HOW WE TEACH

I joined BSB Sanlitun in 2017. My two boys attended the school to Year 6 and have now moved to secondary at our sister school BSB Shunyi.

I have a Masters in Journalism from Dublin City University, Ireland. I have lived and worked in Dublin, Brussels and Zagreb, and moved to Beijing in 2016. While my entire professional career has been in marketing and communications, I began my working life in the education sector, first with the Union of Students in Ireland (USI), then at the National College of Ireland (NCI). I also worked in communications at RTÉ, Ireland’s public service media organisation, in the European Parliament and for Goodman, a global property group.

As a parent, I’ve been part of four different school communities in three different countries. I know that the decision parents make when it comes to educating our children is not one to be taken lightly. We’re choosing not just a school, but also a community and way of life. I know we made the right choice with BSB Sanlitun!

I qualified as a teacher in 2001 in the UK, then worked for two years before starting my international teaching adventure. I worked in international schools in the US, the Middle East and other parts of China before arriving at BSB Sanlitun!

I was a shy child, and disliked speaking in front of others. I overcame this through drama, which I now use to help children with their speaking and listening skills. As an adult I’ve pursued this love of drama outside school, having taken part in pantomimes and plays in every country I’ve lived in!

I started teaching in an outstanding private nursery in South London on a temporary contract after having worked as a supply teacher for a few months. I enjoyed the Early Years setting so much that I ended up staying nearly six years! I eventually left to gain more experience in a school setting and worked at two schools in the same borough.

I’ve always worked in Early Years, either in Nursery or Reception classes, as I feel it’s a crucial period in the lives of children and I enjoy making it fun. I work hard at maintaining good relationships with both my pupils and their parents, and I have a keen interest in getting children to love reading.

I moved to China in 2017 with one of my two daughters. We love Beijing, its culture, history and cuisine! We’ve been warmly welcomed by the BSB Sanlitun family, and enjoy travelling to other cities around China, such as Shanghai, Guangzhou, Shenzhen and Tianjin.

Since I joined the Early Years campus, I’ve worked in Pre-Nursery and Reception. Every morning I get excited about coming to school! I’m also currently the Early Years Academic Leader, working closely with the Head of Early Years to support staff and parents.

Apart from managing the 2-3 year old classroom I have also been the head teacher providing training and assistance to new teachers. I also earned qualifications in using Multiple Intelligences as a tool to help students learn through the Harvard University Graduate school of Education.

In my spare time I enjoy photography, acting, singing and I like to travel and spend time with my husband and my two children. I am the mother of boy and girl twins who keep me constantly active and busy. After living and working in Beijing for the past 16 years our family really does calls Beijing home and we look forward to many more years here.

I respect individual child’s needs, interests and learning styles. With a comprehensive understanding of the children’s stages of development, individual learning needs, and engaging teaching skills, I can provide quality play-based and inquiry-based learning programmes to support children achieve whole child development. I am committed to providing children with a safe, nurturing and holistic learning environment, combining intentional teaching and child-centered learning. I have a strong passion for Early Years music and movement and enjoy incorporating this into the classroom to maximise individual learning potential.

In my spare time, I enjoy singing and watching movies. I love being at the beach and watching the sunset! It is so peaceful and beautiful, and fills me with joy!

When I was in Melbourne, I worked together with other dedicated educators and I believe that working at BSB Sanlitun with the Early Years team will be another wonderful journey. I am looking forward to inspiring young children and helping them not only discover, explore and create but to foster a love for learning and develop life-long skills and dispositions.

This ignited my passion for teaching and on my move to China I started to teach in local Kindergartens whilst studying for my Post-graduate certificate of International Education.  I also hold a TEFL certificate. 

I am married and live in Beijing with my wife and one year old daughter. I enjoy keeping active and in my spare time play football and take part in yoga classes. I am currently learning Mandarin and enjoy my time travelling and experiencing new cultures.  

I also play the flute and I am looking forward to introducing and playing this instrument with the children in my class.  

I also have experience in working with special needs children and have worked alongside Occupational Therapists and speech therapists whilst working with different families throughout the 10 years I worked with children in South Africa.

I love working in early Years Foundation Stage, I have truly seen that children are never too young to learn, and to be a part of the growth and learning process is an absolute honour and privilege. Something that I have learned is that not only do I teach and educate children, but they teach me, the process of growing together is priceless and treasured. I have come to believe in the importance of not only teaching children difference skills, but also allowing children to experience things for themselves and guiding them in experiences, imagination and growing within themselves.

I would describe myself as someone who loves to laugh and have fun, I absolutely love to travel. It is something I am so grateful for in my time living in Beijing, that it has allowed me the opportunity to travel and experience the richness of the beautiful world we live in. I am very creative and love to work with colour, art and mostly to have fun whilst creating.

