My first career passion was military aviation, and I joined the Royal Air Force part time straight after my A-levels and started learning to fly. After subsequently attaining a First in Physics from Oxford, I joined the RAF full time to train as a fast jet pilot, until diabetes curtailed that career prematurely. I then joined J.P. Morgan as a trader and spent over 16 years working in global finance in London, New York and Hong Kong, becoming a senior leader managing a global line of business for a division of AIG. Throughout this time, I took on many training roles, and taught and coached hundreds of people to understand complex financial mathematics better, so when I decided to leave finance, I followed my passion for education full time.
Whilst studying at the University of Sunderland for my PGCE (remotely), I also founded, built and managed a tutoring school in Hong Kong and competed in a sailing class world championship. I began teaching at a bilingual Mandarin and English-speaking school and rapidly gained educational leadership experience as Deputy Head of Maths, Acting Head of Maths, and Head of Years 7 and then 8. As a committed life-long learner, I also began to study Psychology at the University of Derby and in gaining my MSc I found a passion for Positive Psychology, learning extensively about how well-being, performance and attainment are intertwined. This eventually led me to become the Head of Positive Education for senior years at another prestigious school in Dubai, where I helped design and implement a global award-winning Positive Education programme.
As a senior leader in education, I have endeavoured to ensure that our programmes of education and pastoral care are world-class in helping our students become the best they aim to be. My driving force is that we equip students with the holistic skills to achieve great personal success at school, in further education, and their careers.
