This week I’d like to introduce some of
the new teachers who will be joining us in September 2014, but first I’d like
to mention a few events from last week.
Last Sunday I was privileged to be able
to attend a music concert at EP showcasing the considerable musical talents of
our secondary students. The event was a
great success and thoroughly enjoyed by all of the students, parents and staff
who attended. My thanks go to all of
those who performed and also to Ms Anderson and Mr Thomson for their superb
organisation of the concert.
You may also be interested to hear that
a whole school staff meeting was held at the Primary Campus on Tuesday after
school. The teaching staff from both
campuses met together for an update on the IT development planned for the next
academic year and then broke into smaller groups to take part in IT training.
This focused on areas such as the use of iPads in the classroom, Coach’s Eye in
sport and utilising Google and FrogLearn (the latest version of Frog) in teaching
and learning. All the training sessions were informative and enjoyable and very
well led by members of our teaching team.
Your children will no doubt see the impact of this training in the
classroom over the coming weeks and into the new academic year.
On Wednesday you were sent an email
from either Mrs Fuller (Primary Principal) or Mr Schultz (Secondary Principal)
providing you with both a link to this year’s Parent Survey and also outlining
the progress that has been made towards addressing some of the issues
highlighted through your responses in last year’s survey. I hope that you have found the information to
be useful and I urge you to take a few minutes to complete this year’s survey.
Your responses provide us with valuable information which we use to set school
improvement targets each year and we are appreciative of the time and effort
that you put into your responses. The
survey will close at 12
noon on Monday 19th May.
As promised in the previous edition of
the KLASS Times, over the next few weeks I will be giving you details of the
new staff who will be joining the school in September 2014.
In terms of new staff joining us, in
alphabetical order:
Christian
Audouin – Head of French, Secondary Campus.
Christian achieved a Maitrise de Langues Etrangeres
Appliquees (French MA equivalent) from the Universite de Caen followed by a
PGCE from the University of Keele. His first teaching post was as a teacher of
French and Spanish at Thomas Alleyne’s High School in Uttoxeter. In 2003 he
moved to be Head of Modern Foreign Languages at Hagley Park Sports College at
Rugeley and after five years he took a similar post at St Peter’s Collegiate in
Wolverhampton. He is currently in the same role at Wolgarston High School in
Penkridge. Christian is a French national, a Spanish specialist and also offers
basic Russian. Initiatives he has started include establishing links with
feeder schools and foreign exchange visits. Christian will be moving to KL with
his wife Debra.
Zahida
Aziz-Khan – Teacher of English and Media Studies, Secondary Campus.
Zahida graduated from the University of Central England with
a BA (Hons) in English Language and Literature. She then gained a Postgraduate
Diploma in Library and Information Management and completed the Graduate Teacher
Training Programme through Newman College. From 2004 she was a Teacher of
English and whole School Literary Co-ordinator at Bordesley Green Girls School
in Birmingham, moving to her current post at St Christopher’s School, Bahrain
in 2009. Teaching English to IB and A Level, Zahida is also second in charge of
English and KS3 Co-ordinator. She also has experience of teaching Media
Studies, Drama, Citizenship and Islamic Studies. Zahida has been very active
across a range of extra-curricular activities including girls’ cricket, school
plays and the DoE awards.
Lian Battle –
Art Teacher, Secondary Campus.
Lian graduated from the Norwich School of Art and Design
with a BA (Hons) in Fine Art, followed by a PGCE from Anglia Ruskin University.
As a part-time student she also achieved a Postgraduate Diploma in Education in
2013, and plans to go on to complete a Masters. Her first post was as a Teacher
of Art and Drama at Farlingaye High School, Suffolk, before becoming Head of
Art and Photography at Deben High School. In 2011 she moved to Reepham High
School in Norfolk to be Head of Art, Photography and Textiles. Lian has also
run Art Clubs, created links with local communities through exhibitions of
students’ work and organised overseas trips to Paris and Barcelona. Currently
Lian is taking a sabbatical in Australia.
Samantha Best –
Chemistry Teacher, Secondary Campus.
Samantha gained her BSc (Hons) in Biochemistry with
Immunology and her PGCE (distinction) from Newcastle University. She then took
up her current post as Teacher of Science at Cheney School, Oxford. Samantha
teaches up to A2 level and is KS5 Chemistry Leader responsible for managing two
other Chemists. Samantha is also Leader of the Girls’ Project working
with female KS4 students to close the attainment gap in core
subjects. As part of this role, she runs an annual Women's
Day event, an empowerment and equality society and whole staff training in
relation to addressing gender imbalance in the classroom. She also organises
a Women in Science and Engineering Club for Year 9 female students. Other
responsibilities have included mentoring student teachers and planning and
supporting academic trips.
Gerwyn Bish -
Chemistry Teacher, Secondary Campus.
Gerwyn qualified with a BSc (Hons) in Chemistry from
Leicester University before embarking on a career as a Research Chemist with
Pfizer in the UK and in 2009 was awarded Chartered Chemist status. Gerwyn went
on to qualify as a teacher through Canterbury Christchurch University’s
Graduate Training Programme while teaching at Folkestone School for Girls. He
then joined Dane Court Grammar School, Kent as a Chemistry Teacher. Gerwyn has
experience of teaching Chemistry at GCSE, A Level and IB. He has also been a
form tutor, was responsible for the Year 7 Science Club, which achieved a place
in the finals of a national competition and has organised science trips to
Canterbury Christchurch University. He also contributes to TES teaching
resources and is a current TES moderator. Gerwyn will be moving to KL with his
wife Clare, daughters Leonie and Megan and son Dylan.
Francis
Burlingham – Head of Faculty (Science and DT), Secondary Campus.
Graduating from Sheffield University with a BSc (Hons) in
Genetics and a PGCE (Biology) his first post was as a Teacher of Science at
Beechwood School in Slough. Francis then joined Abbotswood School in Hillingdon
and was promoted to Head of Science one year later. In 2003 Francis joined
Woodgreen School in Oxfordshire as Head of Science with a key responsibility to
re-organise the curriculum at KS3 and KS4. His first overseas posting came in
2009 when appointed Head of Science at The Regents School, Pattaya, Thailand.
Francis returned to the UK for a year at Hill House School, Doncaster before
taking up his current posting at the British School of Guangzhou, China where
following promotion from Head of Science to Head of Sixth Form he has led the
development of the new Sixth Form. Francis will be joining the school with his
wife Flora and children Giles and Harriet.
David Devey –
Learning Technologies Officer, Primary Campus.
David has a BSc (Computer Science) from the University of
Plymouth and a PGCE from the University of Brighton. He taught at South
Dartmoor Community College before joining Taipei European School as ICT Co-ordinator
to develop ICT across both primary and secondary schools. David moved on to the
Casablanca American School as ICT Co-ordinator before returning to the UK in
2012 and establishing himself as a consultant. He has worked for Cornwall
County Council and Cornwall Learning to develop the ICT and computing section
of the Inspire Curriculum. In his role as a consultant, David has also provided
training for Primary and Secondary teachers through Creative Education, been
part of an EU funded project to develop teaching and learning across schools in
Malta and was a speaker and trainer with Osiris Education. David will be
joining the school with his wife Jennie Leyfield who will also be teaching on
the Primary Campus.
More information on other teachers joining the school will
continue in next week’s issue of KLASS Times.
Have a lovely weekend,
Val Thomas-Peter
Val Thomas-Peter
Director of School