The Team
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Leanne Dixon Headteacher Designated Safeguarding Lead SENDCo |
Having grown up in Oxfordshire, I feel privileged to be working in my hometown. I have worked in outstanding schools and led schools out of special measures and requires improvement. I have held a Leadership role within The MILL Academy since 2017. In 2019, I completed the National SENCo Award, which deepened my commitment to inclusion and advocacy. This qualification has enabled me to be a dedicated voice for children with special educational needs across both Queen Emma’s and Finstock Church of England Primary School. I believe strongly in providing every child with the support they need to thrive with no exceptions. I’m passionate about nurturing not only academic achievement but also wellbeing, resilience, and independence. Working within such a caring and driven team at Queen Emma’s is a daily reminder of why I love what I do. |
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Alex James-Bott Deputy Headteacher |
I began my teaching career in 2015, having completed a PGCE at Oxford Brookes University. I have worked in a variety of primary schools across Oxfordshire and London and have experience teaching in Nursery through to Year 6. I love being creative and am extremely passionate about art and reading. I strive to make all areas of the curriculum as creative and inspiring as possible. I have a special interest in child psychology and mental health, completing an MSc in Psychology in 2020 at University College London and achieving a Distinction. Additionally, I have worked within the Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service specialising in eating disorders. Recently, I have completed training to become a Mental Health Lead. I joined The MILL Academy in 2020 and have loved teaching across both Queen Emma's and Finstock for the past 4 years. I am excited to continue to develop my career in a leadership role across both our wonderful primary schools. |
ASSISTANT SCHOOL LEADERS
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Quality of Education EYFS and Year 1 |
I joined the Queen Emma's Reception team in September 2020. I have been an Early Years Lead since 2008 and have a particular interest in developing children’s literacy skills. I have enjoyed supporting local schools to develop their Early Years practice in my role as Local Authority moderator and in a range of advisory roles. I am so proud to be part of our 'outstanding' Early Years team with incredible children, experienced staff, beautiful outside spaces and a caring, nurturing ethos. Coincidentally, my grandparents owned a sweet shop and barbers in Carterton many years ago and then moved to a house just round the corner from Queen Emma’s! |
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Leanne Jones Quality of Education Year 2 and LKS2 |
I graduated from the University of Gloucestershire in 2012 and I have been teaching ever since. I have worked in a wide variety of schools within Oxfordshire and in Wiltshire, where I live. I am happy to be working back in Witney, which is where I was born and grew up, and I still consider this town my home. I absolutely love my job as a teacher and wouldn’t want to do anything else. I am passionate about education and seeing children fulfil their potential. I love working with such wonderful children at Queen Emma’s. |
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Yazmin Goodgame SENDCo |
I feel privileged to have had the opportunity to teach from Reception to Year 6 in our school community. My passion lies in nurturing healthy habits in children, both mentally and physically, ensuring they are equipped with the tools they need to thrive in and out of the school setting. Recently, I completed a master's degree in psychoanalysis, which has deepened my understanding of mental health and its crucial role in education. This new knowledge has enhanced my practice, particularly in my role as the Special Educational Needs Coordinator (SENCO). In this role, I am dedicated to advocating for our children with special educational needs, supporting them to reach their full potential across both Finstock and Queen Emma’s Primary School. As the Mental Health Lead, I am committed to promoting a positive, supportive environment where all children can flourish, ensuring their well-being is at the heart of everything we do. |
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Victoria Musson Director of Education |
I trained to become a primary teacher at Bishop Grosseteste University in Lincoln. I started my career teaching in a secondary school teaching Performing Arts. I have held a range of leadership positions, including Head of Performing Arts and Assistant Headteacher, often in schools with high deprivation and low social mobility. I have been teaching for 18 years and in leadership roles for 14 which enables me to bring breadth and depth of knowledge, skills and experience to my current role: school improvement (primary and secondary), quality assurance, SEND reviews, transforming behaviour management, closing the gap, Ofsted preparation, Headteacher and SLT support, quality of education reviews, strategic approach to behaviour and attitudes, improving literacy: reading and writing. I am a level 3 Pivotal Instructor and a Designated Safeguarding Lead. Currently, I graduated with a Masters in Educational Leadership from Buckingham University in 2022. I love my job because I have the opportunity to improve lives. |