My greatest strength is my true love for people, showing others that you care is a freely given gift. I love to interact with people using expression, affection and taking time to get to know people, to offer my attention and to make the world a kinder, more gentle, loving and better place.

I love being a part of the BSB family, to inspire, educate and grow with the children I am privileged to teach.

I am a dynamic and committed teacher who has a passion for learning and creating a global awareness through the teaching of the fundamentals of Early Childhood Education. I have a strong talent to develop and implement creativity in my classroom, through music and sensory awareness, that reaches every student’s learning style and ability. I believe it is important to empower children to succeed whilst helping them to achieve their highest potential and realise their individual goals. 

During my time at BSB, I have led training sessions in Behaviour Management and I am a Makaton (sign language) ambassador. I am especially interested in the English phonics programme of reading and writing, and spend a lot of my free time, singing, drawing, reading, travelling and learning to speak new languages. 

I completed my Bachelor’s Degree in Early Childhood Education and obtained my Teaching License from Eastern University. Prior to teaching Year 1 and Reception for three years in Beijing, I spent five years teaching at International schools in the United Arab Emirates. Transitioning to Beijing was a new and exciting adventure for me and I have thoroughly enjoyed my time here.

I spent the majority of my growing up years in several countries including Kenya and Ethiopia, which has shaped my passion for continuing my teaching experiences abroad. I remember spending time with our next-door neighbours in Ethiopia as a 6-year-old, doing my very best to ‘teach’ them English while playing ‘school’.  It seems I have naturally entered into what I couldn’t have foreseen to be my lifelong passion! As I continue my teaching journey, I also enjoy hiking, writing, and singing in my spare time. I also love to travel, meeting new people and trying new things. 

As an educator, I have a passion for making learning exciting, to stimulate a love for learning as I support young children’s early educational experiences. I believe that if I am having fun, so are my students! I enjoy implementing new ideas, researching and trying new teaching strategies, and above all, providing a warm and caring environment for my students. I am excited to see all that this year has in store.

I worked for 5 years at a special needs school in South Africa. I moved to China four years ago and have been teaching children between the ages of 2 and 7 years old. I assisted in developing curriculum and helped train new teachers at a school in Shunyi.

I love teaching young children as I believe that through education, the child will receive the vital skills and tools that are necessary to build a life that is successful and prosperous. I am a strong advocate of hands-on and minds-on learning because I understand that supplementing curriculum with a variety of activities is essential to the learning process. My goal is to instill a passion for learning within my students while providing them with an educational environment that is encouraging and positive.

In my spare time I enjoy dancing with a special focus on Bollywood Zumba. I enjoy teaching Zumba whenever I get the opportunity. I love listening to all kinds of music and watching BBC.

I am a people person and I am extremely sociable. I am very kind, caring, loving and sharing. I am very excited to begin my next chapter of teaching at BSB. Looking forward to an amazing year!

Over the past 3 years I have worked as a Centre Manager at various centres across New Zealand. During this time, I have completed a Bachelor’s Degree in Teaching - Early Childhood Education and undergone a tremendous amount of Professional Development and Future Leaders Courses (Leadership in Early Childhood).

Working abroad has always intrigued me as I love learning and broadening my teaching experiences. This is my fourth-year teaching here at BSB Sanlitun. I have worked in Pre-Nursery for two years and this is my second-year teaching in Nursery. I love the school motto ‘Be Ambitious’, and I strive for the best possible outcomes for children. The philosophy resonates with me, and I am proud to be part of this passionate learning community.

I am an outgoing positive person that loves exploring and building knowledge through experiences. I also believe that children learn through investigating. My vision for the children is to become resilient and life-long learners who will have the necessary tools to tackle the unknown future. I was born and raised in Slovenia but have spent the last 16 years studying and working in New Zealand. I have a passion for travelling, getting to know new cultures, hiking, and keeping fit by going to the gym.

I have been working in childcare for over 13 years. During this time, I have worked with a range of ages from 3 months to 5 years in a variety of roles. I have worked as an au pair in Australia for many months which I loved, this combined with my love of travelling spurred my interest in working with children abroad.

Before moving to Beijing, I had been working with children of Preschool age for 3 years. I was very excited to move to Beijing to further my development and teaching within an international school and be a part of BSB Sanlitun.

This will be my 3rd year living and working in Beijing and have loved having the opportunity to explore China, meet new people and experience the culture. I love to travel, and I am looking forward to exploring lots of new places and ticking them off the list.

I’ve always worked in Early Years, either in Nursery or Reception classes, as I feel it’s a crucial period in the lives of children and I enjoy making it fun. I work hard at maintaining good relationships with both my pupils and their parents, and I have a keen interest in getting children to love reading. 

I moved to China in 2017 with one of my two daughters. We love Beijing, its culture, history and cuisine! We’ve been warmly welcomed by the BSB Sanlitun family, and enjoy travelling to other cities around China, such as Shanghai, Guangzhou, Shenzhen and Tianjin. 

