Phillipa Bloom

Education and qualifications

Qualifications: BEd

Teaching Experience:  Qualified teacher since 1984 (40 years)

Role: Owner of the SDE franchise in SW Herts, known as SDE (West Herts) LLP

Experience

I have worked as a teacher for 40 years both in various UK schools and in an International School in Italy.

I have taught children from Year 3 up to Year 11 in both the state and Independent sector.  During this time I have held various positions of responsibility, including Head of Girl’s PE and Games at Orley Farm School in Harrow and Head of Upper School at Belmont (Prep School to Mill Hill) in London.

I first started teaching with Susan in 2009, initially tutoring Year 4 students (the Year 4 Foundation Course was a new addition for SDE at that time).  Then in 2014 I was granted the first SDE franchise in SW Herts.  Since then I have successfully built this into a successful franchised SDE 11+ Tuition Centre with over a hundred students attending the Tuition Centre in Bushey each week. 

Everything we do at SDE (West Herts) LLP is the same as at other SDE 11+ Tuition Centres, although if you join one of my classes there, you will communicate with me directly on all matters, whether educational or administrative.  At my SDE 11+ Centre we also offer a Year 5 11+ Course which is specifically designed for students who are attempting the SW Herts Consortium Schools 11+ tests which only test VR and Maths, as well as different classes for those Year 5 students who need to cover all four 11+ subjects (VR, Maths, English and NVR).  We also offer the Foundation Course for students who wish to begin their 11+ preparation in Year 4.

Additional information

Working with children who are moving from Junior to Secondary school is especially rewarding as children of this age tend to be enthusiastic, motivated and keen to learn. They are receptive to learning and this makes the job of the teacher interesting and fulfilling.

I enjoy knowing that what we do will help the children transition to Secondary school where they will be able to reach their potential.

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Meet our tutors, experienced and qualified individuals dedicated to helping your child reach their full potential.

Gill Bryant

CertEd

Gill has 50 years of primary education experience in both state and independent schools. She has comprehensive experience teaching Key Stages 1 and 2. She was head of a junior school before retiring from teaching in full time education. She now focuses on teaching of the 11+ for SDE in particularly delivery of the Year 4 course.

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Kate Kightley

BA (Hons), PGCE

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.

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Malcolm Amiss

CertEd, BEd

Malcolm has over 40 years' teaching experience, more than 20 years of which have involved preparing students for the 11+ exams, including as Head of Year 6 and then as Deputy Head of a leading local prep school.

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Romina Sharrocks

BA (Joint Hons), PGCE

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.

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Janice Holmes

BA, PGCE, NPQH

Janice has over 30 years' experience in primary teaching. She has held senior positions in school, including as Head of School, and alongside classroom teaching has worked on driving an increase in levels of attainment particularly in English, Reading and Maths.  

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Anna Simms

MSt Hist. (Dist.), PGCE, QTS and BSc Psych.

Anna has over 15 years of experience in the primary education setting. As well as achieving a PGCE in Primary Education she has also completed a Masters in History . She has undertaken the roles of Head of Maths and Head of History and also has experience with SEN students.

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