Staff

Meet the Senior Leadership Team

 

Thomas Packer: Headmaster

51-year-old Thomas Packer has served as Headmaster of the independent Teesside High School near Stockton-on-Tees for the past five-and-a-half years. This co-educational, non-selective school caters for pupils aged 3-18.

Before that, Mr Packer was Headmaster at Stover School in Devon which caters for pupils of a large number of nationalities as both boarders and day pupils.

Mr Packer’s first acting headship was at Victoria College, an all-boys school with a mixed Sixth Form in Jersey, where he also served as Deputy Head.

Mr Packer has also worked as Head of Science at Downe House School for Girls and before that as Housemaster (a pastoral position) at Hereford Cathedral School.

Mr Packer is a keen musician, playing flute and percussion as well as conducting.

 

Sam Naismith: Deputy Headmaster

Sam Naismith was Director of Sport at Langley Park School for Boys from 2002-2011. A state comprehensive school of over 1,600 students including a mixed Sixth Form of 500, Langley Park has a national reputation for excellence in hockey and rugby, often competing for national titles.

Before that, Mr Naismith was Head of Year at Langley Park, a job he combined with international hockey coaching with the England under-18 squad.

Mr Naismith has also worked in the independent sector at Stamford School in Lincolnshire and in the state sector at Wallington County Grammar School and Heysham High School.

 

 

 

 

Meet the Subject Leaders

 
Wavell Blades: Head of Humanities

Mr Blades joins the West London Free School from Cranford Community College in Hounslow where he taught History.

After receiving a degree in History from Durham University, he began his teaching career under the Teach First programme. Teach First was founded in 2002 and aims to address educational disadvantage by transforming exceptional graduates into effective, inspirational teachers and leaders in all fields.

Mr Blades is a former member of the National Youth Theatre and continues to enjoy theatre. He has performed in and directed a variety of productions.

 

 

 

Rebecca Cann: Head of Classics

Miss Cann has a long-term love of Classics. She joins the West London Free School from Bradfield College, a co-ed independent boarding school in Berkshire, where she was Head of Classics. Before that, Miss Cann taught Classics for three years at Queen Elizabeth’s Grammar School in Blackburn.

After receiving her degree in Classical Literature and Civilisation from the University of Birmingham she went on to achieve an MA in Classics and is currently studying part-time for a PhD. She has taught Latin, Greek and Classical Civilisation from beginner to A-level and university standard.

Outside of school she enjoys theatre, film and drama.

 

 

Deborah Halifax: Head of English

Miss Halifax was Head of English at The Skinners’ School, a boys grammar school in Tunbridge Wells, from 2004-11. She led the department to achieve its highest results ever at GCSE and A-Level.

Previous teaching posts include three years as Head of Media Studies at the Windsor Boys School and English Teacher at Tunbridge Wells High School.

She has a degree in English and Film from The University of Kent and a Post-Graduate Diploma in Youth and Community Work from the University of Lancaster.

Whilst at Skinners', Miss Halifax founded the school debating society which went on to achieve national and international success with yearly appearances at the Cambridge and Oxford Unions, as well as representing England at the US Embassy in London.

Deborah has published articles in academic magazines for sixth formers and undergraduates. She enjoys organising and participating in author and poet visits, lectures, theatre visits and drama festivals.

 

Katherine Holliday: Head of Science

Miss Holliday joins the West London Free School from Fakenham High School, a co-ed comprehensive in Norfolk, where she has taught Science for the past two years.

Miss Holliday enjoys teaching all three sciences but has a specialism in Chemistry. She has been an active member of her Science department, organizing teams for the Norwich Science Olympiad competition, a high-profile regional event in which pupils compete against other schools online to gain a place in the live final at the University of East Anglia.

Miss Holliday is involved in the Duke of Edinburgh Award scheme as a Basic Expedition Leader.

 

 

 

David Stanton: Head of Mathematics

Mr Stanton joins the West London Free School from Langley Park School for Boys, a comprehensive in Bromley, where he has taught Maths for the past 10 years.

He holds a degree in Philosophy and Mathematics from Southampton University.

Mr Stanton is a keen sportsman and plays for Old Mid-Whigiftians Rubgy Club 1st XV.

 

 

 

  

Ed Watkins: Head of Music

Mr Watkins attended Eton College where he studied piano and viola. He went on to receive a degree in Music from Keble College, Oxford, where he was the Organ Scholar.

He joins the West London Free School from Bishop Thomas Grant School, a Roman Catholic comprehensive serving a diverse population in an area of social and economic deprivation. He was Assistant Director of Music at Bishop Thomas Grant for four years. Music uptake at the school was three times the national average at GCSE with 50% of pupils taking part in concerts each year.

Mr Watkins is Assistant Director of Voice Chamber Choir, Director of Music at Our Lady of Perpetual Help Church and has recently founded Inner Voices, an inner-London state school choir under the Director of Music at Eton College.

He sings for pleasure and professionally with the Fulham Camerata and the Schola of All Saints in Putney. He his also a keen distance runner and practises martial arts, holding a brown belt in Judo.

 

Lilly Akseth: Head of Art

Miss Akseth graduated from the University of San Francisco with a BA in Fine Art and has postgraduate degrees from the University of Manchester and the Courtauld Institute of Art.

Throughout her studies, Miss Akseth interned at the Victoria and Albert Museum's picture library and was given a permanent position in their commercial licensing department in 2008. In 2010, she started a graphic design company, Lilly Squared Designs.

Miss Akseth's lessons at the West London Free School will incorporate both her practical art knowledge and her extensive training in art history. She believes passionately that combining practical, hands-on lessons with an understanding of art through the ages is an important and exciting way to broaden young minds. In her classes, students will be creating their own works of art while studying the work of influential artists throughout history: this combination will give a broad education that will improve the students' art skills and engage them on a wide range of topics including global politics, religion and philosophy.

 

Helen Arsicot: Head of French

Mrs Arsicot was Head of French at Cumnor House Preparatory School for Boys 2001-03, and before that taught French and German at Selsdon High School, a Comprehensive near Croydon. She was formerly Acting Head of Department and taught A-Level French at Wallington Grammar School.

Since leaving Cumnor House she has set up a business teaching French to pre-school and primary school children as well as to GCSE candidates.

She holds a degree in French from Bristol University, and a PGCE from the University of London.

 

 

 

 Janet Packer: Girls PE & Games

Mrs Packer joins the West London Free School from Teesside High School where she taught PE and Swimming as well as Food and Nutrition. She also supported children with Autism and Dyslexia.

After qualifying as a teacher at the University of Sheffield, where she specialised in Lacrosse, Mrs Packer went on to be Head of Department at Gateway’s School near Leeds. Since then she has worked in a variety of schools, including international schools in Switzerland and Cyprus.

In 1991, Mrs Packer moved to Downe House School in Berkshire, where she taught PE and was responsible for the extra-curricular programme and the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award Scheme.

A keen sportswoman, Mrs Packer has played at County and Territorial levels. Her other interests include walking, cooking and music, playing the ’cello and piano as well as singing.