Since I joined the Early Years campus, I’ve worked in Pre-Nursery and Reception. Every morning I get excited about coming to school! I work closely with the Head of Early Years to support staff and parents. 

I am a dedicated, innovative teacher who strives to provides a safe, caring and challenging student-centred learning environment. I believe that every child learns uniquely and ‘mistakes’ are steps on our path to knowledge. 

I am also a mother of two young children which gives me the perspective of both parent and educator. 

I am a lover of stories, people and art but my true love is travel. As a global citizen, I have spent my life dabbling in learning different languages. I have studied Greek, Italian, French and Chinese to varying degrees of proficiency. I love language and believe cultivating a love of books and stories is a fundamental way to impart language, spark imagination and build confidence in young learners. 

Following this, I then took on the challenge of working in a primary school in South East London where I taught in Nursery and Reception but also in Years 4, 5 and 6. Two years later, I became Assistant Headteacher, Phase Leader of Early Years and part-time Nursery Teacher in a primary school in Bexley. Throughout this time, I developed many different skills, which I feel that I can bring to my role at BSB Sanlitun.

I have lived in Beijing for over 2 years now with my husband and have really enjoyed exploring China. I love to travel and discover new places, which I have found very exciting since living here. In my spare time, I like to read, go shopping and exercise outside. I love working as part of a team and am passionate about providing a positive and supportive learning environment for all pupils with all learning needs particularly in the Early Years. I have really enjoyed the last two years working at BSB Sanlitun and I am looking forward to the next academic year and all of the exciting opportunities it may bring!

I then moved to Hangzhou. China where I taught children from 3 to 18 years. During this time, I discovered that my passion for teaching really lay in the early years setting. I then moved to Jinan, Shandong where I have been teaching Reception and Year One for the last 4 years. 

I absolutely love teaching Early Years. I’m a passionate advocate for learning through play and love following the children’s leads and interests to create stimulating and fun learning experiences for them. 

I love living in China and it has become my second home. China is a vibrant, fun and interesting place to live. It’s a wonderful mix of old and new. A country which embraces its strong heritage and values but also embraces the future. 

I consider myself a happy, outgoing and confident person. I love new adventures and trying new things. I love reading and really enjoy history. I love travelling and football. I combined these two loves by being a member of the Scottish Tartan Army for over 8 years and seeing Scotland play football in over 18 countries.

I think children’s early education experiences are the key to a lifetime of learning and I love supporting children to make exciting new discoveries. Since moving to Beijing I have learned many things with my students, including how to raise silkworms and the tricky art of making dumplings. I encourage children to develop their natural curiosity about the world around them and become aware of our role in taking care of our amazing planet.

I love being outdoors and enjoy long walks in Beijing’s many beautiful parks and fascinating historic areas. I have travelled to many places in China, but it’s such a big country and there are many more places I still plan to visit.

I love working with the Early Years team, providing a challenging, exciting and caring environment for my new students.

I love learning new languages, but teaching is definitely my passion. I love the idea of being able to inspire a child to take a different direction or look at something in a different way. Watching children grow and seeing how far they have come in their learning is priceless. I really enjoy being on that journey with them. 

I have taught in Beijing for the last 4 years and have particularly enjoyed teaching children aged 4 to 6 years. 

When I am not teaching, I love to play football. I am part of a women’s team here in Beijing and love how active and motivated it keeps me. I am looking forward to teaching the children some of my football skills!

After this, I worked in a primary school in London for 3 years. During this time, I taught in lower primary as a classroom teacher. I particularly enjoyed working with children who have a range of learning needs.

After teaching in London, I moved to China and I’ve enjoyed teaching here for 4 years in Beijing. Working in international schools in China has been a great opportunity to learn different teaching methods, especially for children who have English as an additional language. 

When I am not teaching, I enjoy travelling and exploring. I am very interested in learning about different cultures, so I have visited numerous cities in China and many different countries in Asia. 

I am really looking forward to starting my journey as Panthers’ Class Teacher at The British School of Beijing, Saniltun. I hope it will bring more amazing experiences and opportunities to become an even better educator.

Prior to joining BSB Sanlitun, I taught for 1 year in Shanghai and 8 years in Beijing at different International Schools in different districts. Before moving to China, I taught in Las Vegas, Nevada at a Title I School. I have taught a wide range of students from different ages, Year 1 -Year 5, and from many different cultural backgrounds.

In my classroom, you will find a positive, fun, and engaging environment. I am always continuing my professional development by learning new ways to engage and excite students about learning and developing the whole child. 

Outside of school, I love exploring Beijing with my dog; her name is Noodles. Noodles is a great travel buddy around Beijing and the best-behaved pug you will ever meet. I am passionate about travelling and love learning about other cultures especially food! I love to eat and try new dishes! I am really excited about developing professionally further at BSB and am looking forward to meeting you all!

