Mrs Helen Allen joined St Christopher's over ten years ago on a part time basis teaching Lower School games. In 2009 she became   Head of PE, teaching every child from Reception to Year 8, as well as games to the Lower School and girls from Years 5 to 8. Her interests in addition to sport are dance, photography and doing Sudoku puzzles.

Mr Simon Ball worked as Head of English in two preparatory schools before taking on the position of Director of Studies and more recently Head of Middle and Upper Schools at St Christopher's. He is a keen sportsman, playing hockey for Lewes HC, and is a member of the MCC.

Ms Andrea Bentham joined St Christopher's in 2008, having previously taught in Germany. She studied History at Sheffield University and gained her PGCE from Leeds University. She is the Assistant Director of Studies and is also responsible for the development of the ICT department at a time when technology becomes an ever more important part of education. She is a (highly) competitive croquet player and her other interests include visiting the further flung parts of the globe.

Mr Richard Coppack joined the school 3 years ago having re-located from the West Midlands. He studied music at the University of York and the Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama before moving to the West Midlands to begin his teaching career. Since moving to St Christopher's Richard has become Director of Music as well as taking charge of the senior rugby team. His hobbies include horse riding and musical theatre, and he is excited to be taking charge of the school production of Bugsy Malone this year.

Mrs Gillian Forte studied French and Linguistics at Reading University and then gained her PGCE at the University of Sussex. Languages are her passion.  Over the years she has added German and Spanish to her repertoire, and she has some knowledge of Italian. When time allows she wants to learn Mandarin as, having been to Korea and Japan, she is now very keen to visit China.

Mrs Melody Gozzett has a long and pleasant association with the school both as a parent and a teacher, beginning many moons ago in 1986. She originally worked in the nursery in Leicester Villas, then joined "big school" to work in Year 1. Her two sons benefitted from their time at St Christopher's, both being awarded Scholarships to their next schools. Mrs Gozzet has taught Geography, History and RS, as well as encouraging generations of children with their reading. Known as "Inspector Gozzett", she is very keen for the children to look smart and is known for tracking down items of lost property, particularly in the Lower School. Following in the footsteps of her sons, Mrs Gozzett is the fiercely proud Housemistress of Howe.

Ms Lucy Hall joined St Christopher’s in September 2003 as a Reception Teaching Assistant after studying a BA (HONS) in Early Childhood Studies at The University of Northampton. She is a qualified Nursery Nurse and has a BTEC National Diploma in Childcare. At present she is studying to become a Higher Level Teaching Assistant and is very much enjoying the challenge. She ran the After School Club for many years and is currently acting as the School Librarian. She is also a fully qualified first aider.

Mr Chris Holt joined St Christopher's in 2001, thinking that he would be filling in for six weeks. Over a decade later, he is the Head of RS & Philosophy and the school's Director of Public Relations. He has no intention of moving on quite yet. Chris is unusual amongst the Staff for having been Housemaster of two different Houses, having switched allegiance from Nelson to Drake. He holds a Master's Degree in English and Philosophy from Cambridge University, his particular passions being Shakespeare, William Blake and James Joyce. Outside of school, he is a keen cook, an accomplished musician and several plays he wrote have been performed in the Brighton Festival.

Ms Bridget Laatz joined St Christopher’s in January 2011 as Head of Girls’ Games. She previously taught at the Old Vicarage School in Richmond-upon-Thames where she was Head of Humanities and coached girls’ games. Miss Laatz gained her B.Ed at the University of Stellenbosch, South Africa and before coming to the UK, she headed up the Girls’ Games Department at Rhenish Primary School. She is a sports enthusiast (with the Springboks listed as her favourite team) and seeks to instil and promote her love of sport in everyone she teaches!

