Newly Qualified teacher who is thrilled to be beginning her career in Spaxton, saying: “I love that the school places such an emphasis on children’s well-being and the value of outdoor learning. It feels like such a happy place to be for staff, children and parents.”
    In her spare time Miss Shortland loves going for long walks outdoors, cooking and spending time with her friends and family. Her favourite books are those by Julia Donaldson when reading with children- she also loves reading the Harry Potter books. Her favourite film is Matilda or any Christmas film!

  • Miss L Sellick

    Teaching Assistant - Starling Class

    spaxtonschool@educ.somerset.gov.uk

    Miss Sellick is our Teaching Assistant who has been with us since September 2019 and is hoping to one day become a fully qualified Teacher. Miss Sellick really appreciates how we encourage the children to go outdoors at Spaxton, and help them to learn to appreciate their surroundings.

    In her spare time Miss Sellick loves spending time with friends and family and keeping fit and healthy. She loves to go to the gym and play Rounders and Cricket in the Summer. Her favourite film is Despicable Me – she says, "I'm a true child at heart!"

  • Mrs R Skews

    Teacher - Kingfisher Class and SENDCo

    spaxtonschool@educ.somerset.gov.uk

    Mrs Skews is our Senior Teacher, Kingfisher Class teacher as well as the SENDco. She has been teaching for 18 years, all of that time within Somerset schools. In 2012 she made the decision to leave the classroom to become a non-teaching SENDco of a large primary school, however she really missed the day to day interaction with the children and took a leap of faith leaving the school she had worked in for 15 years to become part of the Spaxton School community.
    Mrs Skews has truly enjoyed being part of the Spaxton community, saying "Pupils, staff and governors have all been really supportive and welcoming. The school has the children at the heart of all it does, inspiring all pupils to do their best. I really enjoying the holistic approach we have to learning developing the child as a whole, providing them with life skills as well as academic achievements"

    Mrs Skews is an avid crafter and enjoys making cards and scrapbooking her family’s adventures alongside her husband and daughter. She love the outdoors and enjoy being out and about in all weathers, and is a keen photographer who likes to capture a sense of belonging.

    In her spare time Mrs Skews is also a Brownie leader, sharing her passions with the young girls she supports. She still loves to read children’s books and her favourite author is Roald Dahl. Mrs Skews loves reading romantic novels especially those by Katie Fforde. Her favourite films are the Harry Potter series, including Fantastic Beasts and Crimes of Grindlewold, she loves how the directors have brought to life JK Rowling’s imagination.

  • Miss C Jones

    Teaching Assistant - Kingfisher Class

    spaxtonschool@educ.somerset.gov.uk

    Mrs Jones is one of our Teaching Assistants and runs the After School Club. She has been here with us at Spaxton School for 13 years now and says, "I love the smiles on the children's faces in the morning and the beautiful views of the countryside around us".

    In her spare time, Mrs Jones is busy being a mum and a nanny to 3 year old Bailey. Her favourite book is The Faraway Tree and her favourite film is Toy Story.

  • Miss A Capel

    Teacher - Kingfisher & Peregrine

    spaxtonschool@educ.somerset.gov.uk

    Miss Capel is our Year 4, 5 and 6 teacher. She has been teaching for 20 years in both primary and secondary school settings within the UK and Zambia. Her first impressions of Spaxton School are that it is a warm, welcoming, friendly and fun school that is part of a very caring and pro-active community. She says, "Spaxton school has fantastic children, inspirational staff and supportive parents."

    In her spare time, Miss Capel is a busy mum who likes to spend time outdoors, walking in the woods and splashing in the sea. Miss Capel also enjoys playing the cello, creating textile art, gardening, swimming, dancing and supporting her links with schools in Zambia. Her favourite book is 'Anne of Green Gables' by L.M. Montgomery.

  • Miss N Atwell

    Teacher - Peregrine Class

    spaxtonschool@educ.somerset.gov.uk

    Miss Atwell is our Teacher for Peregrine class. She has been teaching for 4 years this January. Although she trained in Wiltshire, where she lived at the time, she moved back to Somerset in 2017 to teach in the local area. Miss Atwell has worked in a few different settings, including being a supply teacher for a short while. This is where she realised she really wanted her own class, so she could build a safe and happy learning environment for everyone.
    Miss Atwell has worked in a big 2 form entry school, which she enjoyed, but she much prefers working in a small village school like Spaxton, where she and the children can be inspired by the surrounding nature. She says, “Everyone at Spaxton have been really welcoming, especially the children!”
    In her spare time, Miss Atwell enjoys gardening. She particularly enjoys trying to grow fruits and vegetables, although she is still learning. Apart from loving all things Disney, she also loves to dance and this has been something she has done since she was in school.

  • Mrs S Wilson

    1:1 Teaching Assistant - Peregrine Class

    spaxtonschool@educ.somerset.gov.uk

    Mrs Wilson is one of the Teaching Assistants in Peregrine Class. She works mainly as a 1:1 but enjoys working with the whole class and doing interventions.
    Mrs Wilson is a qualified ELSA which helps provide support for children with emotional needs, as well as running literacy and maths 1:1 sessions.
    Before coming to Spaxton she worked with children with a variety of special educational needs, and she is passionate about maintaining an inclusive environment.
    In her spare time she is working towards her degree, raising two boys, baking, gardening and hopes to become a teacher in the next 5 years.

  • Mrs C Selby

    Play Leader and Emotional Literacy Support Advisor

    spaxtonschool@educ.somerset.gov.uk

    Mrs Selby is our Play Leader and Emotional Literacy Support and joined Spaxton School in December 2019. She says, "I really enjoy working at Spaxton and the interaction with the children." When Mrs Selby is not at Spaxton she enjoys working as a volunteer for the NSPCC. She is a ‘Speak Out, Stay Safe’ School Service volunteer and always finds the job so rewarding.

    When she is not working in schools, Mrs Selby is busy being a mum to three children. She says, "Having grown up on the Quantock hills not far from Spaxton it felt like coming home when I started working at the school." Family time is important to Mrs Selby and they love spending time outdoors. They can often be found visiting National Trust properties or taking walks on the beach. They also love watching movies together and her families favourite film is Toy Story!

  • Mrs Suzanne Traynor

    Co-Chair of Governors

    hroper1@educ.somerset.gov.uk

    Mrs Suzanne Traynor has been making the school run to Spaxton for a number of years since the oldest of 4 children started at Spaxton in 2008. Elected as Parent Governor in 2017, became Foundation Governor in 2018 and Co Chair in 2019. Suzanne loves the school and seeing the children flourish within it.

    Suzanne can regularly be seen dog walking around the village between school runs, enjoys the outdoors and all the wonders of nature through the changing seasons -she likes spending time in and around the sea.