I started my career in Scotland, before moving to the Middle East to work at Kings School, Dubai and then moving to Qatar at Dukhan English School. I worked across all Key Stages in the primary school as well as being Literacy Coordinator and establishing and leading Psychology at GCSE and A level. 

I then joined Nord Anglia and was appointed Head of Early Years at the British School of Tashkent. I also established two highly successful toddler groups. My strengths are language acquisition and literacy, and I have led numerous workshops on EAL and Phonics development.

I have been working as the Learning Support Coordinator for two years now and look forward to continuing to support children within our school.

Prior to this, I spent three years as a class teacher within a large inner-city London Primary School. I have worked with children who have a range of abilities and who originate from different backgrounds. Within my previous school, I undertook the role of Art and Design Technology leader. This role involved establishing an Art and DT curriculum for a school, participating in National competitions, planning extra-curricular trips and working towards the Primary Education ‘Artsmark’ award.

I began my teaching journey at Roehampton University, where I completed a three year Bachelor of Arts Degree in Primary Education. From a young age, I knew that I wanted to become a teacher and I was inspired by the teachers who taught me and made my learning exciting. At University, I was immediately overwhelmed by how rewarding it felt to see the progress of the children I was teaching.

The school is fantastic at helping their teachers develop and working with such hard-working, enthusiastic children just makes the job so much more enjoyable.

After completing a degree in Psychology at the University of Hull, I went on to complete my PGCE in Primary Teaching and Physical Education at Manchester Metropolitan University. I taught in the United Arab Emirates for 2 years before arriving in Beijing which was another wonderful experience. I am a passionate traveller and being able to incorporate this into my professional life has been a blessing.

My interests mainly lie with drawing, in particular simple line drawing and designing and I love being able to dive into some art activities with my class. I love to read and try to read books which will educate me further in both work and life. I will also take any opportunity to challenge myself and take myself out of my comfort zone.

My love of teaching is inspired by my love of learning and it is important to me that every child’s spark of genius is ignited and every child’s efforts and talents are valued and encouraged. My aim as a teacher is to provide all children with a fun and positive learning experience, in which their achievements are celebrated and their motivation fostered. Teaching to me is about inspiring every child to believe in themselves to be brilliant individuals that can achieve anything when they put their minds to it.

I enjoy meeting new people and immersing myself in different cultures, which is why I seized the opportunity to begin my teaching journey at BSB Sanlitun, an incredible opportunity to work within a global campus, alongside inspirational teachers, whilst exploring new places. I have never worked abroad before so this struck me as a once in a lifetime opportunity that I will openly embrace and cherish for the rest of my life.

I come from a small family and have one younger sister who I am incredibly close to. My mother is my biggest inspiration and has always encouraged me to work hard and follow my dreams. In my spare time I enjoy cooking and exploring new recipes, keeping fit and going on adventures with my friends. I am a big thrill-seeker and would love to go skiing and sky diving one day.

I previously taught in Year 3 at an American school in Dubai. Prior to my move to Beijing, I taught children from 7-9 years old in London.

I was so inspired by my experience abroad as it has broadened my horizons and confirmed my desire to teach children from different backgrounds and cultures. I am very excited about my new role working in Year 2. I look forward to encouraging each child to unlock their full potential!

In my spare time, I love spending quality time with my family, reading and cooking. During the holidays, I enjoy travelling and experiencing different cultures.

I was born in Devon, England and lived there for most of my childhood although have also lived and attended school in Singapore. Additionally, I spent six months living in France as part of a language development/exchange programme.  This has helped me to become culturally adaptable, resilient and aware of some of the challenges that pupils may face in various circumstances.

I have always been interested in how people learn and apply knowledge and enjoy seeing the excitement that children experience as they discover new knowledge and ways of expressing their thoughts.  I believe that teaching is more than just imparting knowledge – it involves motivating learners to ask deep questions and creating a safe and stimulating environment, which allows deep thinking to happen.

When not working in school I enjoy travelling and sports such as running and playing squash.

I studied English and Sociology at The University of Sunderland and volunteered at local primary schools, running book clubs and supporting teachers. It was this opportunity that inspired me to become a teacher, so after graduating I decided to carry on with my studies at Sunderland and complete my PGCE.

I took the decision to move to London as I wanted to teach in a large multicultural city, where there were plenty of opportunities for me to develop my teaching further and gain as much experience as I possibly could. While I was working in London, I became involved in various working parties; looking at ways of improving reading across the curriculum, as well as implementing a new behaviour management strategy on a whole school level, that was welcomed by both pupils and parents - something that I feel very proud of.

Having spent a few summers travelling around Asia, I decided that I wanted to broaden my horizon and teach abroad. I immediately began looking for new and exciting places to work and discovered The British School of Beijing, Sanlitun. The school instantly stood out to me as a place to achieve this, so I grasped the opportunity to work here with both hands and I have not looked back since!