Mr Dominic Lawson joined St Christopher's in Michaelmas 2008 and is the Head of Humanities, History and Boys' Games. He is also Nelson Housemaster and 7L Form Tutor. Dominic is married, has a young daughter and has previously run his own restaurant businesses and also worked as a broker in the City for Willis Corroon. His many interests include sport and travel and he runs the school ski trip.

Mrs Viv Lindley qualified from Hockerill College with a B.Ed. in Education. In 1998 she gained the RSA in Dyslexia and worked for the Mid Sussex Learning Support Team teaching statemented pupils in the state sector. Her experience includes helping those with Specific Learning Difficulties, English as a Second Language, Dyscalculia, Dyspraxia, Down’s syndrome and Autistic Spectrum Disorder. She advises teachers, provides additional teaching resources resources and asseses and teaches pupils on a 1:1 basis, in consultation with staff and parents. She is also a tutor for Dyslexia with the Disability team at Brighton University. Her hobbies include swimming, singing and travel.

Mrs Rosamond Lomax is passionately committed to both teaching and the Creative Arts and brings years of experience, and great enjoyment, to her role as Head of Art. Regularly exhibiting her own work, and freelance designing, she runs masterclasses from her studio at home. She also enjoys singing, and is a member of three classical choirs, and a rock band.

Mr Nick Melton joined St. Christopher’s School as Head of English in 2009. Following a short spell teaching English in a secondary school in Bristol, Nick flew off to work as a VSO teacher in the highlands of Papua New Guinea and this turned out to be the first of a number of overseas positions he held. Nick has worked for The British Council School in Madrid, The British School in The Netherlands in The Hague and most recently The British School in Kathmandu. Nick is married and has two children, is a member of the British Sub-Aqua Club, a keen book collector and enjoys walking, motorcycles, and current affairs.

Mrs Maureen Mitchell has been at St Christopher’s for 15 years. A Modern Languages graduate from Birmingham University she moved to Brighton and Hove from West Yorkshire where she had been a class teacher and Special Needs Co-ordinator in a primary school, having studied for a Special Needs diploma over 2 years at night school. At St Christopher’s she has taught every year group from Y1 to Y8, initially as a class teacher, then as Special Needs Co-ordinator. For the last 3 years she has been Head of Latin, thoroughly enjoying using her language skills and working with year 4 to 8.

Ms Lianne Morrison joined the teaching staff in September 2011. After studying Psychology as her first degree, Ms Morrison worked in both the health and forensic fields before undertaking a PGCE. She has been teaching for eight years and has held teaching positions in all years throughout the Lower School, as well as being Lower School Leader for two years in her last post. Ms Morrison is very excited at having the opportunity to join such a vibrant and innovative school such as St. Christopher’s where she teaches the Reception class.

Mrs Nicky Owen has felt it a privilege to be involved with St. Christopher’s since 2004 when her son joined Reception Class. Her 8 years as a classroom assistant at Middle Street Primary School gave her invaluable experience when she became a reading assistant in 2006 at St Christopher’s after time spent as a parent helper. After gaining and NVQ level 3 in Childcare and Development Nicky became the teaching assistant for Year 2. She is passionate about reading and runs the reading programme for the class. Her outside interests include running, dog walking and collecting antiques.

Ms Christina Perry brings her background of creativity from working as an architect and artist to all areas of her teaching. She is passionate about teaching and believes children deserve a stimulating and challenging education. She left architecture and qualified as a primary teacher in 2005. Since then she has taught in London, Brighton and Spain in both the state and private sector, teaching within the National Curriculum and Primary Years International Baccalaureate systems.

Mr Carl Pincott was born in Mansfield, Nottinghamshire the son of a miner and sheet metal worker. He graduated from the local comprehensive called Garibaldi (' red sky at night, Garibaldi's alight' being a popular saying - yes it was rough) in 1984 being one of only 2 people in his year to go on to university, studying Mathematics at Newcastle and in 1988 a PGCE at Nottingham. Since then he has spent 21 years teaching across the full age range up to 18, managed a 10 screen multiplex cinema for Warner Bros. in Basingstoke and been a policeman here in Sussex. He has spent the last 3 years here at St Christopher's where he is Head of Maths and Director of Studies. He is very passionate about sport and enjoys running, tennis and golf in particular. He also famously won 'Shark of the Year' award at one of his former schools.

