Although both his parents were teachers Mark was not persuaded at first that this was for him.  He had studied law at A level and found the subject fascinating so he went to Sheffield University for a law degree. 

However a few months in a solicitor's office indicated that law was not the career he wanted.  He spent a year travelling, working in Sydney for eight months and then exploring south-east Asia. 

When Mark returned to his native Devon he helped at a summer school for primary school aged children and found that teaching was his true vocation after all. 

Being Head of a small school like Kingswear gives him the best of several worlds as he can spend two days on leadership and management and three days class teaching.  He is able to get to know all children and the family atmosphere provides a caring ethos for the pupils. 

Mark is very ambitious for Kingswear School and is passionate about extending the opportunities for all children.  He wants to achieve the highest possible standards and started off very well with 100% pass of the Government Standard Assessment Tests at Levels 2 and 4.  He already teaches French to Class 2 (7 to 11 years) and has introduced a half hour of French for Class 1 (4 to 7 years) although normally children would not learn French until secondary school. 

Mark has energy, enthusiasm and undoubted ability.

Mark Oakshott is Headteacher and Class 2 teacher on Wednesdays, Thursdays and Fridays. On Mondays and Fridays he attends to school management and administration matters.

Jessica studied at Roehampton University receiving her degree in primary education and including teaching in several London schools.  Since graduating she has been a supply teacher to a number of different Devon schools ranging from infants to year 6.  So she comes to Class 1 at Kingswear School with experience as a teacher already under her belt.  

When asked that, with this insight into other schools, is there anything that we lack at Kingswear she replied that we have as good equipment as any including much larger schools. 

Jennifer Torpey is the latest addition to our teaching staff. She trained at the Rolle College of Education, part of the University of Plymouth , and emerged from the four year course with a B. Ed. (Hons) degree.  Before starting at university she took a year out as a teaching assistant which confirmed her resolve to take up teaching as a career.  One of her specialities is music which is not surprising as she was a member of the Devon County Youth Orchestra and the Choir and also the Youth Choir of Great Britain.