Ted McGrath Headteacher

Ted previously served as IB coordinator and Head of sixth Form at Dulwich International College in Thailand. She has extensive experience in international education and leadership and is committed to developing quality academic programmes and raising standards in education. She undertook frequent responsibilities for the International Baccalaureate Organization in the Asia Pacific region, including authorising candidate IB World Schools, joining the regional five-year and creativity, action, service (CAS) review panels, and leading CAS workshops. In 2002 Ted was awarded the European Council of International Schools Adult Award for the promotion of international education.

Joan Wilisoni Deputy Headteacher, IB Coordinator, Biology Teacher

Joan has been involved in International Education and IB programmes for over 25 years. She was

previously Principal at the International School Nadi; an IB world school in Fiji where she introduced

the IB Diploma in 2006. Joan has been an IB co-ordinator, teacher and examiner, and has also been a

member of the Diploma five-year review committee for the Asia Pacific region. From 2000- 2004 she

was a member of Association of Australian IB Schools Standing Committee. She holds a Diploma in

Science teaching and a BA in Education and Management from the University of the South Pacific

Meet the faculty of Oxford

Sally Adams IB English and French Teacher

Sally has taught Modern Languages in various countries across Europe from the UK and the Isle of

Man to Portugal and Spain. In addition to English, she also teaches French, German and Italian and

converses in Portuguese and Spanish. Her teaching experience covers students of all age groups from

kindergarten to mature adults at educational establishments in both state and private sectors. She

taught for 3 years at the International School of the Algarve. She joins us after a summer season at EF

in Oxford and immediately prior to that was teaching and managing at a community language school in

the Spanish Pyrenees. Sally has a BA Hons in French and Italian.

Shazmin Ali Sivewright Accountancy and Business Studies

Shazmin has a bachelor’s degree in accountancy and computing, a diploma in business management

and a diploma in education. She has over ten years of experience as a lecturer in accountancy and

business studies. She has taught higher-education and A-level students at both public and state

colleges.

Toby Blundell Physics and Theory of Knowledge Coordinator

Toby pursued his bachelor’s degree and postgraduate certificate in education at Trinity College,

Oxford, and graduated with an honours degree in cellular biochemistry. Following his studies, he

worked in the private sector before committing himself fully as an educator. He has taught in Oxford

for several years and served as a Director of Studies prior to joining the EF International Academy

faculty.

Stephen Barker Economics and Business Studies

Stephen has a master’s degree in business administration, and he has extensive experience teach-

ing management and business subjects at university level and for professional management bodies.

In addition to his teaching and theoretical knowledge, he has many years of experience at the senior

management and director level in the information technology industry. Barker finds that this practical

experience helps teach students about the practical application of management theory.

David Clarke Maths Teacher

David Clarke is a dynamic and enthusiastic mathematics teacher who inspires students to succeed

with a practical and sympathetic teaching approach that brings mahematics to life. An experienced

practitioner and author who applies his industrial training and valuable business skills to the challenges

of the classroom.

Ema Clarke English Teacher

Emma Clarke joined the academy in August 2011 after teaching at EF International Language School

Oxford and with EF in Indonesia. Before leaving for Indonesia, Emma worked with street children in

India as part of her first teaching experience. She finds teaching incredibly rewarding.

Ian Forrester Biology Teacher

Ian earned a bachelor’s degree in genetics from University of Leeds in 1986. After receiving a post-

graduate certificate in education from University of Hull, Forrester went on to teach biology in Tanzania

as part of a Volunteer Services Overseas project. He became a qualified cytogeneticist, and his work

included leukaemia research at the Paterson Institute in Manchester. Currently, Forrester is combining

his work at EF with being an associate lecturer at Oxford Brookes University. He teaches a health and

social care foundation degree course and is studying for a master’s degree in mind, brain and learning.