Mrs Judith Richards decided, after a career in marketing, hospital business management, running her own interior design business and being an aerobics instructor, to take a PGCE at Warwick University. She worked in Bristol in inner city schools before teaching at Frenchay Primary School. Following her husband's job move initially to Wiltshire where she worked at a school on the army site at Larkhill in Salisbury and then to Hove where she followed her stepsons Charlie and Hugh to St. Christopher's, but fortunately for them after they had just left! As Head of the Lower School and Year 2 teacher Judith has a particular passion for English, Art and Dance and she really enjoys coaching the children to fulfill their dramatic potential in the Year 2/3 play at the end of the Lent Term.

Mrs Jill Rowlandson started working at St Christopher's full time 6 years ago, having worked previously as a supply teacher here. She has been teaching since leaving university and has taught all ages from 7 to17. She has worked in many different types of school, in many different countries from Spain to India and Bangladesh. She is married to an old "old boy" of the school and both of her children attended St Christopher's. She is Housemistress of Drake.

Mr Daniel Scott MA (Cantab) MSc MSB CBiol PGCE joined St. Christopher’s as a pupil in 1958 and left with a music scholarship to Brighton College in 1964. He read Natural Sciences at St. Catharine’s College, Cambridge, was awarded an MSc in Environmental Resources by Salford University and a PGCE by Sussex. He became the Science Teacher at St. Christopher’s in 1975 and was made Deputy Head in 1983. He has worked with five headteachers including Roger Saunders, the last owner of the school before it was taken over by Brighton College. He has been a politician, a church warden and a chorister and his main interest today is gardening.

Mr Laurence Stead is a husband and proud father of two children, loves being a year 3 class teacher and is especially fascinated by science and history. He has a degree in Visual and Performing Arts specialising in music from Brighton University. He teaches the guitar and has performed, written and recorded many musical compositions. Mr. Stead has previously been a writer, graphic designer and illustrator for various organisations including the science museum and numerous charities. He is keen photographer, film maker and painter and has exhibited in Brighton galleries and ‘Open Houses’. He is a founder member of a charity called ‘Upside Comics’ which promotes interest in reading and writing among young people using comic books. For leisure he loves science fiction and walking in the countryside usually accompanied by his small dog ‘Cookie’. He also likes to keep fit by going to the gym, swimming and running. Mr Stead teaches in Year 3 and oversees the PSHE programme.

Mr Chris Wheeler is the Headmaster but his alphabetical disadvantage places him near the bottom of this list. He came to St Christopher’s in 2010 having been Housemaster of Leconfield House at Brighton College. He was previously a Deputy Head at Peponi School in Kenya and Head of English at St John’s School in Leatherhead. He is passionate about the theatre, reading and teaching. He is married, has two children and a dog called Emma Woodhouse.


Mr Paul Wilson was educated at King Edward's School, Birmingham, and went on to read Chinese at Durham University.  After graduating, he taught English in Beijing before returning to the UK and qualifying as a Chartered Accountant.  Having worked as an accountant for five years, he retrained to be a teacher and is now in his fifth year of teaching. He is married with a two year old son. His favourite pastime is hill walking.

Mr Robert Winton joined St Christopher's in 2003 to teach French and Geography, and then became Head of Geography. He is now also teaching Spanish in the school. Previously he had taught French, and some German, in comprehensive schools. He is very keep on map reading, planning journeys and exploring new places, which he tries to do as much as possible in his spare time, both here and abroad. He has a daughter and two grandsons, both pupils at St Christopher's. He is Housemaster of Howe.