When I’m not working, I’m usually in the kitchen cooking or on the hunt for new recipes and ingredients. Cooking is something that I am very passionate about and I love cooking for friends and family at weekend get-togethers. As well as cooking, I also enjoy reading a good novel, exploring Beijing’s ever-changing food and drink scene and of course collecting cookbooks - I have a very healthy collection of them.

I started my teaching career in London and ended up teaching there for six years, from Reception up to Year Six. Every summer holiday I looked forward to the adventure of travelling to a new place, to learn about new counties and cultures (always with my favourite hobby with me, my hula hoop!). Yearly adventures around the world inspired me teach internationally. My first international school was in Mexico City and it became my second home for six happy years!

Having now completed two years in China I have thoroughly enjoyed being Panthers class teacher in The British School of Beijing, Sanlitun. For the next academic year I am looking forward to beginning a new adventure as Toucans class teacher, with the new opportunities it will bring.

The following year I taught across both key stages through long term and short time supply. After having a thrilling and insightful teaching experience in the UK, I decided to take on a new adventure to further build my practice and as well immerse myself in a new culture, as teaching and travelling has become a great passion of mine.

I’ve always had an interest in experiencing new cultures, seeing teaching on a global perspective and collaborating with people from all over the world. Teaching and travelling allowed me to accomplish this. Teaching in London with all of its diversity has taught me to be more aware and to sympathise with the students from different cultural backgrounds. This experience has inspired me to become a more global citizen and to expand my global awareness. Aside from teaching and travelling, I enjoy staying active by training.

I have taught Year 1 for the last four years at BSB and am currently in my second year of teaching Year 3, which I am greatly enjoying.

Originally from a small village near York in the north of England, I studied history at the University of Sheffield. I spent the second year of my degree as an exchange student at the National University of Singapore. After graduating I started my teaching career working as an English Language Assistant at a secondary school in Chongqing in south-west China, which solidified my interest in teaching as well as my love for Chinese history and culture. When I returned to the UK, I worked as a secondary teaching assistant for children with special educational needs, an extremely rewarding role, before training as a primary school teacher. After I completed my PGCE at Sheffield Hallam University I worked as a Year 2 teacher in a large, multicultural infant school in Sheffield. I then made the decision to return to China and started working at BSB Sanlitun in 2019.

Outside of school, I enjoy cycling around Beijing and finding new routes to explore. I also have regular Chinese lessons and I’m currently working towards obtaining the HSK 5 qualification in Chinese.

After I graduated I worked in England as a Year 2 class teacher. I thoroughly enjoyed my time at the school, however an opportunity was presented that would allow me to combine my passion for teaching, with my passion for travel.

Before moving to Beijing, I worked Qatar as a Year 2 Leader. This allowed me the opportunity to work with staff and children from around the globe. It has given me the experience of working with children from many different cultural backgrounds and for many English has been their second, or in some cases their third or fourth language.  It is really humbling to see how children adapt to different ways of life and embrace new languages whilst trying to study.  Something that I continued to enjoy living and working in China

Outside of work I love to travel. I have been fortunate enough to have lived in a number of different countries and parts of the world.  This has enabled me to explore more of the surrounding areas and experience different cultures. I like to keep active, but can also be found curled up with a book.

I grew up in Essex  and although I miss my family, I am grateful to be able to travel the world and experience new places whilst doing a job that I love.

I have a passion for making philosophy accessible to children and I like to use it as a tool to teach children to think critically and originally. My other passion is for rugby. I play for a local rugby team here in Beijing and I was lucky enough to be selected for a united Beijing team that played against Mongolia. I actively encourage my students to take part in sports; in previous schools I have organised and led sporting teams in local competitions.

Since then I have worked in China and Qatar. Having worked for Nord Anglia for the previous six years, I am really excited to be able to make BSB Sanlitun my third Nord Anglia School. 

I have taught senior students as a History specialist, as well as KS2 students at 3 different schools, and I am passionate believer in the importance of developing critical thinking in students. This does not mean I think Year 4 should be writing essays, but I do want them to try and explain why they like things and why they think something is important. Having taught older students for part of my career I know that being able to reason is a really important skill that I want to develop in younger students. 

Outside of school I am a little spoilt for choice as my three great loves are music, history and cooking. Beijing has such a wealth of culture and history that it is one of the big reasons I wanted to return here. Coupled with cuisines, ingredients and musical styles from all over the world I only regret that I don’t have the time to see all the events that the city has to offer.

Whilst at York St. John University, I spent a semester studying abroad at the University of Huelva in southern Spain. I volunteered at a local primary school and this opened my eyes to the possibility of teaching abroad - a dream which has now become reality!