Barbara Garde Maths Teacher

I was born and raised in Zimbabwe and lived there until 2008. I did my BSC degree in maths at the

University of Natal, Durban, South Africa and then a PGCE at the University of Leicester in the UK. I

taught in Zimbabwe for 17 years, teaching the Cambridge International Exams Syllabus and in the last

few years mainly taught A-Level. I was the Head of the Maths department at my school in Zimbabwe so

was involved in all aspects of teaching, exams, monitoring teachers and helping students with University

Applications. Since moving to the UK I have taught in many different types of school both state and

independent but my preference is still to teach 6th form so I am very happy to be here at EF where I can

teach A-Level and also be involved teaching IB maths.

Ilona Kalnina College Administrator

Ilona has been with EF since September 2008, working for both EF International Academy and EF

International Language School in Oxford. Prior to that, in addition to working at FedEx, Ilona worked

for University of Latvia in various subject libraries (law, sociology, economics and geography) and for an

English language school in her native Riga, Latvia. This has provided her with considerable experience

working with students in an international environment. Ilona’s conscientious and enthusiastic approach

to work has made her an invaluable member of the EF team.

Laura Fortuna Administration Coordinator

Laura is Italian; she has been with EF since March 2010 as Administration Coordinator. Laura has

a degree in Modern Foreign Languages and came to Oxford to complete a PGCE in Secondary

Education at Oxford Brookes University. She currently also teaches part time Italian and Spanish

in the evenings. Prior to coming to EF she has been working as a customer service advisor for

multinational companies.

Daniel Lee Philosophy and Sociology Teacher

I was born in Leeds in the UK. My family left for America soon afterwards and after a few years in

Chicago we moved to Baltimore where I grew up until 16. I moved back to Cheltenham in the UK, did

my A levels and then went to Cardiff University to study Philosophy. A year after I finished my degree I

started teaching part time at a local College before starting full time teaching five years ago. Since then

I have taught Philosophy, Religious Studies, and Sociology to A level students. EFIA is my first interna-

tional school and I’m having a great time.

Tim Lewis IB and A level Chemistry Teacher

Tim has taught science in the UK, Bahrain, Portugal and Japan since 1987. He studied chemistry at

Cardiff University and did his PGCE at Bristol University. He started teaching IB Chemistry at St. Julian’s

School in Portugal in 1999 and has mainly taught IB Chemistry and Theory of Knowledge since then.

He attended IB workshops in Croatia in 2000 and Spain in 2003. Tim’s extensive teaching experience

in Europe, the Middle East and Far East has prepared him well for working at EF International

Academy, Oxford. He also enjoys sport and runs a rugby club as part of the IB CAS and the Academy’s

activities programme.

Deborah McNally Prep Course Coordinator, Theatre and English Teacher

Deborah graduated with a BA Hons in English and Drama from King Alfreds College, Winchester she

then did her PGCE at Kings College, London. McNally has taught in various secondary schools in

England, leading drama departments and, more recently, establishing Enterprise as a whole school

initiative. Four of her fourteen years of teaching have been spent teaching English in Atlanta, USA.

Deborah has also just completed a year of international travel, taking her to Thailand, Australia and the

USA.

Dr. Himat Mir A Level Mathematics Teacher

After completing his MPhil in Mathematics, Himat worked as a mathematics teacher for a residential

premier school in northern Pakistan with students from different cultural backgrounds in the region.

In 2001 he came to Oxford and studied for a Post Graduate Diploma in Mathematics Teaching and

learning. During his stay in Oxford he worked for different schools in Oxfordshire. In 2003 Himat

started his PhD in Mathematics from the University of Surrey. During his PhD he taught International

Baccalaureate Diploma higher level maths in a local school. He is also IB examiner for Higher Maths.

Himat has been teaching in state schools since his PGCE in 2009.

