Proprietor & Directors

Debbie Pester - Proprietor / Director

M.Ed. ( E.B.D. & Pastoral Care) / B.Ed. (Special Needs, & Art & Design) Dip.AD / Member of BAAT

Debbie is the organisation’s Founder and Director. She has vast experience of special needs education, acquired throughout the years, with over 25 years as a head teacher in a range of special schools and units. Her vision of a highly specialist school has become a successful reality and she continues to pioneer new methods and ideas that will help young people reach their full potential.
Debbie may be contacted via email: proprietor@theyellowhouseschool.org.uk

James Pester - Director / Safeguarding Link Director Level 3

Dip. Ed. ADES (SEN) / M.Ed.

James is a retired special school head teacher who now works as a director and self-employed consultant and advisor to The Yellow House.  In partnership with Debbie Pester, James helped to set up The Yellow House and has been involved in the running of the school since that time. He has had a career in working with children with special needs since 1976 in a variety of therapeutic school settings all over the country. For twenty years of that time James was in senior management roles including deputy head teacher and head of education.

David Ollier - Head Teacher

M. Ed. School Guidance and Counselling
B. Ed. Social and Environmental Education
Level 5 Teaching pupils with Special Education Needs (Dyslexia),
Level 3 Success with People with Autistic Spectrum Disorder (ASD)
Level 3 Safeguarding Designated Person

David's has worked across a range of special education provisions and mainstream settings across London, Surrey and Essex.  He has been a dedicated teacher for 25 years across 2 continents and has been in Educational Leadership since 2007.  David has been Head Teacher at The Yellow House since September 2017 and thoroughly enjoys all the daily challenges of being in this nurturing and vibrant school.  His teaching philosophy is about helping all pupils to be the very best version of themselves that they can be.  David is always happy to talk and may be contacted via email at:  headteacher@theyellowhouseschool.org.uk  or   Ph: 07951150020

The Senior Team

Sam - Therapeutic Manager

Diploma in Understanding and Managing ADHD, Aspergers (High Functioning Autism) with the application of NLP
Level 1 APT Accreditation DBT Essentials
Level 1 APT Accreditation CBT Essentials

Sam joined The Yellow House team in 2004.  Prior to this she has had extensive experience working in mainstream schools with pupils with special needs.  She has been responsible for teaching and co-ordinating ASDAN at The Yellow House with great success for many years. Sam's role within The Yellow House is Therapeutic Manager. 

Jonny - Designated Safeguarding Lead

Level 3 Safeguarding Designated Person
First Aid at Work  Level 3

Jonny has many years experience of working with young people in residential and day therapeutic special schools.  Jonny is the Designated Safeguarding Lead  at The  Yellow House and has responsibility for the Maths curriculum.  Jonny teaches Maths at all levels including Entry Level Certifcate, Functional Skills through to higher GCSE.  He also offers Statistics (GCSE) for those that excel in numeracy.  Jonny organises activities for all pupils during National schools Film Week each year.

Administration Team

Christine - Senior Team / Business Manager

Christine is the school’s Business Manager and has worked at The Yellow House since it’s first year of opening in 2002. She is based at our main office in our Sible site and oversees all the financial arrangements for the smooth running of our therapeutic school.  To contact Christine at our Sible site please phone 01787 462504 or email: office@theyellowhouseschool.org.uk

Lisa - Office Manager / Examinations Officer

NCFE Level 2 Principles of Business Administration
British Red Cross First Aid at Work

Lisa  joined us in the Summer of 2013 and is based at our Clare site. She is responsible for all the day to day administration at Clare and has particular responsibility for the  examination process, website, end of term reports and the organisation and administration of the annual review process for all our pupils on both sites.  Lisa is a qualified first aider at The Yellow House.  To contact Lisa at our Clare site please phone 01787 279139 or email: clareoffice@theyellowhouseschool.org.uk

Therapeutic Team

Annie - Therapeutic Tutor / SENCo

BA Hons - Dance & Drama
Annie has experience of dance and drama which hugely benefits The Yellow House.  She also has a passion for arts and crafts.  Annie's previous experience extends to working 1:1 in extremely challenging situations and she brings with her an enthusiasm for working with young people.  Annie is the school SENCo and can assist you with all matters relating to SEN at The Yellow House. Annie may be contacted via email: senco@theyellowhouseschool.org.uk

Debbie - Therapeutic Tutor / Deputy Safeguarding

BA Hons – Health & Social Care / Mental Health
Level 3 Safeguarding Designated Person

Debbie has responsibility for leading English across the curriculum including ELC, Functional Skills and GCSE . She has experience of working with adults and young people for over thirty years in college and hostel settings. Debbie is also our Deputy Safeguarding Lead.

Debbie L - Therapeutic Tutor 

With a passion for Science, Debbie has taken on the role of Head of Science at the school.  Debbie has previous experience of working in SEN as a student mentor. Debbie also has considerable experience working for Essex County Council and the Police Force. She has an excellent subject knowledge in Science and excited to be able to create engaging and relevant units of study for TYH pupils.

Joanne - Therapeutic Tutor / Curriculum Manager

Joanne has recently joined our team as  a qualified teacher and has significant experience of teaching all over the world.  Joanne will be supporting core subjects and is taking on the role of Curriculum Manager.  


Tom - Therapeutic Tutor 

Tom has previous  SEN experience and supports the Science lead as well as teaching Music, which is his passion.  


Kirsty - Therapeutic Tutor 

Kirsty has recently joined our team as a therapeutic tutor with a SEN background and a passion for the outdoors.  


Johdi - PSHE and Transition Co-ordinator

Johdi has recently joined the team.