Jane trained at Brighton Art School, Gipsy Hill college London and at the university of London, Goldsmiths college in the 1970s.

She taught in secondary schools in London for five years before moving back to Brighton to start a family. In Brighton she ran a variety of classes for children and adults as well as starting work at St Mary’s Hall school in 1982. She still works part time at St Mary’s and enjoys fitting in long and short term supply teaching in and around Brighton as well as running courses for teachers and students.

Simon Olding’s article in Ceramic Review Jul/Aug 2006 points out:

“Behind this jovial and seemingly carefree approach to making lies a profound intent. Abbott is a potter who puts her students first. ‘I teach before I pot,’ she says.”

“It took Abbott some time to settle on teaching ceramics; but once doing so she settled quickly and with determination. Pottery is, for her, both a valuable and instructive way to reveal the creative talents of her students, and the means to express her own fertile and vigorous enthusiasm for clay objects.”

“Teaching is for her a creative process, not a necessary chore.”

“Customarily Abbott finds a fertile flow of ideas between personal work and her teaching”