I was awarded my PGCE Primary Education (with QTS) from Northumbria University and upon qualifying, I taught Year 1 at an inner city primary school.

In my spare time, I love to go hiking and at home you will regularly find me in the Yorkshire Dales on a long walk with friends. My favourite walk is Pen-y-ghent, which is one of the Yorkshire Three Peaks. I also enjoy cooking, listening to music and watching Spanish films. I have a passion for travelling and have been very lucky to explore many different places in Asia.

I am looking forward to my second year in Year 4.

I also spent two years working as a specialised learning support teacher. Prior to commencing the Year 5 Group Leader position in August 2020, I had led the PE department here since August 2018, as 'Head of PE'.

I believe learning is a lifelong process and I am always keen to develop my skills and knowledge. Since my undergraduate degree, I have been conferred with a Postgraduate Diploma in Educational Leadership from the National University of Ireland Maynooth. This aided me when taking on various leadership roles in my school such as becoming a mentor to newly qualified teachers (NQTs). I also have received a Postgraduate Diploma in Human Resource Management from the Institute of Public Administration in Dublin. In 2021, I completed the Nord Anglia Middle Leadership Programme. 

In my spare time I like to keep active. Going to the gym and tennis are all great ways to say fit in Beijing. I am a huge Liverpool FC fan which has meant that I have found myself getting up at 3am to watch live football matches here. I love to travel and living in China has allowed me to explore places that I never dreamed I would visit.

Throughout my career my passion for developing children's reading, writing, speech and language has always been my biggest focus and am I very proud to be Head of Literacy at BSB.

Before coming to BSB I was teaching for several years in the UK in both Key Stage 1 and Early Years after graduating from University of Cumbria with a BA (Hon) Degree in Primary Education (QTS) with Art and Design. I have always had 'the travel bug' and I was lucky enough to experience teaching in a German kindergarten in Dortmund during my training and work with children outside of a formal school setting in America when I took part in the 'Camp America' programme for three months during the summer. 

Both in and out of school I am a creative person. You'll often find me listening along to my favourite music and at home learning new songs on my piano. I love being a competitive sportsperson and played Badminton at a competitive level when I was younger. I still love to play with a great team here in Beijing. If you're in my class you will hear me talk about Mowgli, my wonderful, cheeky fluffy dog who is half Chow-Chow and half Husky - I even have a life-sized cushion of him by my desk!

Before moving to Bejing, I taught in primary schools in inner city London, where I worked with children from a variety of backgrounds. I have gained a wide range of skills and responsibilities as my teaching career has progressed and have taught across a variety of Key Stage 2 year groups.

I decided to apply to BSB Sanlitun due to the world class education on offer. Living in Beijing is a once in a lifetime opportunity that I have loved embracing. It is a unique city with so much to offer and so much to do! 

Working in Beijing also gives me a great opportunity to travel and explore new countries. Last Christmas I visited New Zealand with a couple of other BSB teachers, which was an amazing experience. My sporting passions include playing badminton and tennis. I am also a huge football fan and support Liverpool, the club and city I am from. In my spare time, I have also started to write my own songs (sadly I'm no John Lennon though) and I am developing ideas for a novel.

After completing my degree, I went on to study for a PGCE at Middlesex University and became a qualified teacher in 2007. Years of working in various schools in London gave me valuable experience and insight and I was ready for a new challenge.

So, in 2011, I decided to work abroad and joined Compass International School, a Nord Anglia school, in Doha Qatar. Being in Qatar and teaching at an international school was a truly wonderful experience that helped me further deepen my passion for teaching and my understanding of educational pedagogy. Engaging students, making meaningful learning experiences and encouraging independent learning was at the heart of my approach.  As well as teaching various ages Reception, Year 1, 2 and 5, I also had a number of leadership roles such as Head of year 5, 6, STEAM co-ordinator and Computing Lead.

My work in 2011 to raise the profile of computing encouraged the school to begin its digital journey. Being passionate about the effective use of technology has allowed me to support students, parents and staff.

I was also one of the first members of staff to be involved in the MIT/ STEAM collaboration and successfully created and implemented STEAM projects over the last few years.
Throughout my 7 years at CISD I helped develop various initiatives to enhance learning for the students these ranged from working in our school bilingual programme, developing whole school projects aligned with UNICEF and leading whole school performances during productions and school events.

I moved to Beijing in 2018 with my wife and 2 sons and have worked at BSB Shunyi for the last 2 years as Head of Year 6.

Only in Beijing do you get such a wonderful mix of cultures working in harmony together fusing modern and traditional culture. Unique to the city and to the school.  Sharing my skills and experience and working with the team at BSB Sanlitun is something I am really looking forward to… and to really know what message I want to share, read the first letter of every sentence.

I subsequently returned to the UK and worked in Inner London schools for two years both as an LSA and a TA.

