Profiles

Victoria Abbott - Headteacher

My name is Victoria Abbott, and I am delighted to be the Headteacher of our school. I have lived in the local area for about eighteen years and joined Moss Lane in January 2011. When I first visited the school I was taken by the friendly children and happy atmosphere which continues to this day.

As a Headteacher, I have a few guiding principles which I wish to share with you:-

My office door is always open!
If parents and carers have issues or concerns, I am always happy to listen and to help. If I am unavailable at the time, I am more than happy for parents and carers to book appointments to see me via the school office.
I expect excellence!

Our children only get one attempt at school and at Moss Lane we intend to give them the best education we possibly can. My aim is for our children to make excellent progress. As a school we work in partnership with the governing body, making changes to our provision, to make this happen.

Outside of work I am a mum to a teenager daughter. I spend most of my time enjoying long relaxing walks in the countryside and supporting two local cricket teams where my family are active members. I also enjoy horses, watching movies, and going out for dinner.

Moss Lane is the first school that I have worked in that is close to where I live. I now fully appreciate what being part of a community really means and feel privileged to work in a school that is at the heart of the community. I believe that a school can have a huge influence on not only a child's life but also on the lives of parents and the local community. I love being a part of Moss Lane School and look forward to taking it to new heights, working in partnership with you all, for the benefit of our children.

Ben Cross -Chair

I’m a dedicated father of two, the oldest of which attends Moss Lane and having seen her thrive I am keen to advocate for the vibrant and inclusive learning community! Having lived in the area since 2000 I have built ties to the local community through a variety of local charities and sports societies, the Round Table and the Godalming Town Show. As a parent governor and with my background in product innovation and business development I am poised to bring passion, dedication, and a collaborative spirit to help shape and support the future of our school.

Aaron Twaits - Vice Chair

My family and I relocated to Godalming in 2015 to set roots and begin our children’s education. We spent much of the prior decade living in Singapore and Japan where I worked in Banking. Weather aside, it didn’t take long to settle in and learn to love Godalming, the community and particular the local school which my son Freddie attends. Moss Lane is a wonderful school and now being so pivotal to my family life, I want to be as involved as I can be. I hope with a background in finance and business I complement the existing strong governing team and can add a little something new here and there

Amy Betterton

I have been working in education since 2000, teaching in both SW and SE London before relocating in 2010 to Godalming to raise my family.

Joining the school community as a parent in 2010, it was apparent what a special place Moss Lane is. I was lucky to join the teaching staff in 2014 and have taught across the key stages over the years. Becoming part of the Governing body seemed a natural next step, allowing me to use my experiences in education to help guide the school through its many adventures. Working full time, whilst raising two teenage daughters occupies most of my time. When moments allow, I really enjoy watching cookery programmes or reading recipe books!

Tom Crees

Having grown up in Godalming and attended The Wharf, I have a strong connection to the town and its GLP schools. Following a short hiatus in Rutland and Reigate, I've returned to the community I cherish. With 20 years of experience coaching and nurturing children in sports, I'm excited to transfer these skills to the educational sector. My goal is to contribute to the outstanding work already being done by the governing team at Moss Lane – a truly fantastic school – and help provide exceptional opportunities for all its students.

Gilly Forbes-Patching

I began teaching in 2015 after completing my Primary Education degree and have worked as a class teacher across all of the primary key stages, from year 1 up to year 6. I then made the move to teaching in a specialist ASC unit, where my passion for Special Educational Needs grew. In 2021, I completed my post-graduate SENCo qualification and I joined the Moss Lane community in 2022 as the SENCo and HSLW, a role which I have moulded carefully. I have enjoyed building a solid foundation for the inclusive practice of the school and developing our systems and processes so that every child in our diversifying community achieves. Whilst working closely with our SEND governor, it sparked intrigue into the leadership and governance of the school and I am now delighted to be sat on the governing board.

When I'm not at Moss Lane, I'm a keen footballer, regularly playing on a Sunday and am passionate about women's sport- be it football, rugby, athletics or anything else! I also like a spot of birdwatching, table tennis and enjoy pottering around my garden.

Jara Pizarro de la Calle

I moved from Spain to the UK 11 years ago. Since then, I have worked in three different secondary schools across Surrey, starting as Spanish Assistant moving onto full-time teaching until taking on the role of Head of Spanish at my last school. I recently changed career to become a school Librarian. I have lived in Godalming since my arrival in England in 2014, and I am really happy to be bringing up my son in this lovely part of the world. My husband and I were very impressed with Moss Lane on our first visit, and we had no doubts about where we wished to send our son to school. I hope that my background in the education system helps complementing such a strong governing body as well as supporting all aspects of the school.