I’m excited to lead The New School as Charity Director. With experience gained from a background in teaching, degrees in social psychology, nutritional therapy and herbal medicine, time spent working at the Prince’s Trust with marginalised young people, and having my own two children, focused my attention on what an alternative democratic model of education could look like. I’ve created The New School to put research into practice, to challenge the current paradigm, and to address the many deeply entrenched problems in education and society.

When I heard about The New School, I was very intrigued and thought it was a great addition to the area. I am really looking forward to joining and being a part of the school. I have a background in Primary education and have taught in schools in South London. A lot of my teaching career has been in Early Years. Within the classroom I am passionate about child centred education and a play-based environment. I am a qualified SENCO and really enjoy the challenges of adapting learning and the environment to support learner differences.

As a teacher, I have 17 years experience delivering and leading English at secondary level. I feel I am fortunate to join The New School as this is an exciting time as the students progress into the older years. Throughout my time in education, I have learned that relationships and relevance are fundamental to learning. I also fully believe learning is at its best when students feel motivated and engaged. I am excited to join this sociocratic school; with our values aligned, I believe the study of English will become a powerful and enriching opportunity.

Over my years in education, I have also gained a Masters in Anthropology from UCL, researching the impact of data dominance on learning relationships. Among other things, I have subsequently produced a documentary about life after permanent exclusion, and published a paper on rural disadvantage in education. I am passionate about access to learning and inspiring futures for all young people. I am pleased to continue this journey at The New School

The most amazing thing for me about working with children is supporting them to gain independence, giving them space to follow their interests and show care and respect for each other. In many settings, this autonomy is confined to the Early Years, but I believe that it should be common place in every school, at every age, to allow children to grow and blossom in their own way, in their own time. My experience of teaching has been in mainstream and private schools both in London and abroad, from Nursery lead to Year 4 teacher, and I am passionate about self-directed learning and giving children a say in their education. Being part of The New School is hugely exciting for me, to be part of something which I wholehearted believe in.

I was born and raised in France where I attended a democratic primary school. This helped form my expectation as a child and commitment as an adult and parent to principles of freedom, creativity, and empathy.

After graduating from Central St Martins, I worked for many years as a Theatre Designer and Theatre Design assistant before becoming a teacher. I started out working in an art centre and later retrained as an MFL teacher at Goldsmiths subsequently working in secondary, special needs and for the past 6 years in a primary school.

I love children and find their authenticity, imagination, and energy immensely inspiring. I am excited to be part of the new school team and look forward to help facilitate an environment where children’s free play, curiosity and autonomy is valued and nurtured.

I started my career as a teacher in a democratic school in Montreal where I developed a passion for child-centred education and innovative pedagogy. Being part of this community of research allowed me to gain a practical experience of teaching in a multi-age context, according to the needs of the children and those of the class. After moving to London, I studied Therapeutic Communication for Work with Children and Families, and acquired a diploma in Wellbeing Practice. During this time I have facilitated a range of projects, from therapeutic cooking in schools, through to supporting newly arrived immigrants using visual arts. I have also worked with the paediatric play team of a hospital.

I am excited to be part of The New School team and to help co-create a space where children will be free to explore their interests and feel like active members of their community.

I remember reading The New School website and finding the holistic approach to a young person's development so refreshing and fundamental given we had just gone through a worldwide pandemic of lockdowns and social isolation. The idea of a young person being able to learn in a way that suits them and having the freedom to follow their own interests seems vital to them developing their own identities. After graduating, I went into Fashion Merchandising where the main thing I enjoyed was being a line manager, facilitating others to develop their careers in numerous directions that they chose, so when considering a career change, teaching seemed a logical step! I have previously taught in a mainstream primary school with a lot of my time being spent in Key Stage 2. The young people at The New School have such passion, responsibility and maturity in their approach to learning and I love the opportunity to be an active participant with them in decision making. They teach me something new every day!

I began my career in education when I was living in Lebanon, where I worked for many years with Syrian civil society organisations. I led and taught in a number of non-formal education projects, primarily with children who had experienced displacement and had been unable to enrol in formal education. I learnt about the multiple roles that an educational environment can serve, and how challenging assumptions about the way we teach and relate to young people is a central component of social change. I am incredibly motivated by The New School’s critical approach to the many structural issues at the heart of educational inequality, and the emphasis on fostering emotionally intelligent relationships with and between young people. It is an inspiring and hopeful approach to education, and I am excited to be part of the team.

