​Meet the Education Team

Janet Hammerton
Head of Learning
​I have been Head of Education at the Centre for 14 years. I love having this opportunity to work with children outside the classroom setting and I enjoy being in a position in which I can encourage respect for our environment. I believe that we all need to act sustainably for our collective futures and I believe our education team offers a balanced view of our chosen topic. We tackle the subject in many diverse ways all of which have the hands on element that make the outdoor classroom such a joy.

I joined the Sustainability Centre in 2001 and now with many years of experience here, working with the under 18s in an outdoor setting, I lead a team of tutors and courses facilitators. I have a BA Hons degree in the creative arts and a diploma in museums conservation but I have also trained as a Forest School level 3 Leader and have a Permaculture Design Certifcate obtained from an intensive residential course at Keveral Farm in Cornwall. I have a wealth of Health and Safety knowledge gained from training courses and from experience and I also have skills learnt during periods in museum work and retail management. 

I am delighted to have earned the Learning Outside the Classroom Quality Badge for our service and am confident that we can continue to provide inspiring activities that are safely managed for our visitors. I look forward to our continued success as a popular and established Learning Centre and leader in Sustainability Education for schools as our work certainly continues to be important and rewarding.

​Much of my time now is spent managing the service to schools but I do still enjoy meeting the pupils and teaching especially on residential trips and Saxon themed visits. You may see me out there supporting the team from time to time.

---

---

Kati Heath
Education Leader
​
​I’m the newest member of the Education Team here at The Sustainability Centre, joining in January 2022 as an Outdoor Education Officer. I’m excited to begin my journey at the centre working with the other outstanding tutors to hold immersive and engaging school visits, with important topics such as renewable energy and water conservation or looking into the past at the Saxons and World War Two and how they link with our impressive 55-acre site. Also working with the residential trips providing hands on practical activities to help children to learn about the environment around them, including pond dipping, mini beast hunt, making an earth oven, shelter building and more! 

I studied Primary Education for three years as a degree with Forest School ideology as the focal point of my dissertation and have been a fully qualified teacher since 2014. I constantly sought out opportunities to teach in the outdoors being part of The Gambia Exchange programme, a tutor for ACLE summer camps in Italy, volunteering as an EAL (English as an additional language) instructor for the charity Jacari and an international volunteer with Raleigh International in a health and sanitation project in Nicaragua, where we worked with the local community to construct eco-latrinas, conduct a reforestation scheme and provide clean litter solutions by building bins and a recycling centre. This ignited my passion for global concerns and conservation initiatives and I’ve never looked back. 
​
I have a life-long love of nature and wildlife, combining this with my desire to travel, I’ve been to many National Parks all over the world to learn about their unique eco-systems. Some of my favourite discoveries are Jasper National Park in Canada, Bokor National Park in Cambodia, Wilsons Promontory National Park in Australia, Cat Ba National Park in Vietnam, Tongariro National Park in New Zealand and of course The South Downs National Park in England. I lived and travelled New Zealand for two years and in that time I volunteered with WWOOF (World Wide Opportunities on Organic Farms) which fostered my gardening skills and cultivated an enthusiasm for all things plants. As a trained Outdoor Leader I’m thrilled to share my knowledge and teach the future generation important sustainable practices to make a long lasting difference in this world.

---

---

Sean Reeves
Outdoor Learning Specialist

I have worked at the Centre for 17 years. Initially as a volunteer; I now teach woodland and wilderness survival skills to adults and children. I have completed courses in the NCFE Advanced Bushcraft Award, Forest School, NCFE Level 3 Certificate in Creative Craft, and I have extensive Tracking training. My skills include shelter building, fire lighting, navigation, tool work, facilitating team building games and sensory awareness. 

I specialise in working with hard to reach young people including those with emotional needs, learning difficulties or problems with drugs and alcohol abuse and offending behaviour. Students on the verge of exclusion at School or having problems with an academic approach to learning, flourish with their time spent learning outdoor skills at the Centre. Groups that I have worked with include local Secondary Schools, the Adoption Service and West Sussex County Council.