From 2012 to 2013, I took part in the GTP program hosted by the West London Partnership, achieving my QTS in the Summer of 2013. I subsequently taught at Ruislip Gardens Primary School in Year 5 and then Year 6, leading that year group in my last year in that school. I then decided to make the move to China and BSB.

I am happy to work in a school that has rigorous academic standards, expects the best from its students and staff, and yet maintains an inclusive egalitarian approach to school life. I endeavor to develop thoughtfulness, empathy and a strong work ethic in the children I teach and a classroom environment in which critical thinking and risk-taking are celebrated.

When I am not at work, I like to read, watch films and explore cities and the countryside. I love the great outdoors! I am something of a fitness enthusiast and enjoy going to the gym and swimming regularly. I also enjoy going to art exhibitions, visiting museums, cooking and spending time with friends and family. I volunteer when I can and have worked with several charities in my spare time.

My passion and love for choral music and conducting has started at a very early age and since then I have been a member of several professional choirs as a soloist. I spent a lot of time on stage performing and touring around the world, mostly as a singer but also as a musician. Throughout this time I have worked closely with world-famous conductors and singers, including a couple of performances with Zubin Mehta (at the Belgrade Summer Music Festival in 2005 and 2010).

I joined BSB Sanlitun in 2013 initially as a violin teacher. I then became a Choral and Music teacher and most importantly a Choir Conductor. During this period, choral singing at school has reached new heights and the choir has been in demand to perform around Beijing and China.

I am especially excited about the Juilliard-Nord Anglia collaboration and the new embedded Performing Arts curriculum, here at BSB Sanlitun.

In 2019, NAE schools had their first ever regional Choral Festival, here in Beijing, and I had an opportunity to work together with Dinah Lindberg Helgeson and other musicians from China region, leading rehearsals and conducting to the Treble Choir singers.

I have been lucky enough teach in Switzerland, Reunion Island, Cyprus and Nanjing, working mostly in KS2. Prior to this, I spent two years living in Paris and a year travelling around Australia before returning to full time education.

I attended the University of Aberdeen where I achieved an MA in French Studies and Sociology and a PGDE in Primary Education. International teaching combines my love of travel and learning. I can’t imagine having any other job!

I am now in my third year at The British School of Beijing, Sanlitun. The school’s ‘Be Ambitious’ initiative reflects my own teaching philosophy. I strive to promote ambition, achievement and resilience in my classroom while encouraging a life-long love of learning. We also have a lot of laughs along the way.

Outside of school I like to travel and explore new places. In my spare time I love to cook and experiment with new recipes (some attempts are more successful than others!).

My students ranged from younger children aged 4, to teaching business English and running English training sessions for small companies. I then joined BSB Sanlitun in August 2014.

These last 6 years working in BSB Sanlitun has reinforced my passion for EAL. Since coming to China, I’ve been learning Chinese which has provided an on-going insight into the difficulties of learning a new language in a new environment. While our students may not be able to communicate effectively in English when they first join us, I’m a firm believer that it should not stop them from enjoying what they’re learning. I am firmly committed to instilling in children a passion for learning and the courage to use what they learn in their future endeavors.

My favourite pastimes are travelling and reading. I’ve been fortunate in life and have travelled to almost every continent in the world and have enjoyed many a sunny day with a paperback in one hand and the local coffee delight in the other. My only other distraction would be jigsaw puzzles!

I have a longstanding relationship with BSB Sanlitun and first worked at the school as a Teaching Assistant in 2012. After obtaining my CELTA qualification, I moved to Qatar where I worked as a Special Needs Support Assistant. I later returned to Beijing to study for a degree in Chinese Language at the Beijing Language and Culture University.

As a teacher, I aim to build rapport and personal connections with each student. I also strive to adapt my lesson plans to meet their unique needs. I am committed to helping every child to thrive and succeed at school. I am delighted to return to BSB Sanlitun this year and to join the EAL team. 

In my spare time, I practise yoga, go for walks with my dog and spend quality time with friends and family. I also enjoy travelling, dancing and tackling DIY home projects.

I enjoy the challenge and find it very interesting to work with different kinds of students, because each group needs to be taught in a different way and has completely different targets. I joined BSB Sanlitun in 2013. I always wanted to work in an international school, as it gives me the opportunity to bring all teaching ideas to life!

I am a friendly and creative person, I love my job and working with children. In my free time I love to sing in the choir and travel around China. I like to learn: new cultures, new languages, new cuisine. I love foreign languages and want to learn a new one in my free time.

I spent 4 years as a primary teacher and learning support teacher in a large school in Dublin, Ireland before joining BSB Sanlitun. 

I am an experienced educator who has a passion for physical education. In childhood, sport and fitness enabled me to develop confidence and build friendships. This is something I feel every child should experience. I am passionate about giving children an ethos of teamwork, sportsmanship and positive social interaction. I will work to instil a lifelong love of sport and fitness in all the children at BSB Sanlitun, for their future health and wellbeing. 

