Our Staff

Originally from South London, Kieran started his journey with a degree in Biology & Education followed by a Primary PGCE from St. Mary’s University, Twickenham. Now entering his seventh year of teaching, his experience spans various educational settings, including state, international and independent schools in both London and Seoul, South Korea. With a deep-seated passion for STEAM, particularly in Science and Coding, he is dedicated to nurturing curiosity and fostering a culture of inquisitiveness.

Beyond the classroom, he is an avid sports enthusiast with a keen interest in Formula 1, football, rugby, and cricket. During the weekends, you’ll likely find him embarking on countryside walks or exploring the exhibits of the Natural History Museum.

Mr Grande was born in Segovia, Spain and raised in a small village called
Palazuelos de Eresma. Later, he went to study in Salamanca, and he achieved a degree in Education from the Pontifical University of Salamanca. In 2015, he moved to London and qualified as a Spanish teacher at King’s College London.

Mr Grande is an enthusiastic teacher who is skilled in delivering engaging lessons. He has worked in several primary, secondary, and independent schools across London, and he is currently teaching at Bute House Prep School in West London.He loves swimming in the sea, having Spanish food with his family on holidays, reading good books, and he is proud to be a passionate Atletico Madrid supporter.

Mr Clifford is a highly experienced teacher, maker and creative technologist. A qualified teacher, Paul has also worked in the cultural and heritage sector as the Digital Learning Manager at the British Museum and Museum of London, and as Schools Officer at the V&A, designing, delivering and evaluating STEAM learning activities, courses and projects.

He has worked for education companies and charities including Kano Computing, Open Futures and the Institute of Imagination. A guest lecturer at many UK and overseas universities he has also championed STEAM approaches at educational and cultural conferences all over the world.

Mr Clifford also designs and builds digital/physical products, interactives and games as well as running design and build workshops for a range of audiences in cultural, learning and creative environments.

An advocate for STEAM and maker culture, Mr Clifford is a passionate supporter of blended and applied learning.

Miss Sillitoe joined The Lyceum School team in 2021 as Club Leader within our ever growing after school clubs. She comes from a performance background, having graduated from Chichester University with a BA (Hons) in Musical Theatre. Since then Miss Sillitoe has performed as a vocalist across various holiday parks in the UK and 5 star resorts abroad.

Ms Lowdermilk has been at The Lyceum since 2000, first as a parent of 3 children who attended the school and then as a Assistant Teacher. She has worked with children across all age groups on the academic curriculum as well as in art, music, drama and physical education. From January 2019 – July 2020, Ms Lowdermilk worked on Learning Enrichment Activities for both gifted and SEND children.

Ms Lowdermilk received an International Diploma in Montessori Theory and Methodology (Early Childhood Course) from the Montessori Centre International (London, 2009). She has an M.A. in Modern Art from The Courtauld Institute of Art (London, 1996), an M.A. and Ph.D. in the Economics of Developing Countries from the Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy, Tufts, University (USA, 1991) and a B.A. in International Relations and Economics from Brown University (USA, 1982).

Ms Lowdermilk was born in Pakistan and grew up there as well as spending time with her family in India and Egypt. She returned to the United States to finish high school and to attend University. Prior to moving to the UK, Ms Lowdermilk worked for the U.S. Agency for International Development as Food Security Adviser for Africa. She travelled and worked extensively in Africa advising governments on nutrition and food policy. Moving to the UK in 1993 was a life and career changing event. While living in London and raising a family, Ms Lowdermilk’s interest in childhood development and the learning process prompted her to re-train as a Montessori teacher and to work in the field of education.

Miss Rothery is one of our Year 3 teachers. She recently graduated from The University of Chester with a Primary PGCE. Prior to that, she graduated from Oxford Brookes University with a degree in Business Management. Miss Rothery relocated from Cheshire to Fulham this year to pursue her teaching career with all the opportunities London has to offer. She has experience in both Key Stage 1 and 2 and is currently undertaking additional training and CPD opportunities from 3 different organisations.

