Helene Jones

The Nimble Minds programme was devised and is led by Helene Jones.  Helene has taught in London for thirty years, starting in the state system before moving to the independent sector. She taught and was SENCO for many years at both Eaton House and Wetherby Prep. She taught classes from reception to Year 7. As SENCO, Helene co-ordinated provision for pupils needing learning support and those identified as exceptionally able, requiring challenges. 

Helene has an active interest in learning. She understands the importance of reasoning and has taught this subject to generations of children who have gone on to all of the UK’s leading schools. 

She is a qualified specialist teacher assessor and is a member of the British Psychological Society. In addition to her assessments she works part time as a specialist teacher at Eaton House Belgravia. 

Katie Jenne

Katie Jenne is a qualified teacher and has a Bachelor of Arts in Modern Languages. She has twelve years teaching experience, having taught a wide range of year groups in both prep and secondary settings. For the past six years, Katie has been working at Wetherby Prep, where she was responsible

for co-ordinating the 11+ Verbal and Non-Verbal Reasoning programme, as well as teaching French 

across all year groups. She has a great understanding of the London Day School System and is passionate about learning. She loves bringing creativity into the classroom and making her teaching as engaging as possible for each individual.

Lucy Watts

Lucy was educated at South Hampstead High School and St. Helen’s and St. Katherine’s in Oxfordshire. She started teaching in London in 1988 in a co-educational school, moving to Eaton House, Belgravia in 1990. There, she was a form mistress, Head of Science, and Deputy Headmistress before becoming Headmistress, aged 28 years, in 1998. She left Eaton House, after twenty-five years, in 2015. 

Lucy helps children in UK schools, advises on entrance exams, undertakes 7+, 8+, 11+ and pre-test interviews. She advises on staff and Headship recruitment as well as offers senior management support. She has extensive knowledge of a wide range of schools with particular expertise in the London Day School system, from Nursery to Senior Schools. Lucy also works with former SENCOs and Education Psychologists for assessment of children.

Teo Banks

Teo Banks will be working as an assistant in our workshops over the Autumn Term. Teo has just 

finished his A - Levels and is in his gap year. Next year he will be reading Philosophy and Economics 

at the University of Nottingham. 

Connor Shone

Connor has been working with Nimble Minds as a specialist reasoning tutor for the past year, managing workshops and teaching the programme to groups and individual children. He also works as a one-to-one tutor –  online, or in person – teaching reasoning and helping children to keep their skills sharp for the 7+, 8+, and 11 +. 

Connor was educated in South Africa at Crawford College, Sandton. Here he developed a love and interest for education and art, which he followed to a Bachelor’s Degree in Fine Art in 2015 at The University of The Witwatersrand. During his studies, he tutored children and ran creative thinking classes for year 1s and 2s, where he used art to design and implement a fit-for-purpose learning plan that related to the children and built their educational and social confidence. 

Always one to go the extra mile, Connor is engaged, confident, and enthusiastic in nurturing a shared curiosity and confidence in his students.

Sarah Brand

Sarah Brand began her teaching career in Australia. She holds a Bachelor of Arts and a Bachelor of Teaching from the University of Tasmania. For the past 11 years she has been a key member of the teaching team at Wetherby School. She has extensive experience in the London Day School System and 7+ and 8+ process,  having taught the top sets in Year 3 for several years. She has middle and senior management experience including;  Head of Year 3, English Leader, History Leader, Head of Communications and most recently Head of Mentoring and Learning Enrichment Leader. She is an  experienced educator with a passion for learning and particularly enjoys providing opportunities for children to think outside the box.