I spend most of my free time hiking and exploring; I love the outdoors. I started playing sport and engaging in physical activity at the age of six; it has been a huge part of my life ever since. I have played basketball, Camogie and Gaelic Football (Irish national games) at a high level. I have joined the Beijing GAA team since moving to Beijing in 2019. I love to travel and hope to visit much of Asia, during my time in Beijing.

I was also an exchange student at UCLA, which gave me a wonderful opportunity to learn and improve my basketball skills.

After graduation, I taught PE at a bilingual school in Beijing for 5 years. I am delighted to join BSB Sanlitun. The diverse community will be fascinating and I am so proud to be a part of the BSB family.

I am a positive person that loves to enjoy life. I spend most of my free time travelling and relish having a chance to play many different kinds of sports. I appreciate the enthusiasm of being on a basketball court  as much as a peaceful moment relaxing in a cafe. 

I gained a Bachelor of Food Science and Engineering in Beijing in 2005. After that I furthered my study in the UK and received a Master’s degree. It was there I got my first experience assisting in a primary school as a volunteer. I was attracted to the British Education System, because of the big comparison between my own experiences in China and how this differed.

After moving back to Beijing I decided to start my career in an international school. I obtained my Chinese teaching certificate and psychological consultation qualification. I hope my efforts can help every child to thrive in their childhood.

During my spare time, I enjoy cooking with my young daughter and having fun with art and craft activities, whether food related or not.

I have been working at the British School of Beijing, Sanlitun as a classroom Teaching Assistant for the last three years. I also worked as a summer camp counsellor while in university.

I love working with the children and every day is different. I come with a range of experience working confidently with students from different year groups.

I am looking forward to my new experience as part of this passionate learning community at BSB Sanlitun. I strive for the best possible outcomes for children and I will use the passion I hold for teaching to ensure we grow and develop our traditional language.

I went to Beijing Foreign Studies University, where I did a degree in English language. I hold a Qualification Certificate of Teaching Chinese as a Foreign Language (Advanced). Before joining BSB Sanlitun I taught all levels of students from different countries and cultural backgrounds for more than 9 years, which helped me to get a better understanding of cross cultural communication. I believe every child is unique and I am passionate about motivating every child in learning Chinese language and culture. I try my best to help children to experience Chinese culture as much as they can, as culture is an integral part of language.

During my spare time, I like cooking. I am interested in reading and travelling. I also like practising Chinese calligraphy. But now, I spend most of my spare time with my son.

I graduated from Beijing Language and Cultural University and I have a degree in Teaching Chinese as a Foreign Language.

Before joining BSB Sanlitun, I had six years teaching experience in international schools and local schools. I love working with children and believe that every child is unique. I am passionate about using different learning strategies so that every child enjoys learning how to speak Chinese and is able to experience Chinese culture to the best of their abilities.

In my spare time I enjoy watching films, reading books, cooking and travelling. I am enjoying living with my husband and daughter in Beijing.

I wanted a new challenge and to learn more teaching ideas; joining The British School of Beijing, Sanlitun definitely gave me this opportunity.

I think I am really lucky because I get to do the job which I really like to do. I am delighted to see my students improving their Chinese day by day. I enjoy teaching and do hope my students enjoy learning Chinese in my classes.

Cooking and tasting delicious foods are my favourite things to do. Spending time with my family also brings me happiness.

I also managed the Student Affairs Office, working with top students at the school and overseeing teaching standards. Though at times incredibly challenging, I enjoyed helping students thrive in the arts and hone a sharper appreciation for music and dance.

From 2006 to 2009 I volunteered as an art and social studies teacher at the Zhuzhen Middle School in Xiaogan where I worked with underprivileged children under a Hubei Educational Department programme aimed toward raising education levels in underserved villages. I worked with large class sizes and individual students. I choreographed an impressive sporting demonstration with over 1000 students and supervised morning physical education as well as teaching a range of subjects.

In 2010 I moved to Beijing to realise my dream of teaching Chinese language to foreign students, and quickly fell in love with the city and the job. During that time, I pursued a graduate degree in modern dance, graduating with a Masters in Dance Theory from the China National Academy of Arts in 2016. During my study in Beijing, I wrote for Guojiadajuyuan Magazine and worked as a part-time Chinese teacher.

I began working at The British School of Beijing, Sanlitun as a teaching assistant in 2017. I quickly grew fond of the working environment and am excited by the continuing education opportunities. My experience here has broadened my understanding of and appreciation for education and likewise I try hard to be a positive, kind and energetic part of each child’s education. I’m as happy as ever to be a Chinese language teacher here at BSB Sanlitun.

In my free time I enjoy weekend trips out of the city with my husband and our four-year-old son camping, hiking and exploring new places. I also love to dance!