Senior Leadership Team

Kathryn Nutbeem is the Deputy Head Academic at Eltham College and is responsible for overseeing the academic performance and achievement of students within the Senior School.

After graduating from Queen Mary University of London, she did postgraduate studies at the Royal Academy of Music and worked in the heritage industry before retraining as a teacher and spending seven years teaching in the Harris Federation and a further seven years at the British International School, Cairo, where she was Deputy Head.

Kathryn’s responsibilities as part of the Senior Leadership Team include setting academic standards and policies, monitoring student progress and performance, and working with teachers and other staff members to ensure that students are receiving a high-quality education. She is responsible for overseeing curriculum development, assessment, and data analysis, as well as working with other school leaders to develop and implement strategies to improve student achievement and academic outcomes.

Married with a young daughter, Kathryn is passionate about history and the arts, in particular theatre. She is also an ambassador for the Army Benevolent Fund and the armed forces charity SSAFA.

James Willatt is the Deputy Head Co-Curriculum, Outreach and Public Benefit at Eltham College, and is responsible for promoting student development beyond the classroom. He was educated at St. Olave’s Grammar School, Orpington, followed by Nottingham University and University College London. James joined Eltham College in 2009 as a Teacher of Geography and has held Head of Year and Assistant Head positions before becoming Deputy Head in 2022. He is married with a young daughter.

In his role as part of the Senior Leadership Team, James supports staff in delivering the school’s co-curricular and partnership undertakings, aligning activity with the school’s mission and aims.

Andrew Taylor is the Deputy Head Pastoral and Designated Safeguarding Lead at Eltham College Junior School. He oversees the pastoral care, behaviour and well-being of all pupils in the Junior School.

Andrew was educated at Tiffin School, a boys’ grammar school in Kingston-upon-Thames, before gaining his first degree from Cambridge University, followed by an MA in Playwriting Studies from Birmingham University. He taught as an English specialist at several prep and junior schools in Surrey and SW London before joining Eltham College.

Passionate about literature and theatre, Andrew has written and directed a number of plays which have been staged in a wide range of theatres, from off-West End in London to the Edinburgh and Latitude Festivals.

Joanna Dudley is Deputy Head Academic at Eltham College Junior School and is responsible for overseeing the academic performance and achievement of students within the Junior School.

After graduating from the University of London with a degree in Ancient History, she gained her postgraduate degree in Education from the University of Canterbury. Alongside her first teaching position, she trained as a classical singer at Morley College, London. She taught at Belmont Preparatory School in Surrey prior to joining Blackheath High Junior School, initially as Head of Key Stage Two and Assessment, before taking up her role as Deputy Head. In 2013, she moved to California and spent five years as Director of an Academy of Performing Arts. Upon her return home, she joined Eltham College in 2020 as Head of Learning Support before becoming Deputy Head in 2023.

Joanna’s responsibilities as part of the Senior Leadership Team include monitoring the academic progress of all children in the Junior school, ensuring every child maximises their academic potential. She is also responsible for all aspects of the curriculum, timetabling and analysis of children’s data, working alongside other school leaders to best equip our young people with the skills and interpersonal qualities they will need to succeed in later life.