Rob Murphy CAS Coordinator and Philosophy Teacher

Robert teaches AS, A2 and IB Philosophy as well as being the CAS Coordinator for students on the

International Baccalureate Diploma Programme. After studying philosophy at Middlesex University,

Robert worked in the information and communication technology industry for eight years before

training to become a teacher. He has now worked in education for the last seven years, three of those

years here at the EF International Academy.

Peter Traynor English Teacher

Peter teaches English and has been with EF International Academy since the school opened.

Previously, he worked for EF International Language School in Oxford. Following a long career in the

information technology business, Peter taught business English, and he now specialises in exam

preparation training, especially for the International English Language Testing System. Peter has lived

and worked in many countries including the United States, Portugal, Spain, France, Switzerland,

The Netherlands and Latvia. He has many interests and brings to his role significant experience with

different countries and cultures.

Celeste Villalba Spanish Teacher, House Parent

Celeste graduated in English Studies at Salamanca University in 2006. Three years later she got

an MPhil at the same university with a research on the Harry Potter phenomenon. Since Celeste

graduated she have been combining teaching EFL at different educational establisments with teacher

training and postgraduate studies. She also has an ELE qualification from Instituto Cervantes; and

has for that reason taught Spanish as a foreign language at different levels and ages. In 2008, Celeste

decided to take a new step on her career and work as a Spanish Language assistant in Magdaden

College School (Oxford). One year later Villalba undertook the same role at Kingswood School (Bath).

At the moment she combines her thesis writing on literature with the teaching at EFIA Oxford.

John Shepherd Mathematics Teacher

John is a teacher of mathematics at EF International Academy Oxford. He achieved a mathematics

degree and a postgraduate certificate in education at the universities of Warwick and Manchester,

respectively. He enjoys teaching the diverse group of students who attend EF International Academy.

Cy Webber University Guidance Counsellor

Having completed a PGCE in Economics and Business Education at Warwick University in 2000, I taught

both subjects at a UK state school near Cambridge for two years. Upon meeting the person who turned

out to be my future wife, I moved to Turin in Italy for nine years where I taught in an IBO world school

and it was here that I began my fascination with university guidance and helping students make subject

choices at sixteen years of age. This experience also made me realize that I could never work in anything

other than an international school and this is what attracted me to the position at EF International Acad-

emy, Oxford, where life is busy but very rewarding!

Mamé Yansane Activities Coordinator

I come from France. I came in England 1 year ago to learn English. I have studied education sciences and

with this I have been trainer to education workers for a while in France. I also have been a social worker

for more than 6 years in France and 1 year in London, working with people with learning disabilities. I am

glad to come back in the education area as the activities coordinator at EF International Academy. My

role at EF is trying to coordinate the after-school activities as well as proposing some nice excursions and

promoting events.

Monica Islam A-Level Coordinator & Chemistry Teacher

Monica Islam gained a degree in Biochemistry and Neuroscience from Imperial College, University of Lon-

don. After working in Banking for three years she completed a PGCE at Oxford University. She has been

teaching for eighteen years in Oxfordshire, having had a variety of roles including Head of Sixth Form for

seven years before joining EFIA in January 2012 as A level co-ordinator.

David Zakarian Russian Teacher

I was born in Hrazdan, Republic of Armenia, into a multilingual family, where we spoke Armenian,

Russian and Greek. I finished the school there and received a gold medal for my outstanding

performance (1995). After that I studied in the Yerevan State Institute of Russian and Foreign

Languages(1995-2000). Then I moved to Greece, where I, first, received Bachelor’s degree in English

Language and Literature (2005), and then my Master’s degree in English literature (2009). This year I

received my Master of Studies Degree in Classical Armenian (with Distinction) from Oxford University

and currently I am doing a DPhil research (the Oxford equivalent of PhD) in Oriental Studies at Oxford

University. I am teaching Russian IB at EF International Academy, Greek IB at St Clare’s Oxford, and

Classical and Modern Armenian at Oxford University. I am also a professional chessplayer and the

winner of some international open chess tournaments.