After finishing a degree in Fine Art, I worked in a young carers project and a South London secondary school before training to teach in Key Stage 2 Primary, which is the age group I have been teaching for the last four years. I’ve been a mentor to young people in care for over ten years and am particularly passionate about integrating pastoral support and teaching practice, in ways that prioritise the agency of a young person. I’ve had a long running research interest in democratic and radical education, which has informed the Masters course I have recently completed, and am extremely excited to put some of these ideas into practice. I love The New School’s emphasis on relational and non-punitive approaches and am excited about supporting the development of critical, social and practical skills within exciting and inclusive collective learning contexts.

Throughout my career I have worked with young people in alternative and creative pedagogical contexts. 

After my degree in Fine Art and Philosophy and a Masters in Creative Curating, I worked with art organisations running projects and workshops using my socially engaged art practice as a way of connecting communities and working with young people. This led me into teaching, first in a mainstream school where I trained with Teach First, followed by a government funded Steiner school where I taught the Waldorf curriculum and most recently I have been living and working at the oldest children’s democracy in the world, Summerhill.

I have seen how working collaboratively with young people, respecting their rights and supporting them to be the individuals that they are, has a profound impact on social and emotional development and on academic work.

I grew up in Croydon and when I heard about the New School I was happy that a non fee paying democratic school was being created and I’m now excited to have the opportunity to contribute to, learn from, discover with and be a part of this learning community.

I'm an ancient language specialist and have taught in schools in London for the past 5 years. I believe education can and should be transformative and community building. I believe in giving young people the power to dictate their own learning and futures. I believe that education is much more than a school building or curriculum. I'm looking forward to building a more hopeful education process with the young people at the New School.

I’m an artist passionate about teaching art. My background involves history of art, graphic design, printmaking, and photography. I am an active learner and you can always find me researching and learning new techniques.

I am a strong believer in the importance of teaching and exposing young people to art and the positive impact it has on them. At Goldsmiths College, I specialised in visual art pedagogy, and over the last 9 years, I have been producing and delivering creative projects for primary and secondary schools and for museums and galleries like the V&A, Museum of Childhood and Royal Collection Trust. Collaborating with young people fulfils me; being able to inspire them as much as they always inspire me. I feel art is an act of freedom itself and to be able to produce any work of art, you need to be in a free environment. That’s why I am excited to be part of The New School and contribute to supporting young people’s creative freedom.

Art should be liberating and I believe in education being wide-spread, diverse and inclusive, where every child is catered to and encouraged to always try their best and believe in themselves. The New School mission aligns with these values and I’m glad to be a part of this. My experience working in commercial galleries, and creating alongside other artists exposed me to the wider art community, and so working at The New School inspires me to share my experiences with the new generation and help nurture their creative endeavours.

I began my teaching career fifteen years ago and have since taught in a variety of schools across South London. As a Physics graduate my first focus in schools was science, but after taking time away from the classroom to care for my children I had the opportunity to change specialism to ICT and Media. This switch has allowed my creativity to come to the fore and I'm enjoying it immensely. I passionately believe in the value of teaching children the skills to access and engage with our digital society, and to express themselves as individual creators in the field. I’m excited by the opportunities that working within the team at The New School will bring and look forward to finding out what direction our young people will take us on their learning journey.

Over the past decade, I have taught English, alongside subjects such as Media, Film and Functional Skills, in the mainstream secondary education sector as well as the social enterprise and charities sectors. In that time I have always believed in and used education as a great motivator and tool for positive, meaningful change.

I have worked with children and adults from a wide range of backgrounds and have always strived to make English accessible, relevant and exciting, with a keen focus on how English can help us to appreciate everything from culture, theatre, art, people and history to, perhaps most importantly, our own values and beliefs.

I am excited to join The New School and share my passion and enthusiasm for English with a new group of learners, and I look forward to learning from them about how the ever-evolving English curriculum can meet their needs, interests and aspirations moving forward, and continuing to develop my practice as a teacher in an environment that recognises the importance of pupil choice and diversity.