Miss Rothery enjoys spending time with her friends and family and loves to meet new people. She is passionate about sport and healthy eating. She wishes to bring even more awareness of the benefits of healthy eating to all the children she teaches. In her spare time, she enjoys experimenting with new, healthy recipes.

Miss Graden previously taught at a state school in Hoxton before joining The Lyceum in September 2021. Growing up and studying in Canada, she gained a BA (Hons) degree in French and Linguistics, at which time she also supported the University’s French Department as a Teaching Assistant. During her summers throughout university, she would often be found coaching youth sports and working in children’s recreational programming, specifically supporting children with special needs.

Following a year abroad studying in the south of France, Miss Graden decided to relocate to London to pursue her PGCE at London South Bank University. As a lifelong lover of learning, with a passion for working with children and young people, becoming a teacher has always felt like her calling.

In her free time, Miss Graden loves travelling to new places (26 countries and counting!) and snuggling up with her greyhound. As a hiking and camping enthusiast, she plans to hike Mount Kilimanjaro with her partner in the near future.

Miss Loh graduated from the Guildhall School of Music and Drama (AGSM) majoring in the piano, winning the Robert Wise Memorial Prize. She continued her postgraduate studies there, gaining the Advanced Solo Studies Certificate and her violin teaching diploma (LGSM). As a student and young professional, she won prizes in several national competitions, making her debut at the South Bank as part of the Maisie Lewis Young Artists series and performed in the Park Lane Group Young Artist series to critical acclaim. Concert appearances include concerto and recital performances as a soloist and chamber musician in many venues including the Fairfield Halls, Barbican Centre, South Bank Centre, St Martin-in-the-Fields and St James’ Piccadilly. She has made broadcast in the UK and abroad as well.

Miss Loh is passionate about music education and is especially interested in nurturing young learners. She has vast experience with Early Years starters, fostering in them a love of music and developing confidence through music making.

“an unflappably cultivated touch and sinuous sense of phrase” The Independent
“attractive flashes of energy and lyricism” The Financial Times
“bold splashes of colour and pleasing sense of spontaneity, impetus and cogency ….. real virtuosic dazzle” The Times

Ms Knox has been working with young children since 1998. Originally from Lithuania, she moved to England in 1995 to join her new family. In her country, Ms Knox studied and gained a degree in Economics and Computer Programming at Vilnius University. After moving to London, Ms Knox embarked on a career change to work with children. Within 2 years, she completed Levels 2 and 3 in Childcare and Education. Since then, she has been working with children of all primary school ages.

Ms Knox has been part of Minerva/Dukes since 2002 and joined The Lyceum School in September 2019. Apart from her native language, Lithuanian, she speaks Russian and English and has been learning French over the last few years.

Mr Fernandez graduated with a five-year BA in English Philology from the University of Seville and an MA in Secondary Education from the Valencian International University. Currently, he is studying a part-time PhD in Primary Education at the UNED University with a direct focus on creating a more broad, inclusive, and diverse connected curriculum through the study of significant individuals.

In his spare time, he plays volleyball and badminton. He also enjoys cooking and aims to learn how to cook every country’s national dish.

Ms Moreno is from southern Spain, where she originally studied nursing. She has spent half of her life in the UK and is happily settled with her partner and 2 sons.

She has accumulated a wealth of experience in education, especially within Early Years. She began by volunteering in nurseries and schools, specifically interested in supporting children with SEN. She also volunteered for different charities within the local community, focusing on hard to reach families. Having worked in education for over 20 years, Ms Moreno has gained many qualifications, most recently obtaining a Level 5 Diploma in Leadership in the Children and Young People’s Workforce.

Ms Moreno enjoys spending time with family and friends and has a passion for cooking healthy Mediterranean food. She also enjoys developing new skills which allow her to channel her creativity, such as sewing, singing and painting.

