Dr Sarah Westcott: Biography

Sarah Westcott BSc, MA, PhD, Assistant Head (Pupil Progress) completed her first degree at Exeter University in Biological and Medicinal Chemistry in 1999.

Next, she studied for a PhD at the National Institute for Medical Research and then, from 2005–2007, took a research fellowship with Cancer Research UK.

“I joined the school in 2008 as a PGCE trainee teacher in the Chemistry department and stayed!” she says.

In her time at QE, she has held the positions of Head of Lower School Science, designing and implementing a bespoke curriculum for Years 7 & 8, as well as Head of Pupil Development, a position which includes the role of SENDCO (Special Educational Needs and Disabilities Co-ordinator).

In 2011, she completed an MA in Educational Leadership and, in 2018, a Postgraduate Diploma (PGDip) in special educational needs leadership.

Since 2009, she has worked with the Prince’s Teaching Institute to develop Science subject teaching at QE. She has also mentored other schools in the PTI programme, helping them to develop their own Chemistry provision, and has run subject development workshops for new teachers in Manchester and London.