I have been working with young people for a number of years in different capacities as youth worker, teaching assistant and as a teacher in a primary school. I love working with young people and am a strong believer in lifelong learning and passionate about child-centred education. I have a background in natural sciences and love sharing my fascination and wonder about the world with others. I am passionate about primary science education and find children's natural curiosity and their never ending questions about the world exciting and inspiring. I am also a strong mental health and neurodiversity advocate, having campaigned for better mental health services in education for both children and adults. When I first heard about The New School I was intrigued to learn more about its approach to education and how it is creating positive change within the education system. I am excited to be part of The New School team and look forward to helping create a positive learning environment where curiosity and exploration are prioritised.

I have worked in a variety of educational settings for a number of years, including primary, secondary, mainstream and alternative provisions, and for the past twenty years I have been at a pupil referral unit, most recently as a Deputy Head.

I have been involved in teaching a range of subjects, but as a Mathematics graduate, I most enjoy being able to share the joy of Maths in varied and creative ways.

I am looking forward to becoming a part of the team at New School, as I believe that a holistic and individualised approach to education, giving young people enjoyable and satisfying experiences, provides the foundation for lifelong learning.

As an experienced early childhood educator, who has been marvelling at the infinite possibilities that childhood and play can offer, I am a passionate advocate for the value of play, curiosity and wonder in our education system. I believe that learning should be engaging, authentic and connected to the real world and the lives and interests of young people. I have always been very passionate about developing a powerful sense of agency, enabling young people the opportunity to lead their own learning. My experience as an international teacher in Shanghai and Switzerland, opened my eyes to alternative approaches. This growing belief that another way is possible is what has led me to The New School and I am enthralled to be part of a school on a mission to positively change the way we educate our children.

My role at The New School is to provide care for young people, and support adults and young people to care for each other. Before joining The New School I worked in pastoral care in mainstream secondary schools. I have a masters in Social Justice and Education from UCL. I also studied art at Oxford, and I make art about education and my adoption.

I've worked in childcare and education for around 6 years, the last 2.5 as a Teaching Assistant in a mainstream primary. I've been learning about neurodiversity since my first child was born in 2009 and on this journey have become a passionate advocate for the true acceptance and understanding of neurodivergence. It is so exciting and refreshing to be in a place where colleagues are so knowledgeable and receptive, where we are afforded space to learn and grow as practitioners to support young people, and where all young people are treated with deep care, respect and empathy.

I started teaching in the classroom 6 years ago and have been engrossed since. The practice and implementation of democratic education is a natural passion of mine and to serve those who are most underserved. I am incredibly proud to be at the forefront of this education movement at The New School and it brings me great joy to be a part of that process. I’ve always felt at odds with the teacher training methods and outcomes as well as the compartmentalisation of students into the current academic expectations and forced predetermined focus for what is and what is not worth learning. I flourish as an educator when I am in the position of helping to scaffold a child’s learning, not dictate it. I thrive when I am helping to galvanise students’ ideas driven by the subject areas that enthuse them. Learning should be deeply fulfilling and spark curiosity not squander it. It gives us all an opportunity to learn and understand together and I’ve often noticed that passion and genuine interest is contagious. Education doesn’t necessarily change the world, but it certainly can change the people who will.

I have spent the past 6 years working at an alternative education provision supporting vulnerable young people who, as a result of special educational needs, poverty, challenging family lives, disability, mental ill health or other factors are at risk of social exclusion. Seeing first hand that mainstream education does not fit all empowered me to search for other methods of teaching. Throughout my life and career, I have always been drawn to schools that prioritise student voice and empower students to take an active role in their own education. I firmly believe that people learn best when they are engaged and invested in their own learning process. When I found out about The New School I was inspired and motivated by its ethos. I am thrilled to be part of a team that reflects my own ideologies of education and life, and look forward to facilitating child-led education, which encourages a positive learning environment and creates life-long learners with a nurtured curiosity.

I began my career studying Primary Education at Roehampton University before going on work as a tutor at an Alternative Education Provision. I then worked my way up to Divisional Manager where I overlooked the day to day running of multiple AP’s and was able to support young people across all ages, from all walks of life.

