Come and meet the staff at our school!

Michael Doughty

CEO, Executive Head Teacher, Milwards Head Teacher & Safeguarding Lead

I have been in education for over 20 years after qualifying in 1999 from Canterbury Christ Church University.  I started my primary teaching career in the London Borough of Newham and stayed here for 16 years until taking a position closer to home first at The Downs Primary School, followed by my time at The Henry Moore Primary School. 

I have taught in Early Years, Key Stage 1 and Key Stage 2 and so have a wide range of experience within the primary sector both in teaching and leadership roles 

I became involved with Milwards Primary School in 2018 through HILT teaching a Year 2 class.  The highlight of this was of course being given the opportunity to lead this fantastic school. 

I have two beautiful daughters, both at secondary school, and enjoy nothing more than spending the weekend with them and my wife.  I generally regard myself as a weekend taxi driver ferrying children to either karate or gymnastics. 

I can often be seen with a very red face struggling across the fields on my mountain bike or being run ragged on a badminton court.

Sarah Cowley - Headteacher

I was born in Devon and enjoyed a fantastic childhood in the West Country. As a child I especially enjoyed playing ‘teachers’ with my sisters, so I think teaching was always a career I was destined to enter!

After completing a degree in Psychology at Loughborough University, I moved to Essex to do my PCGE. I began my career in education over 25 years ago, where I worked for a number of years in Hertfordshire. Then, in 2006, I joined The Henry Moore Primary School. I love working at this school and it is great to be part of such a fantastic team! I feel I am very fortunate to have been a part of so many children’s educational journeys and am passionate about nurturing the ‘whole child’ and supporting them to reach their potential.

When not working, I enjoy spending precious time with my family and friends. I also enjoy sport (mainly watching now!), dance and love trips to the theatre.

Lissy Nixon - Deputy Head Teacher

I qualified as a teacher after studying at both Leeds University and then Cambridge University. Since then I have been lucky enough to teach across the year groups before specialising in SEN.  

I have the fantastic job of working across both our schools in HILT, leading the provision for SEND. This means I get to work with different children every day which I love! I feel very lucky to work with such fantastic teams of staff  and am constantly learning. 

Outside of work, I’m kept very busy with my family. We love being outdoors; paddle boarding and riding our bikes but also enjoy watching films together on rainy days! 

Ross Tyrrell - Assistant Head Teacher & Year 6 Teacher

I was born and raised in Harlow and joined Henry Moore in 2015, full of excitement for the challenge ahead. Since here, I have been based in upper Key Stage 2, enjoying the responsibility of preparing the children academically, socially, morally and behaviourally for the challenges of secondary school.

Sarah Scott - SENCo

I’m delighted to be joining the team as the new SENCO across both HILT schools. I originally studied Law at university before discovering my passion for teaching. I began my career in Enfield after completing my PGCE, then moved to teaching in Hertfordshire, and have spent the last five years teaching and being a member of the Senior Leadership Team at a school in Harlow.  I’ve always had a strong belief that every child deserves to feel included, supported, and able to thrive – I love teaching and feel so lucky to watch children grow, learn, and reach their potential. 

At home, I have three lively little boys who keep me very busy, along with our much-loved Frenchie and Pug! I’m a big fan of all things Disney and Lego – they help keep me young at heart! 

Matthew Cook - Head of Year 5 & 6 and Year 5 Teacher

My first choice of career was to be a superhero, protecting the south coast of Eastbourne from villainous pigeons. When I was told by my parents that this was no way to make a living, I considered another more stable career, that of filmmaking.

I originally studied Film and TV production at Westminster University, and whilst I enjoyed my course the realities of working on a film set were not to my tastes. However it was through my passion for filmmaking and animation that I ignited the fire I had inside me for teaching, as I made short animation films with children from the primary school I went to in Polegate.

After completing my PGCE at Canterbury Christ Church University, I was lucky enough to get my first teaching job here at The Henry Moore Primary School. As soon as I started working here, I knew this was where I was meant to be and what I was meant to do. Now after a decade of teaching here, I still enjoy every day at Henry Moore.

Outside of school, I love going to the cinema and everything to do with Film and TV. I also enjoy reading comic books, playing guitar and spending time with my wonderful family, especially with my little daughter.

Helen Rees - Head of Year 3 & 4 and Year 3 Teacher

I trained to be a teacher at Canterbury Christ Church University but in 2003 I returned to my hometown of Harlow to begin my career. Teaching is a rewarding job and I love watching young people grow and discovering the world around them. Working at The Henry Moore School has allowed me to work in different year groups and with many children. Outside of school I enjoy performing on stage, both as a dancer and as part of local amateur dramatics societies. I enjoy ballet classes, love getting out in my garden when the weather allows and cooking for my family. Travel is also something that my husband and I look forward to, both in the UK and abroad. 

Yvette Elysee - Head of Year 1 & Year 1 Teacher

I completed my teacher training at the Johannesburg College of Education and began my teaching career in a lovely school in South Africa.  I came to England in 2002 and loved it so much that the two years that I planned to stay………well have become far more!

