Meet the Senior Leadership Team

Hello! I'm Mr Attwood.

I am the Head Teacher for our fantastic school. Born in Kent, lived my childhood in Greater Manchester and moved to Birmingham in 2004.

Initially working in sales and business (having a Business & Finance qualification), becoming a sales manager at 22, I came into teaching later on as I didn't want to be a teacher when I left school! After a year off work in my mid-20s as my son was in & out of hospital, I realised that teaching was for me, training in Bradford, Rochdale, Bath & Bristol, qualifying in 2002.

Now in my 23rd year, I have worked in 4 schools but in 3 different places: Bristol, Redditch and now Birmingham - all very different areas and schools. I taught across the primary stage in my time as class teacher, before becoming deputy, and then Head Teacher, here at Bellfield Junior School - and I can't imagine being anywhere else as HT!

I live fairly local to the school, having lived in Bartley Green for a number of years. I am married and we have 7 children between us! I enjoy bike riding, go karting, family time and time being outdoors with the family and our dog, Smudge.

My name is Mrs du Toit.

I am the Deputy Head for our school.

I came to teaching in my mid 20's after working in an office, doing a little travelling and living in South Africa for a year. I have always loved the classroom and still consider teaching my year 6 maths group the highlight of my day.  

I have worked in one previous primary school in Birmingham but joined Bellfield Junior School in 2000 and immediately loved the feeling of the school. Despite now travelling from Worcester, I am more committed than ever to our amazing school. 

I am married to a South African, we have two daughters and two dogs. I love swimming, especially outside in the cold river near my house, and enjoy walking and reading, as well as meeting up with friends. 

My name is Mrs Thatcher. 

From an early age, I always wanted to be a teacher.  I went on to train in Devon and qualified with honours - a Specialist in Mathematics.   

As Assessment Lead and Year 4 teacher, pupil engagement, achievement and well-being is at the centre of everything I do, and work with staff at all levels to ensure the best for our children.

I have been privileged to be part of the ‘Bellfield Junior School Family’ since 1988. I have been inspired by the children, their families and my colleagues during this time.  I've held a range of roles and responsibilities including maths lead and temporary cover as deputy head.  

I bring experience as a parent of two grown up children (of whom I am extremely proud) to support children, parents and colleagues as they meet the many challenges life presents. 

My likes:  Spending time with my family and friends; walking in the Lake District, Devon and Wales; being creative in needlework and calligraphy and having afternoon tea! Best Holiday ever: cycling the west coast of Ireland from Achill Island to Killarney 

Achievements I am proud of: Gold DofE Award, Worcestershire Ladies Short Mat Bowls Champion and National Professional Qualification in Senior Leadership. 

My name is Miss Clay.

I am a Y5 teacher, the English Lead and Phase Leader for Y3&4.

I was born in Stourport but grew up not far from our school. I have been a teacher here at Bellfield Junior School for 17 years - I couldn't imagine working anywhere else! I completed my history degree at Worcester College and I then worked in HR for two big Financial Companies. I'd always wanted to be a teacher when I was younger, so I took a big decision to change my life and completed my Teacher Training Qualification.

I have a busy home life with my partner, two children and two guinea pigs. My favourite hobby is travelling. I have been lucky enough to visit Australia, Singapore, China, America, Nairobi, Thailand, Bolivia & Peru. I was in Peru during a 7.5 magnitude earthquake - a very scary experience! My other passion is reading- you will always find me reading the latest thriller or historical novel! 

My name is Mrs Doherty.

I qualified as a teacher in 1998 and have worked at different schools in Staffordshire, Yorkshire and Birmingham. I have worked at Bellfield Junior School for 5 years and am currently thoroughly enjoying teaching Year 6. I lead Art and DT across the school and am also the phase leader for Year 5 and 6.

I live in the local area, and I have two children who both attended this school. When I am not at school, I love gardening, exploring the outdoors with my dog Willow and travelling to new places.

My name is Mrs Topping.

Before deciding to become a Teacher, I worked in Nurseries, children’s residential homes and with young people with disabilities. I love being a SENDCo (Special Educational Needs & Disabilities Co-Ordinator) and am very lucky to work in a school with amazing pupils, parents and supportive colleagues.   I joined the school in 2013 having previously worked as a Year 6 and Year 4 Teacher in an inner city Birmingham school. The school had a great number of EAL and newly arrived pupils and working with these children gave me a desire to support pupils beyond the classroom. I am lucky to have attended three universities in my life, I studied Sociology at Bath Spa, gained my PGCE at Birmingham City University & achieved my SENCo Certificate at the University of Birmingham.

The city of Bath is still one of my favourite places to visit and I enjoy exploring new places, with highlights being Edinburgh, the Lake District and Toronto, Canada.

When I am not in school I appreciate the quieter side of life such as country walks, cooking and movie nights. I live near my wider family in Solihull and have two cats and four birds. I also am proud to say I have a young son and truly understand that being a parent is the hardest job to have!