Mark Dawes and Helen Harris are sharing the role of Area Coordinator for Cambridgeshire and Peterborough whilst Lily Tang-Gentile is on maternity leave. Mark will focus on Core Maths and Teacher Network Meetings whilst Helen will be responsible for organising problem-solving classes, enrichment sessions for students and PD events.
Mark is already well-known to many of you, having facilitated network meetings in the Cambridge area for several years.
I have taught at Comberton Village College for over 20 years, during which time I have had several roles including that of Head of Mathematics and being an Advanced Skills Teacher. This year I am working part-time in school (where my classes run from Year 6 to Year 13) and part-time as a teaching associate at the Faculty of Education in Cambridge, where I co-lead the Secondary Maths PGCE course. This allows me to work with brand new teachers as well as with my school colleagues and my students.
When not at work, I tend to be playing or listening to music, or running. Training runs can be combined very well with listening to podcasts and I use the time to learn Spanish (I find myself greeting other runners with ‘hola’ as we pass!).
Helen has recently joined Comberton Village College having previously taught at schools in the North Essex / Cambridgeshire area.
I was a late arrival to the teaching profession having spent several years working in the finance industry developing software for credit risk management systems. My work required me to relocate and I lived at various times in London, Berlin and Stuttgart. When I settled back in the UK I moved to North Essex. I started volunteering at a local school which eventually lead to me undertaking a PGCE in Secondary Mathematics. This year I am combining the role of AMSP area coordinator with being Head of KS5 Mathematics and a 6th Form tutor at Comberton Village College. I enjoy walking and camping and spend a lot of time in rural North Norfolk where my family are still based.
They are both looking forward to working with colleagues in Cambridgeshire and Peterborough while covering Lily’s maternity leave. If you would like support with any aspect of your mathematics provision or if you have any questions about the AMSP and their work, please don’t hesitate to contact them at: [email protected] and [email protected].