Colin Sowter
Colin has 38 years' teaching experience. Earlier in his career he was responsible for devising CAT tests, the BSTS (British Spelling Test Series) as well as developing the real 11+ tests for the organisation now known as GL Assessment. In more recent years at SDE he has focused on delivering the Year 5 11+ Course. Colin is also a published 11+ author.
Kate Kightley
Kate has over 27 years' teaching experience. She taught for several years in a 'super selective' grammar school in London and in more recent years in two independent schools, including a local girls' prep school. As well as tutoring for SDE, Kate also holds the office-based position of SDE Teaching Resource Developer.
Caroline Burden
BA (Hons), PGCE, TEFL Certification
Caroline has 25 years of experience in primary age teaching having taught in the UK and France and in both the state and independent sectors. At SDE she teaches both the Year 4 and Year 5 11+ Courses.
Avril Burrows
Avril has over 40 years' primary teaching experience with additional exposure working with SEN students. She has many years experience teaching students who are preparing for the 11+ exams and has in the past operated her own successful Maths and English tutoring franchise. In addition to SDE, she continues to teach part-time in a local school.
Phillipa Bloom
Phillipa has 40 years’ primary teaching experience including 15 years which have been almost exclusively devoted to preparing children for the 11+ tests, having joined SDE in 2009. Since 2014 Phillipa has successfully developed the SDE 11+ Tuition Centre (franchise) in SW Herts.
Romina Sharrocks
Romina has nearly 20 years’ experience in primary teaching and is a specialist Maths subject teacher. She has been preparing SDE 11+ candidates for the GL Assessment 11+ tests in Bucks since 2019 and is now devoted exclusively to teaching the Year 5 Course.