It all began with a mammoth...
In 2018, a giant, cuddly mammoth was selected as their class mascot by Mr. Lewington’s Y4 class at Kineton C of E Primary School. The name they chose: Mildred.
Mildred was an instant hit and became a beloved member of every class Mr. Lewington has taught since. A proven incentive for learning and good behaviour, she brings fun and hilarity wherever she goes, and is a much valued source of comfort.
As her story goes, the children love her because:
She is fascinating and very funny,
Charming, cheeky, and helps them with struggles,
They pay her in food, and not in money,
And she loves story times and cuddly snuggles.
Meet our team
Tim Lewington
Director of Learning & Tutor
Tim is a teacher with 8 years of teaching experience. He has had experience in 4 different primary schools, predominantly working in Key Stage 2. Prior to this, he worked as a Teaching Assistant, following a career change after spending more than half a decade working as Director of Children’s, Families’ and Youth Work with two different churches in the Church of England, during which he developed a love of school’s work that prompted his ambition to become a primary school teacher.
Elin Lewington
Creative Director & Tutor
Elin is a published poet. Whilst previously working for Waterstones, where she was awarded Bookseller of the Year, and subsequently went on to win the Stratford-Upon-Avon Literary Festival Poetry Competition when she was just 21. She has been published in the anthology, Words Paint Pictures, in addition to numerous Forward Poetry anthologies. She has also been published in the online poetry magazine, The Pygmy Giant and the Excel for Charity News Blog. Her work was chosen as one of the ‘Highly Commended’ poems in the Psychiatry Research Trust Poetry Competition.
Mildred the Mammoth
Mascot & All-Round Inspiration
Having started her career at Kineton, Mildred now spends most of her school days hanging out with Mr. Lewington's Year 2 Class at Cherry Fields Primary School in Banbury.
She spends some days travelling with Mrs. Lewington to do story readings of her book in other primary schools, where she enjoys entertaining even more children!
After school, she enjoys playing with her sister, Merida, watching nature documentaries about elephants, and eating banana splits.
Fuel Creativity Have Fun Love Learning
More About Us
Tim and Elin are both local to the area. They live in Southam with their son and their miniature schnauzer, and have been very happily married for over 12 years.
Tim grew up not far away, in Redditch. He started his primary teaching career at Dashwood Banbury Academy, where he worked as a TA and completed his teacher training. He has worked at Kineton Primary School, mostly in Years 3 & 4, and Hampton Lucy Primary School, with Years 5 & 6. He currently teaches Year 2 at Cherry Fields Primary School in Banbury.
Elin grew up in Wellesbourne and went to school at Moreton Morrell Primary School, followed by Alcester Grammar School. She previously worked as a Civil Servant. She is now in her final year reading Social Studies with a Major in Politics as a mature student at the University of Warwick. She has taken advantage of the freedom of her degree to choose from multiple disciplines outside her major, taking modules in Psychology and Education Studies, the academic research from which has informed the creation of Mammoth Learning and its resources. She has also taken multiple courses in Creative Writing. She is on track to be awarded a First!
Tim and Elin met as team members on the same children's residential holiday camp in 2006. They have more than 20 years experience working and volunteering with children and young people. For the first 5 years of their marriage, whilst Tim worked for the Church of England, they ran clubs, mentoring, church services and events together for children, young people, families and students.