Est. In 2023.
Est. In 2023.
Jon Matson-Higgins is a fully qualified Minister and Celebrant, and the Principal Tutor at The School of Civil Celebrancy. Jon works full time as a celebrant, supporting families and couples with funerals, memorials, weddings, naming ceremonies and life celebrations. He brings many years of experience in teaching, training and ceremony work, along with a strong background in care, support and end-of-life services. At The School of Civil Celebrancy, Jon teaches with warmth, honesty and practical knowledge. He believes celebrancy is not just a job, but a calling. His aim is to help learners become confident, professional and compassionate celebrants who can support people with care, dignity and integrity.
Sam Goodchild is an experienced celebrant, non-religious minister and trainer, based in Brighton and Hove. Sam creates and delivers personal ceremonies, including weddings, funerals, handfastings, baby naming ceremonies and pet memorials. She brings warmth, creativity and care to her work, helping each ceremony feel personal, meaningful and true to the people at the heart of it. At The School of Civil Celebrancy, Sam supports learners with practical knowledge, encouragement and real experience as a working celebrant. Her aim is to help future celebrants grow in confidence, find their own voice and work with care, professionalism and integrity. For further information about Sam, please click on the link.
Julia has a B.Ed first class honours and spent 30 years working in education as a teacher, educational consultant, trainer and County Lead for education. Since completing her NOCN Celebrancy Level 3 Diplomas in 2018 Julia has established a highly successful Cotswold wedding business which continues to thrive year on year. She is acknowledged as an expert in her field . At the School of Civil Celebrancy Julia combines her strong educator background with her experience as a full time celebrant. She teaches with clarity, passion and a genuine commitment to helping every learner thrive. Her aim is to empower others to achieve success in a competitive marketplace.
Tara is passionate about education and training, having worked in the sector for thirty years. As an experienced tutor, assessor and Internal Quality Assurer (IQA) she enjoys working to quality standards and achieving results. A strong belief in lifelong learning and her enthusiasm for high standards motivates Tara in her role as IQA at the School of Civil Celebrancy. Tara studied celebrancy and has a good insight into the profession. She has worked for the School of Civil Celebrancy in a quality assurance capacity for two years. A member of Civil Celebrant Connection, she keeps up to date with developments in the celebrancy profession. In the past Tara worked in management roles including setting up and managing centres, directing quality and assessment teams, designing training programmes and creating curricula, including train the trainer and supported others through educational mentoring. Tara’s passion for helping others to fulfil their potential coupled with her focus on excellence, supports her role within quality assurance.
At The School of Civil Celebrancy, our team is passionate about helping the next generation of celebrants build successful and rewarding careers. With many years of experience in celebrancy, education, assessment, and quality assurance, we are committed to providing high-quality celebrant training and ongoing support to every student.
We understand that choosing the right celebrant training provider is an important decision. That’s why our team, Jon, Sam, Julia, and Tara work closely with learners throughout their journey, offering guidance, encouragement, and practical expertise from enrolment through to qualification and beyond.
Our tutors, assessors, Internal Quality Assurers (IQAs), and External Quality Assurers (EQAs) bring a wealth of industry knowledge and real-world experience to our training programmes. Together, they help ensure that every student receives professional support while developing the confidence and skills needed to become a successful funeral celebrant, wedding celebrant, naming celebrant, or family celebrant.
As practising celebrants and experienced educators, we understand the privilege and responsibility that comes with creating and delivering meaningful ceremonies. Our team is dedicated to maintaining high standards while nurturing each student’s individual strengths and unique voice.
At the heart of everything we do is a genuine belief that celebrancy has the power to make a difference. Whether supporting families through loss, helping couples celebrate their love, or marking life’s important milestones, celebrants play a vital role in creating memorable and meaningful experiences.
We are proud to support students from all backgrounds and walks of life, providing inclusive, accessible, and professional celebrant training that helps individuals achieve their goals and build thriving celebrancy businesses.
We look forward to welcoming you to The School of Civil Celebrancy family.
If you require any help or advice regarding your training course or course accreditation, please don’t hesitate to call the School of Civil Celebrancy on 01273 974 958.