With decades of school-based teaching experience between us, we know first-hand how mainstream settings can be challenging for some students. Those with neurodiversity, SEMH needs, or trauma can easily be overlooked or misunderstood.  At best this can lead to underperformance: at worst this can lead students to retreat from education altogether.   

At The Spring Space, we understand that a personalised and child-centred approach is what is needed. By offering conditions where learners first feel safe, understood and valued, we’re able to then deliver teaching that resonates. Built on our core values of compassion, connection and commitment we support our students to connect with our community, curriculum, and the wider world. The result is lives transformed. 

Rest assured, we’re certified and fully qualified

All of our teaching team are highly experienced, fully qualified teachers are trained in their subject specialisms, DBS checked and skilled at working with neurodiverse students.


Quality counts at Spring.

Experienced 

All of the team are fully qualified experienced teachers. With decades of experience between us, you are in safe hands.

Caring

The best learning happens when children feel valued and secure, which is why we work so hard to find empathic teachers who they can be themselves around and trust. 

Specialist

All our teachers have a professional specialism, whether that’s subject-specific or to do with the age range they know best.

Safe

Every teacher is enhanced DBS checked, quality assured for our students’ safety and for necessary good safeguarding practice. 

Our Teachers

  • Lucy Taylor

    SENDCO and Spring Deputy

    Compassionate, caring and committed, Lucy is Spring’s Superwoman in disguise. Lucy is our highly experienced SENDCO and Deputy. When not being Kathryn’s right hand woman, you will find her walking her beloved moors or making the most of her time with family and friends.

  • A woman with glasses and wavy light brown hair pulled back, wearing a white shirt and a green lanyard that says 'STAFF.'

    Jess Naylor

    Secondary English Specialist

    Jess is our resident English specialist and has experience teaching both GCSE and A-level students. Jess is brilliant at what she does and we feel lucky to have her on the team. When not teaching, you can find Jess grappling at Ju Jitsu.

  • Rebecca Patrick

    Secondary Maths Specialist

    A former primary teacher, Rebecca has found her calling as a maths teacher. Bridging the gaps from KS2 and KS3 is her specialism. Rebecca has children, who not only survived but thrived at high school, and lives locally.

  • Sarah Olverson

    Secondary Maths Specialist

    Sarah is a KS3 and GCSE maths specialist who worked for many year for a top Yorkshire grammar school. Sarah is a kind and caring member of the team who gets the best out of her students.

  • A smiling woman with shoulder-length blonde hair, wearing hoop earrings, a necklace, and a black coat outdoors with blurred trees and water in the background.

    Kathryn Grice

    Secondary English Specialist

    Kathryn, our founder, is a secondary English specialist, an examiner, and a coach for the School mental health award for Leeds Beckett University. She has two school-age sons of her own, one of whom she delivered herself on the bedroom floor!

  • A woman with short dark hair, wearing earrings and a colorful patterned dress, smiling at the camera with water and mountains in the background.

    Liz Hodgson

    MFL Specialist (French, Spanish, German)

    Liz teaches GCSE and A-level French and German, as well as ‘pure conversation’ – actually how to use and understand the spoken language, without any writing or grammar. Fun-but-not-particularly-useful fact: Liz can walk on her hands!

  • A close-up of a woman smiling, with blond and dark hair, wearing a yellow jacket.

    Natalie Thornton

    GCSE and A-Level Chemistry Specialist

    Natalie is a secondary and A-level teacher of chemistry and geology, with over 15 years’ teaching experience behind her. She’s worked in both grammar and private schools locally. As Spring’s most in demand teacher - she is hot property!

  • Katie Ashwood

    GCSE and A-Level Biology

    Katie has a vast amount of experience teaching GCSE and A level biology at a local grammar school. She is also a keen crafter, when not teaching you will find her creating.

  • Claire Wheatley

    Claire Wheatley

    GCSE Art and Photography

    Claire is our resident Art and Photography expert. She is an experienced GCSE teacher who has an incredible talent for supporting students to develop their confidence and increase their wellbeing. A mother herself, she knows the importance of finding a support network to support your child’s emotional wellbeing alongside academic achievements.

  • Nicola Leadbeater

    Primary & KS1 Specialist

    With a whopping 30 years’ teaching experience under her belt, Nic is a primary specialist in KS1, phonics and reading, as well as primary Spanish. She lived in Gran Canaria for ten years and is also a qualified beautician!