TEACHING STAFF
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Florence Chapman |
I graduated from Oxford Brookes University in 2022 as a qualified teacher. Before this, I worked with young people in various roles until I decided I wanted to support children right at the start of their education journey. During my teacher training year, I had the opportunity to teach for a term at Queen Emma’s. I loved seeing the positive school environment and the creativity within the curriculum and I decided then, this was the school I wanted to begin my teaching career in. I am a class teacher in Key Stage 1. Inside the classroom I want the children to feel confident enough to reach their full potential, adopt the love of reading I do and most importantly feel excited about coming to school every day. Outside of the classroom you will see me reading a book, trying to cook up a new recipe or going on a nice long run. |
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Frankie Crouch |
I have been teaching at Queen Emma's since 2013. In that time I have taught in every year group (including EYFS) and am now in Years 4 and 5 (Enhanced Pathway). Before joining the team at Queen Emma's, I worked in an international school in Beijing, as well as another local school in Witney. I feel very fortunate to be spending my days teaching such enthusiastic and fun young people, and am thankful every day that I love my job. As a teacher I always strive to make children excited about coming to school, that they are engaged purposely in their learning and that they know their potential. I have a passion for sport and aim for all children to participate and engage in sport in primary school. I currently lead the Sport across the school, ensuring that all children have the opportunity to access high-quality PE lessons, extra-curricular activities and Inter-School competitions. |
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Robin Dando |
I am so excited to be part of the team at Queen Emma’s as I grew up in Oxfordshire, barely a stone’s throw from Witney and now I have a wonderful opportunity to contribute to our wonderful community. I am a passionate reader and have always loved reading and telling stories. To this end I completed a BA in English Literature and Creative Writing at the University of Winchester in 2014, and an MA in Creative Writing at the same institution in 2015. Years later I realised that I was not done with education and decided to embark on a PGCE at the University of Gloucestershire and I completed this training in 2025. My favourite subject is and always has been history. Not only is it made up of fascinating human stories, but it is essential for shaping our understanding of the present. When I’m not working, I try to spend as much time as I can exploring different heritage sites, particularly castles as I am fascinated by Medieval history. Before deciding to work in education I worked in heritage tourism and this is where I first ‘caught the bug’ for teaching as I found it so rewarding to share my knowledge and enthusiasm for one of my interests with people from all over the world and running workshops for visiting school groups. I enjoyed working with visiting schools so much that I decided to make a change and work in education. I spent a year working as an LSA in a Witney based school and realised that working with children and helping them learn is what I want to do and so I returned to university and trained as a teacher. I’ll be working in UKS2 and I feel so privileged to be in a position where I can share my passion and enthusiasm for learning with my pupils and help them foster a love of learning that will serve them well through the rest of their school journey and into their later lives. |
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Michaela Hawkins |
I’m thrilled to be part of the team here at Queen Emma’s. I grew up in Oxfordshire and now have the privilege of teaching in the community that shaped me. I completed my BSc in Psychology in 2024, followed by a PGCE at the University of Gloucestershire, which I finished in 2025. Before training as a teacher, I worked in both preschools and a primary school as a teaching assistant—experiences that deepened my passion for working with children. I’ve always been driven by a desire to inspire and encourage young minds, helping them to reach their full potential. I’ll be working in Key Stage 1 and have a particular interest in art, literacy and history—subjects I love bringing to life in creative and engaging ways for young learners. Outside of the classroom, I enjoy spending time with my family and our beautiful Labrador, and we love exploring the outdoors—whether that’s geocaching or climbing waterfalls! I also love settling down with a good book when I get the chance. |