My favourite part of my role is seeing the young people I work with gain in confidence and self esteem.  I also offer team building days to businesses and organisations.

---

---

Jonathon Huet
Outdoor Learning Specialist

​I joined the Education team in April 2019 although I have had a connection with the Centre since at least 2004 when I donated 1000 trees to the South Downs Natural Burial Site.

In 2015 I started as a freelance instructor on the alternative education programme specalising in working with Young people with social, emotional and mental health needs, which I still continue to offer at the Centre. I have had extensive experience of working with challenging behaviour in schools and organisations such as Motiv8. 

I hold qualifications in teaching bushcraft, woodcraft and expedition leadership. I also have a level 3 qualification in challenging behaviour and have attended training on challenging behaviour with the Treloar’s School and College. 

As part of the alternative education programme I run the John Muir Award, exploring the life and works of John Muir, enabling an education of the importance of National Parks and the protection of wild spaces.
 
I have had a life-long interest in conservation from a very young age, achieving my chief scout award and gold award for the Wildlife trust whilst still at school. Since leaving school in 1992 I have worked in Forestry and horticulture running a specialist native plant nursery growing hundreds of trees and plants. In this time I have worked with many county and local councils, many organisations including the Wildfowl and Wetlands Trust, BTCV, Itchen Country Park, South of England Agricultural Show, Butser Ancient Farm, and the Wildlife Trust.

I have a keen interest in botany and love to share my passion for plants with young people demonstrating their many uses as well as their wildlife value. Educating young people about long-term conservation projects to increase biodiversity is an especial interest of mine. I also am a storyteller specialising in British folklore and nature poetry engaging young people in creative ways such as in rhyme and actions.

Being part of the education team at The Sustainability Centre enables me to share a passion and interest in ecology and conservation as part of their inspiring school programmes. The variety and quality of teaching at The Centre has made a big impression on me. I feel that what is offered here really makes a positive difference to young people and a worthwhile contribution to sustainability. I look forward to working with many more schools and young people in the future.

---

---

​Penny Rose
Education Leader

​I have worked at the Sustainability Centre for 13 years. I live on site in my cosy yurt with solar power for electricity, and wood burner for heat. I love living so close to nature. I teach and develop the education programme at The Centre with an amazing team. 
​
Amongst the wide range of activities I enjoy passing on my enthusiasm for discovering new and creative ways to engage people with ​exciting solutions to environmental issues.  I also love a good singsong around a campfire.
I have City & Guilds Level 2 teacher training and experience of working in a college with students with mental health and severe learning difficulties. I have also completed Forest School Level 3 and Outdoor Leader training.

I spent 2 years living and working on volunteer programmes in South and central America, including conservation projects in the Guatemalan Rainforest, and an Environmental Centre in Bolivia, where I first learnt about sustainable building techniques and Permaculture.

I have studied Permaculture Design and Ecovillage Design covering the social, economic, environmental and world view aspects of Sustainability. I also have a degree in Art Design and Media, and I enjoy bringing this creativity to the learning experience.

---

---

​Louise Arthur
Education Leader

As a freelancer I am actively teaching school children on day visits or as part of their residential stay exploring sustainable and environmental themes. I originally trained in dance with a liberal arts degree and have always been very active. I have a Post Graduate Certificate in Education and spent several years teaching in community arts. Running a school gardening club when my own children were little really opened my eyes to the benefits of outdoor learning.

I worked for 7 years as an Education Ranger for the Forestry Commission, teaching and playing with all ages in a stimulating woodland setting. I never tire of the lessons nature shares with us.

​As an allotment holder, bee keeper and chicken owner, I try to combine ideas from forest gardening, no dig growing and permaculture into my own ‘gardening’.
​
I also teach the adult willow courses on site and love using the Centre’s own willow grown as part of their WET system. The mix of activities, small businesses, volunteer and user groups here always inspire me. ​As a basket maker and willow weaver I know the therapeutic and expressive benefits of creative activities and try to promote sustainable crafts wherever possible.

---

All of our teaching staff are DBS checked and trained in First Aid.
​