I have been teaching since 1998 and have taught in Reception, Year 1, Year 2 and Year 3.  Teaching younger children has brought many rewards to my life. I have taught at Henry Moore School since 2008 and have made many good friends along the way and hope I have added my own touch to the children I have taught. ‘It is a beautiful thing when a career and a passion come together.’

My two children are now young adults and have both started their own career journeys, I have recently become a ‘dog mum’ which has been quite challenging at times but very rewarding too!

Holly King - Year 2 Teacher

I was born in Harlow, raised in Loughton and began my journey into becoming a teacher at the University of Bedfordshire. I studied Primary Education for 3 years and after I finished, I was offered an amazing opportunity as a Creche Manager back in Chigwell for a year. After lockdown, I competed my SCITT year in Buckhurst Hill and found my first job teaching job here at Henry Moore.

 I moved back into the Harlow area in with my husband and our newest addition to the family, Dobby the house cat. Anyone who knows me, knows I am a massive Disney and Harry Potter Fan. In my spare time I love to visit zoos, go horse riding and plan my next trip to Disneyland. 

Lucie Lunn - Year 2 Teacher

I was born in Harlow, I actually attended Henry Moore as a child. My journey started at the University of East London where I gained a degree in Forensic Psychology. After working in this position for a while, I decided this wasn't for me and came back to Henry Moore to complete my teacher training. I have loved every minute since. 

Outside of work, I enjoy spending time with my son and family, being outdoors and going on holiday. 

Emma Williams - Year 1 Teacher

I am new to teaching in Harlow, and I am excited to be joining the team at Henry Moore. My mum is a teacher and I’ve known that I wanted to follow in her footsteps from an early age! I am originally from Scotland but completed my teacher training in Cambridge and loved it so much that I decided to stay down south! Outside of school, I love the outdoors and enjoy spending time going for walks in the countryside.

Jo Watson - Year 6 Teacher

I have worked with children in a variety of settings including day-care nursery, working as a nanny and sessional nurseries since leaving college with an NNEB too many years ago to admit!

Both of my children have attended Henry Moore and have been very successful and happy here, so I decided this would be the perfect location to progress my career into teaching.

I studied locally and got my degree in Early Years Education and was very fortunate to be offered a chance to carry out my teacher training within the school.

Having worked in Early Years all of my pre-teaching career I was very pleasantly surprised by how much I enjoyed teaching the older children. Every year group has its challenges and rewards which is definitely part of the appeal!

My family and I enjoy long countryside walks, usually involving geocaching! We also like to go Scuba diving together. I am also a fan of all outdoor activities, abseiling is my favourite. I have been fortunate enough to have had the opportunity to go flying, gliding, microlight flying and sky diving. I get a real buzz from these sports and am always looking for the next challenge – my family, however are not so keen!!

Andrea Taylor - Year 5 Teacher

After working in London for many years, I initially began at Henry Moore as a Learning Support Assistant in 2005. Since then, I decided to return to university and complete teacher training. Being a teacher is a rewarding career and the days are never boring. Outside of school, I enjoy a good book and spending time with my family and friends. 

Mike Azzopardi - Year 5 Teacher

I am lucky enough to be teaching in my local school after spending the last 5 years working in Hertfordshire and 10 years before that in London schools. Before discovering my passion for teaching, I had a background in computing as a network engineer in the Thames Valley area. Corporate life was very different back in the day! Since my change of career, I have been fortunate to work with many children from all walks of life. What never surprises me is a child’s desire and hunger to learn. It is my pleasure to have such a duty and even after such a long time, every day is still different! We are truly blessed as teachers!

Away from work my other passion is travel. After visiting almost every country in Europe, I am nearly at my goal of reaching 100 countries worldwide. This was stopped due to the pandemic but I am determined to hit this milestone in the next couple of years! I am also a keen photographer and recently had a travel photo published by Rough Guides on Instagram where I have my own travel blog. I have also been involved in several teaching projects abroad in countries such as Kenya, Palestine and Syria. When I’m not teaching and travelling you will find me reliving the band days from my youth, trying to write the latest guitar anthem using all those fancy chords...

Lindsey Milner - Class Teacher

I completed my B.Ed (Hons) at the University of Hertfordshire and began teaching in 1995. I worked at two other schools in Essex prior to starting at Henry Moore in January 2007. And I have never looked back!  I have experienced teaching all year groups from Year 1 to Year 6 and it has been a privilege to work with dedicated and hard-working colleagues. I got married the year after I joined Henry Moore and have also had two sons. I teach for 3 days a week and feel very fortunate that I am able to balance life with my family and a job that I love.

Out of school, I enjoy keeping fit with circuit training, pilates and cycling. I also enjoy getting lost in a good book, love going on holiday and being out and about with family and friends.

Julie Randall - Year 4 Teacher

Becoming a teacher was the best decision I have ever made. I enjoy each and every day in the classroom and love how every day is different. However, I have not always a teacher…

I graduated from Newcastle University with a degree in Accountancy and started my working life as an Accountant in Dagenham and then Ilford. Although I enjoyed my work, after a while I felt that a career in teaching would be the right move for me.

