Professional Staff
These assessments are conducted by some of the leading practitioners in their fields in the U.K.
Dr. Peter Gardner
B.A., DipPsych., M.A., Ed.D., A.F.B.Ps.S., M.I.Mgt., F.Inst.D.
Chartered Psychologist
Peter Gardner is a Chartered Educational Psychologist, a Chartered Forensic Psychologist and a Chartered Counselling Psychologist of the British Psychological Society. He is a Full Practitioner Member of the British Psychological Society Division of Neuropsychology. He is a registered Psychotherapist (United Kingdom Council for Psychotherapy) and was a committee member of the Psychology and Psychotherapy Association.
Much of his work is legal work, including the preparation of detailed court reports and submission of oral evidence, working for Crown Courts, Magistrates Courts and Guardian ad litem panels. He acted as an expert witness in the precedent-setting Phelps v London Borough of Hillingdon education negligence case in the High Court in July 1997 and was described by Mr. Justice Garland as “particularly well qualified, careful and fair.” His legal work is split roughly 50:50 between Claimant and Defendant work.
He is a founder of both Appleford School and of Daneswood, Shipham, near Cheddar, a care home for young adults with severe, profound and multiple learning difficulties, which is registered with and approved by CSCi.
Josephine Hutchinson
Specialist Speech and Language Therapist.
Josephine joined the Appleford staff in September 2009. She provides assessment with accompanying reports and programmes, individual and group work. Most of her work takes place in the classroom working alongside teachers and assistants. There is also joint working with Helen Twentyman, the Occupational Therapist, in Lifeskills and Social Skills groups, as well as the Lunch Club which provides support to children who need help with cutlery skills and dining ettiquette. The Appleford caseload includes, apart from the primary difficulties encountered by children with dyslexia: Dyspraxia, Dysarthria, Speech sound difficulties, Language Delay and Disorder, Social Communication difficulties, Pragmatic difficulties, Autistic Spectrum Disorder, Social Skills problems and Life Skills needs. Most of the children are seen in groups with individual work undertaken where appropriate.
Richard Caley
Deputy Head Teacher BA Hons, PGCE, Dip Hornsby
Richard Caley has been at Appleford School since 1990 when he was appointed as Head of PE/Games. Since 2004 he has been Head of English and in September 2008 was appointed Deputy Head Teacher.
Helen Twentyman
Occupational Therapist
Helen Twentyman is an Occupational Therapist with 20 years experience. She has completed post graduate training in Sensory Integrative Therapy.
Elizabeth Hatton
Child Psychotherapist, M.A.
After working for 7 years with children who had behavioural, emotional and social difficulties, Elizabeth decided to retrain as a Child Psychotherapist at the Institute for Arts in Therapy and Education in London.
Elizabeth joined the team at Appleford in March 2009.