Miss Cortez has been working in education for the past seven years. She graduated in English Language and Literature from the University of São Paulo and qualified as a primary school teacher at Nottingham University. During her undergraduate years, Miss Cortez worked across both Key Stage 1 and 2 at the Independent British school of São Paulo (St Paul’s School), a practice she has continued developing since moving to London in 2018 and joining The Lyceum.

An avid reader, Miss Cortez had learnt how to read before the age of 4 and has taught herself different languages – such as English and Spanish. Being born and bred in a multicultural environment has nurtured her curiosity, respect, and passion for learning.

Mrs Machado is a specialist teacher with over 20 years’ classroom experience and has worked extensively to deliver lessons that are fun and engaging for pupils with a range of educational needs. Her speciality is creating personalised learning for learners to support them to achieve their full potential, whatever their needs.

In addition to her teaching qualifications, Clare holds a BSc in Psychology and a MA in Specific Learning Difficulties (dyslexia). She is accredited by the British Dyslexia Association and is qualified to administer full diagnostic dyslexia assessments.

Miss Hardman joined The Lyceum School in 2020 and, after a brief period of travelling across Latin America, returned in 2023 to continue her passion for teaching. As Head of Science and Head of Assessment, she is dedicated to fostering curiosity and critical thinking in her students.

Originally from the Lake District, Miss Hardman has always had a love for the outdoors, spending much of her time hiking, kayaking, and rock climbing. Her adventurous spirit has taken her to over 40 countries, where she has hiked volcanoes, explored the ocean as an avid scuba diver, and even had an unforgettable encounter with an orangutan! She enjoys taking on challenges, whether it’s trekking through remote landscapes or learning conversational Spanish along her travels.

Academically, Miss Hardman holds a First-Class BSc in Nutrition from Newcastle University and a PGCE from Durham University, specialising in Mathematics. She has been teaching for seven years, with experience in both state middle schools and independent prep schools, working across KS2 and preparing pupils for the 11+. She is passionate about helping every child reach their potential, not just academically but by nurturing their talents and confidence.

Outside of school, Miss Hardman enjoys staying active at the gym, cooking, and baking—combining her love of food with her background in nutrition. She brings this enthusiasm into the classroom, encouraging her students to develop a love of learning, curiosity about the world, and resilience in the face of new challenges.

Having trained at Italia Conti Academy of Theatre Arts, graduating with Teaching Qualifications from the Imperial Society of Teachers of Dance (ISTD) in Ballet, Tap and Modern, Miss Haynes has worked in a variety of roles across the Entertainment Industry. Over the last 20 years this included Choreographer, Dancer and Children’s Entertainer. This culminated in 2019 where she had the pleasure of working in a 5 star resort in Egypt, being responsible for 42 Entertainers and producing West End quality shows with professional singers and dancers.

Mrs McGovern has been working in music education for 15 years. After graduating from the Royal College of Music London, where she studied the oboe, she moved to Russia to complete postgraduate studies at the Tchaikovsky Conservatoire in Moscow. Whilst in Moscow, she performed with orchestras and taught English in a nursery. It was during her time in Moscow that she became interested in music education after being inspired by the ability and musicianship of very young Russian children and wondering how the Russian method could be applied to music education here in the UK.

Mrs McGovern moved back to London in 2011 and the same year married her wonderful husband, a professional saxophone player, who had flown out to Russia and got down on one knee to propose in the snowy subzero temperatures! Since then, she has worked as a peripatetic teacher delivering lessons on the oboe and recorder in a number of prep schools while freelancing with orchestras and running her own chamber music ensemble ‘The Gelachter Trio’ who have been featured on Classic FM, BBC Radio 3 and in BBC Music Magazine.

She is very excited to join The Lyceum team and hopes to instil in the children a lifelong love of music. Outside of school the majority of Mrs McGovern’s time is spent home educating her four children but she also enjoys running, weightlifting classes and helping at her local church by working with the young children, playing piano for Sunday school and helping with the deaf ministry, having recently completed her Level 3 British Sign Language qualification.