I believe in promoting independence, creativity and autonomy so when I heard about the work TNS do with young people, I was keen to become part of the community and have a chance to develop my ideologies alongside TNS pastoral principles.

I am also now leading the After School Club and look forward to working closing with your young people!

I began my career as a primary school teacher over 10 years ago and have taught in a wide range of mainstream and alternative settings across London. I have a passion for the natural world, child led creativity and storytelling. In addition to my experience as a classroom teacher, I have run Waldorf inspired parent and child groups in South London, creating a haven for children and their carers to experience the beauty of gentle parenting. I have also run gardening and cookery workshops for children living in the inner city of London to delve into the healing power of nature. During my downtime, I create ethnically diverse Waldorf dolls and puppets and enjoy dancing to world beats.

“It is an honour for me to be a part of the kitchen team here at The New School. 

I am excited to be in a space where I can express my passion around food, nutrition and teaching. My background varies around business, hospitality, international culinary, nutritional therapy, horticulture and natural health. I continue to encompass knowledge on this lifelong journey of exploration within my interests.

My greatest passion is in skill sharing. It brings me so much joy to share and equally learn from those around me. I look forward to this journey with the team, children and parents. We are creating something beautiful together!”

As a plant-based chef, I'm excited to be part of the team at the new school. I cannot wait to bring some great plant-based meals and ideas onto the menu. I feel it's extremely important that all children's nutritional needs are met. That's my main focus. Making sure the children are happy. I hope that my experience with the catering industry can bring some excitement to the lunch table.

I started at The New School in September 2022 as a Kitchen Porter. I am looking forward to my new role as Kitchen Assistant and spending more time in the kitchen.

Having an early years qualification and being a mother of a primary school aged child, I understand the importance of the children getting the nutrition they need to help them grow and learn and I look forward to being a part of the process.

I am an experienced educationalist who has worked in a wide range of roles - including class teacher, senior leader, teacher trainer and curriculum developer in global citizenship - in the UK and overseas - in Japan, Malawi, Ethiopia, Seychelles and Spain. I moved into alternative education a few years ago when my family and I took a gap year, travelling through Europe and South-East Asia to experience voluntary exchanges, worldschooling and self-directed learning. I have been a facilitator at an outdoor democratic school in Tenerife and believe in child-led unrestricted play and a focus on emotional and social well-being to help children become independent and resilient lifelong learners. I am also a certified life coach and believe passionately in autonomy and choice for young people and the empowerment of all within learning communities.

I am a mother of five strong willed boys/men, and Grandmother of six. Raising these boys of mine into men has taught me patience, strength and kept me on my toes.

I enjoy cooking, sewing and art and I have passed these skills onto my children and grandchildren. For the past 15 years I have worked as a Catering Assistant, and Assistant Cook in several schools and I am now thrilled to have joined The New School as part of their Kitchen team. After a very warm welcome by all the staff and Young People, I am learning so much each day and I am looking forward to this continuing.

I am absolutely thrilled to be part of the TNS team! I have been a Film & TV Hair & Makeup Artist for the past 15 years, and before that I had a career in the London Financial District straight after my degree in Business Administration. Although I loved (and still do!) being organised, I quickly found that I loved hair & makeup and films & TV more. So I embarked on the most amazing 15 years sitting on film sets, making people up!

I love people and I love being creative and I love being organised and I have always been self employed, so I am constantly developing my interests and watching which direction they will take me. I decided last year that another change was needed, so I went back to my "administrative roots" and started working as a virtual PA ... and that is how I am now involved with The New School.

Another huge interest in my life has been in alternative therapies, alternative treatments, and alternative ways of "thinking", so to be part of such a team at TNS and to be involved in assisting its journey from infancy, is truly a blessing. I am thrilled, honoured and excited to be involved in such an incredible school and with such incredible people and look forward to another year ahead.

Having previously worked in banking, customer service and office management I am so happy to join the school as their Office Administrator. I am the mother of four children who are all now older and are working in the UK and overseas. I am so excited to be working with this special and talented team. We are all passionate about The New School and I am looking forward to helping it run smoothly and contributing in any way I can to the education and well-being of our young people.