I qualified as a teacher in 2005 and have been teaching at Henry Moore for the whole of my career. I have taught in both Key Stage 1 & 2, so have a good understanding of how children develop as independent learners.

I like to make learning fun and enjoy the creative approach to education at Henry Moore. I have a special interest in children with additional needs and seeing them achieve their potential.

Out of school, I love animals and horses. I have a rescue cat called Lola.  I also enjoy helping at a local riding school when I can and love going down to the stables to look after the ponies. As well as that I love football and am a passionate Arsenal supporter. I also an avid reader and love creating a culture of enjoying reading within my classroom.  

Megan Cashin - Year 4 Teacher 

My family say that from about the age of three they knew I would become a Teacher. Pretending to be a Teacher was my favourite thing to do! My younger brother and sister were my students... I even had my own register! 

I was born and raised in Harlow and then went on to train to be a Primary School Teacher at the University of Bedfordshire in 2016. Whilst I was at University, I was fortunate enough to gain my teaching experience in 4 different schools across Harlow, including my final placement in Year 6 at Henry Moore! Outside of School, I enjoy spending time with my family and friends, walking my dog and going shopping!

Omar Rashid - Year 6 Teacher

I was born and raised in East London and had initially qualified as a Barrister. After a number of years working in the legal field, I had a wonderful opportunity to pursue my true passion which is teaching. I completed my teacher training in 2014 and have not looked back ever since! I was fortunate enough to teach at my old Primary School for the past 9 years and I loved every minute of it! Being able to improve the outcomes for children regardless of their ability, background or circumstances makes this one of the most rewarding jobs in the world! I am excited for the next stage of my teaching journey at Henry Moore Primary School!

Cassie Broughton - Class Teacher
I was born in Harlow and was a student here until 2002 when I decided to go and train to become a primary school teacher at Canterbury Christ Church University. After three years of hard work, I went for an interview at Fawbert and Barnards where I was a pupil myself and started teaching there as soon as I finished university. In 2010 I decided I needed a change and applied at Henry Moore. In 2012 I got married and the following year we went on to have a beautiful girl, followed two years later with a beautiful son. After becoming a mum, I was fortunate to continue working part time to allow time with our children. I am a very passionate PE Subject leader and continue to work hard to ensure children are given the best experience and plenty of opportunities in Sport and Extra Curricular activities during their time at Henry Moore.

Jo Silver - Year 3 Teacher

I trained as a teacher at Canterbury Christ Church University after being a Teaching Assistant for 7 years. I have had lots of experience working with children in lots of different settings including teaching in different performing arts schools in both Hertfordshire and Bedfordshire. You could say that I am (what they call) ‘A Drama Queen’. I have been teaching at Henry Moore since September 2020. Outside of teaching, I enjoy spending time with my family and friends. I am usually found dancing or quizzing!

Grace Derriman - Reception Teacher

I am really excited to be joining the team at Henry Moore! I completed my teacher training at Brighton University and have known from a young age that I wanted to be a teacher. Outside of school, I enjoy spending time with my family and friends, going on holiday, travelling to new places and eating lots of delicious food along the way!

Amy Dear - Year 1 Teacher

I was born and raised in Welwyn Garden City and moved to East Herts in 2013. I have always wanted to be a teacher; I used to play pretend with my teddies! I have worked in education and the classroom since 2008 so have many years experience, from classroom TA, to 1:1, to behaviour support and even cover supervisor, which have shaped and molded who I am as an educator.

I took a small detour on my way to becoming a qualified teacher, having a family before finally training locally and achieving my life-long dream this year. 

Family is important to me, and it is making experiences and memories with them that occupies my spare time. I enjoy family outings to the swimming pool, arcade, beach, cinema, bowling and I enjoy baking, cooking and reading.

I am really glad that Henry Moore has given me this opportunity, and I look forward to working with the school, the families and the pupils.

Sarah Grimley - Year 4 Teacher

I was born and raised in Harlow before moving to Gloucester to study for my degree. After four years, I returned home and went on to build a long career as a Chemist with a local chemical company. Alongside my work, I volunteered as a STEM ambassador, visiting schools to share my passion for science and the importance of studying STEM subjects.

In 2023, I joined Henry Moore and completed my teacher training. I am now fortunate to be pursuing my true passion - teaching and inspiring children.

Outside of school, I enjoy spending time with my family. We love exploring the local area together or heading out for a day at the beach.

Billy Dewen - Year 3 Teacher

I was born in Harlow and raised in Bishops Stortford and my journey to becoming a teacher began there. I loved Drama and my Drama teacher was a huge inspiration for me; she made me fall in love with teaching. I studied at the University of Essex where I obtained my Drama degree and figured out very quickly that I had two choices - 1, try to be an actor or 2, follow my passion and become a teacher to shape the lives of young people. From that point on, my heart was set on teaching and so I studied at the University of East London where I achieved my PGCE and trained in Harlow.

When I am not in school with my teacher hat on, I enjoy watching football and I try to attend games at the Tottenham Hotspur stadium as regularly as I can. One thing I pride myself in is my resilience, being a Spurs fan is not for the faint of heart! I also enjoy going to the cinema when possible and playing golf in my spare time.