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Having grown up in Witney and completed my final university placement at this school, it seems quite fateful that I am starting my teaching career at Queen Emma’s, with a KS1 class. I graduated from the University of Brighton in 2021 with a passion for bringing music and languages into the classroom and, like some of my own most inspiring teachers, can often be found singing my way through the corridors! My goal as a teacher is to foster children’s confidence: confidence to show off their potential and confidence to make mistakes and learn from them, which is what learning is all about. |
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I'm so excited to be part of the dedicated team here at Queen Emma's! I believe in fostering a nurturing and engaging classroom environment where every child feels empowered to explore, learn, and grow. My goal is to inspire a love of learning that extends beyond the classroom walls and helps children discover their full potential. I'm particularly passionate about Science and Computing, with a bit of Maths sprinkled on top for good measure! Outside of school, I love spending time with my family, going for walks, and diving into the worlds of computers and gaming (especially on my Switch). You’ll also find me reading a good book, enjoying movies, listening to music, and always learning new things. I'm really enjoying supporting the children on their educational journey at Queen Emma's! |
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Peter Williams |
I qualified as a teacher at York St John University in 2015 and have since taught in a range of schools across Swindon and Oxfordshire, with a brief detour to Sunderland for a year. My experience spans Years 2, 3, and 4 in mainstream settings, as well as teaching Years 5 and 6 in a trauma-informed school, which has deepened my understanding of inclusive and adaptive teaching. I have a real passion for Maths and PE, and I enjoy creating lessons that are active, engaging, and fun. I also love football, whether I’m coaching, playing, or watching and I’ll happily watch just about any sport! Music is another big part of my life; I play several instruments including the guitar and drums, and I enjoy bringing music into the classroom whenever I can. I’m excited to see what I can bring to Queen Emma’s Primary School and look forward to helping every child feel confident, valued, and inspired in their learning. |
SUPPORT STAFF
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Cathryn Taylor Business Services Manager |
I joined Queen Emma’s in September 2009 on a 9 month Administrative Assistant contract to cover maternity leave, but I loved the school so much that I have never left! I am now the Business Services Manager across the Primary Schools, working for The MILL Academy, having completed the CSBM in May 2018. I am very proud to be part of the amazing team at Queen Emma’s and have enjoyed developing links with other schools in The MILL. My aims for the future are to continue to support the schools on their journey to becoming the best they can be and I am excited about being a part of the story. |
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Carol Abberley |
I have worked at Queen Emma’s Primary School as a Learning Support Assistant for many years. I have seen children grow into themselves achieving goals they only dreamt of. Their looks of delight and amazement in what they have just discovered and wonderment to learn more, gives me encouragement and a need to develop myself in this role. Working in most areas of the school has deepened my understanding of developmental needs and shown me where my strengths are. I feel proud to be a part of this dedicated team. |
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Amanda Cox |
I started working at the school in January 2005, and I have had a variety of roles since then. I started as an SEN teaching assistant, then I went on to be a Home School Link Worker, which was followed by a role as Community Engagement, Health and Mental Health Co-Ordinator. I am currently working in our Pathway class and I continue to enjoy supporting our children throughout their time at Queen Emma's. |
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Sam Godfrey |
I have worked at the school for several years and am currently based in Key Stage 1. Over the years I have seen lots of children go from Foundation right through to year 6. I have also been on several residential visits, which are enriching to pupils and adults alike. |
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Niki Olive |
I am a qualified Nursery Nurse, this qualifies me to work with children from 0-7 years old. I also hold the certificate for the National Association of Maternal and Child Welfare. My first job was working with disabled children. I then went on to work in a nursery. Whilst bringing my stepsons and two sons up, I was a registered child minder. Then I was a supervisor at a preschool. I have been at Queen Emma's for over 25 years; working in Foundation class is such a rewarding job. The progression the children make in their first year is amazing to see. In my spare time, I enjoy spending time with my grandchildren. |
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| Claire Cooper | ||
