Denise Kilner

Early Education Associate

Denise has a wide experience of teaching and management having begun her teaching in Key Stage 2 then moving into Key Stage 1; this was followed by several years teaching in both Reception and Nursery. Denise has also worked as an Early Years Support Teacher and a Foundation Stage Leader. She was the Deputy Headteacher of a large infant school then, for 5 years was the Headteacher of Mill Hill Nursery School in Sunderland. Denise then worked for the University of Sunderland as an Academic Tutor and as Learning and Teaching Adviser for Focus on Learning, a CPD centre in the North East of England. For a year Denise worked for Early Excellence on their National Team where she researched and co-authored The Hundred Review- a national review of the Reception year. Recently, Denise has returned to Nursery School Headship and is now the Headteacher at Bensham Grove Nursery School in Gateshead. Denise has been a committee member of the Sunderland Early Education branch for 13 years. Denise has a personal interest in creating enabling environments, documenting children’s learning, developing thinking and supporting creativity.