Wind

Pat Babbington teaches bassoon and piano at Bedford Modern School. She studied both instruments at the Royal Northern College of Music for four years followed by a one-year teacher training course at Bulmershe College. Her teaching background has been a mix of instrumental and academic and she is experienced in teaching across all age ranges at primary and secondary levels. She has been a Head of Class Music at Woodside Middle School, Bedford, a class music teacher at Goldington Middle School and has been a piano and bassoon teacher for Bedford Education Authority and Bedford Borough. Pat taught Bassoon at Bedford High School, Dame Alice, Bedford Sixth Form college and Bedford School. She is also a bassoonist in Bedford Symphony Orchestra and Bedford Sinfonia.

Rebecca Bentley studied the oboe with Irene Pragnell, and piano with Diana Beeken whilst at school in Winchester. She was granted an Advanced Award through Hampshire County Council, enabling her to study with Sidney Sutcliffe (principal oboist with the London Philharmonic, Philharmonia and later the BBC Symphony Orchestra) at the ILEA school in Pimlico, London, during her sixth form. Graduating with a degree in Music from York University, she then gained her PGCE at Bulmershe College. Later she studied with Celia Nicklin and George Caird and was awarded an ARCM in Oboe Performance, and an LRSM in Oboe teaching together with the Associated Board Teaching Certificate.

She began her teaching career with Milton Keynes Music Service and subsequently moved to Bedfordshire Music Service to take up the post of Faculty Coordinator for Woodwind. She has expertise in a variety of fields: she was a specialist woodwind examiner for Trinity Guildhall, has mentored students for the ABRSM Certificate of Teaching Course, has coached students in youth orchestras and has performed in various local orchestras including the Milton Keynes Chamber Orchestra, East Anglia Chamber Orchestra, the Orchestra of Christ the Cornerstone and more recently the Bedford Sinfonia. She now principally enjoys her teaching at Bedford Modern School, aiming to maintain the numbers of students who take up the oboe and to ensure that the quality of oboe playing at BMS remains of a high standard. She acknowledges that the oboe is a challenging instrument and encourages her students to combine a regular practice routine whilst maintaining a sense of fun with their music making.

Jessica Bullen is a London-based jazz saxophonist and educator with a Master’s degree from the Guildhall School of Music and Drama (2019-2021) and a first class honours degree in Jazz Saxophone from the Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama (2011-2015). An active performer, she regularly plays at prestigious UK and European venues and festivals, including the London Jazz Festival, Brecon Jazz Festival, Langnau Jazz Nights (Switzerland), Ronnie Scott’s, Pizza Express Jazz Soho and the Vortex Jazz Club.

With more than 10 years’ teaching experience, Jessica is currently Assistant Head of Music at North Bridge House Prep School in London, where she teaches classroom music to students from Reception to Year 8. She is also a SEND music specialist for Music for Bedford Borough, where she runs an annual summer school to provide disabled young people with opportunities to engage in music-making.

Jessica is passionate about teaching and dedicated to ensuring her students succeed and excel. She strives to impart both knowledge and wisdom in her approach, fostering an environment where students can thrive musically. At Bedford Modern School, Jessica plays a key role in our Jazz department, overseeing the Jazz Collective and Jazz Quartet, and co-directing the Groove Collective.

Discover more: Jessica Bullen

Jill Turner studied the clarinet at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama with Antony Pay. She is a member of the English Chamber Orchestra and has had the privilege of working with many world-renowned ensembles. These include the London Symphony Orchestra, Philharmonia, London Sinfonietta, London Mozart Players, City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra, Scottish Chamber Orchestra and the BBC National Orchestra of Wales. 

As well as a love of performing, Jill has always had a passion for teaching the clarinet. While living in London, she taught at Alleyn’s School in Dulwich and King’s College School in Wimbledon, helping students develop their skills and love for music. Alongside her teaching at BMS she continues to teach privately, tailoring lessons to each student’s unique needs and goals.

Jacki Watts began her journey with the instrument that would define her musical path at the age of nine. Enchanted by its rich, expressive tone, she found the flute to be a source of endless inspiration, sparking a passion that continues to shape her career to this day. A graduate of the London College, Jacki honed her craft through years of dedicated study with Pat Lynden, James Dower and Mitchie Bennett, paying particular attention to the study of the French Flute School. She continued her studies with Pat in her postgraduate year alongside studies with Judith Hall and Sebastian Bell.

She has worked with Sir James Galway, one of the most celebrated flautists of our time, with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, Haydn Chamber Orchestra, performed at the Barbican Centre and for the Soho Festival. It was an early experience playing in Broadmoor High Security Hospital at the age of 18 that shaped her career playing with ensembles that perform in the community. She set up the Sylvan Flute Quartet performing in London concerts for Westminster Libraries, Wormwood Scrubs Prison and the soho festival, premiering new works written for the quartet. Jacki says that performing in hospitals, care homes, prisons and for funerals empowers her to give moments of reflection, peace, and joy to audiences in some very challenging situations. Through these experiences, Jacki has witnessed firsthand the transformative power of music, reinforcing her belief that art should be accessible to all.

Jacki has taught at Connaught House School in Central London from where she was appointed flute teacher at St Swithun’s Girls School. As a dedicated music educator, she works with students of all ages and abilities, fostering a love of music in beginners, advanced performers, and lifelong learners alike. She has worked on music projects run by the Stables involving young people from Oakhill Secure Training Centre. Her inclusive teaching approach emphasises technical mastery, musical expression, and personal growth. Her commitment to education extends beyond the classroom, with Jacki contributing articles on flute to music journals. A recent development is a new interest in conducting. This has led her to a post with one of the Military Wives Choirs and to an expanded rôle directing wind ensembles. Her conducting skills are further enhanced by ongoing studies with renowned conductor Hilary Davan Wetton, whose mentorship continues to shape Jacki’s approach to leadership, interpretation, and musical storytelling.