Our staff

Susan (Sue) Wernhoff

I was born in Nottingham, England in 1966. After completing my 
A Levels in 1984, I went to University in Salford and Manchester 
where I qualified as a primary school teacher in 1988. I did my 
probationary year at an infant school in Derbyshire where I continued to 
work for a further year as teacher of a class of 5-6 year-olds. 
 
I then moved to London where I worked as a reception class teacher 
(4-5 year-olds) at a first school in Ealing. Having met my husband who 
is German, I moved to Germany where I continued working as a teacher in both adult education 
and with children, teaching English as a foreign language including business English.

Prior to joining Pelita's Kindergarten I worked as a supply teacher at the primary school 
in Arnum for 5 years covering all subjects in the primary curriculum. I am now very pleased to 
have the opportunity to work with young children again in my mother tongue and within a 
pre-school environment. It is very rewarding to have the chance to teach children a foreign 
language when they are at their most receptive.
 
 
 

 

 

 
Swantje Wahls
 

Hello my name is Swantje Wahls. I was born in Gehrden in 1988 and

grew up in Wennigsen. Now I live in Hannover. I completed my

qualification as a registered nursery nurse in 2007 and work with the

3-4 year olds in the red group in the kindergarten.  


 

 

Kerstin Thrift
 
My name is Kerstin Thrift. I was born in Hannover in 1963, and after passing 
my A-levels I studied psychology in Trier, Manchester and Bielefeld. 
Upon completion of my studies I worked as a scientific assistant at the 
University of Manchester and in the Psychosomatic Department of Hannover 
Medical School. I am married to an Englishman and our three sons are 
fully bilingual. I lived in England for several years before returning to Germany 
in 1990. After my children were born it was important for me to find a type of 
employment that would fit in with my responsibilities as a mother. I have experience in supervising the 
homework activities of primary school children and also in the teaching of adults. Currently, I am also 
employed part-time in a translating business with very flexible working hours. Pelita’s Kindergarten is 
a wonderful opportunity for me to work with young children again and I am delighted to be able to 
contribute to realising this pre-school concept.

 

Graciela (Grace) Suraniti
 
My name is Graciela Suraniti de Heers. I am married and 
I have two children. I come from  Argentina where I 
studied English at the University of Mar del Plata and 
qualified as an English teacher. In 1984 I joined the 
staff of Mar del Plata Day School as a teacher of English 
as a second language. I performed my duties both 
at primary and secondary levels until 1989 when I 
decided to take up residence in Germany.
 
I also worked 6 years in Argentina for a private language institute  gaining 
experience in teaching different age groups at different levels.  In 1987 the
institute offered me a scholarship for a teachers'  refresher course in England 
and I also acted as a tour leader for a  group of students. 

Since I have been in Germany I have taught English and Spanish to 
adults, adolescents and children. I am very much enjoying working with 
children and fostering their creativity and imagination.
Pelita Timmermann
 
I was born in 1961 in Akrotiri, Cyprus. Having spent most of my 
childhood education in a private English boarding school, whilst 
my parents moved around Africa, I left school, and attended Beauty 
school in London. 
After I qualified I continued traveling, working in Bahrain, Dubai and 
then working on cruise ships for 5 years. I moved to Hannover in 1987, 
where I was an aupair for a year and started to learn German. 
From 1988 – 1995 I worked at the Parfumerie Liebe until my first 
son Aaron was born, my second son Laurent was born in 1999. 
January 2001 I founded the “Spielsprachschule Abrakadabra”, a new challenge, the work with 
children and the English language has made me rich in new experiences, motivating me to take 
the whole thing a step further and founding “Pelita's English Kindergarten” in August 2007.