Staff Profile

Name: 
Michael Pettavel
Position: 
Co- Headteacher / DSL/ SENCO

I started working with children in 1991 as an unqualified nursery assistant for White City Day Nursery in West London. I qualified as a teacher in 1994 and worked in Primary Schools in a range of different age groups, before moving to the Dorothy Garner Centre (a nursery in Paddington) in 1999 as the Senior Teacher. Since then, I have worked as an Early Years Advisory Teacher and Area SENCO. I became Head of Centre at the Randolph Beresford Early Years Centre in White City where I remained for ten years. In 2015 I undertook a lifestyle change, moving to Skipton to become headteacher here at Brougham Street Community Nursery School. Quite a change from inner-city London!

It has been a fantastic move to leave London and to begin to understand the opportunities and challenges facing smaller schools and nurseries out of a large city. I am blessed with a wonderful staff team and this has made working within the substantial challenges of 2020 possible.

I have two grown up children and my wife and I love living in the countryside and feel settled in our new “home”. I spend my free time in the garden, renovating an old house and exasperated at my naughty, but adorable Bull Terrier - Juno.

I believe in the early years is the singular most important time to “get it right” for children. Nursery Schools are becoming rarer, however, I believe that a teacher-led curriculum adds greater depth and opportunity. I hope that you always feel that you can talk to me and I try to make myself available and visible in order to talk through your ideas and resolve any issues no matter how seemingly small.

Welcome to our Brougham Street family!