St Peter's Board of Governors and CAST Board

Rachael was born in Wales, but educated in Devon at St Mary's RC Primary, Buckfast, Notre Dame and St Boniface before gaining a BA (Hons) Geography at University of Plymouth. After gaining PGCE at University College of St Mark and John she began teaching at Devonport High School for Boys, where she is now Head of Geography. During her time at DHSB she has gained an MEd in Professional Development and also serves on the Board of Trustees as a Staff Governor. Married to Mark, they have three children, the first has recently started at St Peter's and she is keen to be involved at the heart of St Peter's. Her link with the school is lengthy as her brother attended the school and her mother worked as a TA for many years.

Gemma was born in Plymouth, and has lived locally all her life. After studying Geography at the University of Plymouth, Gemma spent the next 15 years working for nature conservation charities, managing habitats for nature and engaging with the public to raise awareness of conservation issues. From 2015-2018 Gemma managed a schools outreach project for the RSPB which gave local primary school children the chance to learn about the wildlife found around their school grounds and how to look after it, which was one of her most rewarding professional experiences. Looking for a new challenge, Gemma now works for a small charity in Plymouth that provides support to Asylum Seekers, coordinating essentials such as food provision, clothing donations and projects to reduce social isolation. Gemma has two daughters at St Peter’s RC and values the strong family and community spirit of the school.

Victoria was born in Plymouth and attended both St Peter’s and Notre Dame when she was younger. After achieving her BEd degree in Art & Design at the college of St Mark and St John, Victoria returned to St Peter’s to teach in the year 2000 and has remained there ever since.

Victoria has one son, Thomas, who also attended St Peters and recently completed his GCSE’s at St Boniface. Together they and the family enjoy many weekends together. There is a huge love for the sea and there are many gatherings at beaches in Cornwall. Over the last few years Victoria has enjoyed wild sea swimming and kayaking or paddleboarding with friends.

Victoria comes from a catholic background where the church has always been a big part of the wider family life. She believes that being at St Peter’s as child gave her the knowledge and skills to move through life with respect and integrity. Being at St Peter’s as an adult has given her the chance to give back what she was taught and to hopefully make a difference to the children at St Peter’s now.

Fr Daniel was born in Burgos (Spain). He came to England in 2007 to train for the priesthood at the Redemptoris Mater House of Formation in London. After completing his philosophical studies, he spent one year doing missionary work in the Holy Land and a further two years in Madagascar. In 2014 he returned to London to complete his theological studies. He was ordained priest for the Diocese of Westminster in June 2018 and until September of this year he has been serving as assistant priest in the parishes of Our Lady of Victories (Kensington) and Our lady of Grace & St Edward (Chiswick). In September 2022 he came to Plymouth to serve as the chaplain to the Missio as Gentes and as assistant priest at the Catholic Church of St Peter’s Crownhill.

Esther started as Headteacher at St. Peter’s in September 2023 having previously been the Deputy Headteacher at Yealmpstone Farm Primary School in Plymouth.

Esther has been made to feel incredibly welcome at St. Peter’s and is really enjoying her time as Headteacher. St. Peter’s is such a positive and happy place to work and the children are at the centre of all that we do.

Dawn was born in Plymouth and was educated at St Paul’s RC Primary and Notre Dame. Following four successful years at Rolle College, Exmouth, she qualified with a Bachelor of Education (Honours) degree in 1992 and began her teaching career in Plymouth.

Dawn has committed the entirety of her teaching career to Catholic primary education. She moved into Catholic school leadership in 2014, serving in a variety of senior leadership roles, most recently, as Headteacher of St Paul’s Catholic Primary School. She was delighted to lead the school into an ‘Outstanding’ Canonical Inspection in June 2022 followed by a ‘Good’ Ofsted judgement in July 2022. In September 2022, Dawn trained for the Catholic Schools Inspectorate and is now qualified to inspect Catholic schools nationally.

Dawn was honoured to be invited to join the Local CAST Board at St Peter’s RC Primary. She served St Peter’s as a Foundation Governor for 15 years until work commitments prevented her from continuing and she is delighted to be able to return now that she is working part-time.

Dawn is married with two grown-up children. Her daughter attended St Peter’s when she was a child and Dawn is filled with gratitude for the happy years her daughter spent there. St Peter’s is a warm and welcoming school with Christ at the centre - it is a privilege to serve this special community.

Nathalie Sanzberro owes her name to the fact that the stork brought her from Paris to Pamplona, ​​in the north of Spain, where she trained as a Psychopedagogue at the University of Navarra. Nathalie has always had a very strong desire to help the most disadvantaged students to reach their fully potential, valuing the dignity of being a beloved child of God together with the talents they received.

At the same time that she ventured into giving life to her fifth daughter, Nathalie completed her training in Primary Education at the International University of La Rioja, and worked in several Catholic schools as a supply teacher.

In 2016, Nathalie’s life took a 180 degree turn, leaving the country, work, family and friends, to come and live in Plymouth as a missionary family for the Catholic Church, responding to God's call for evangelization and the call of the bishop of this Diocese at that moment, Mark O'Toole.

Since then, together with her husband Ricardo Alvarez, and currently with 8 children, Nathalie has always been linked to St Peter's, St Boniface's and Notre Dame School for the education of her children, collaborating as much as possible, in the midst of the difficulties of the language, with the internal life of the school.

This academic year 2022/2023, she has made the leap to the meeting table, wishing to be part of the development of our school as indicated by its own mission statement: Through Jesus we love, we learn and we grow together.