Our Staff

Mr Sayers has been teaching for 6 years and has consistently been graded as an ‘outstanding’ practitioner throughout this time. Prior to this, he spent 4 years as an 11+ specialist tutor for grammar schools in Greater London. Now KS2 Lead and Year 6 class teacher, Mr Sayers hopes to continue helping pupils to achieve their aspirations through collective positivity and diligence. In the future, he aspires to be a successful Headteacher and would like to set up charitable initiatives to help children who have been affected by mental health issues.

A keen sportsman with experience of playing high-level rugby, Mr Sayers used to work for a popular fitness magazine. He has always strived to propel sport at The Lyceum, focusing on inclusivity and, between 2019 and 2020 during his time as Sports Coordinator at the school, he took great pride knowing that every single pupil in KS2 was given the opportunity to play competitive sports fixtures against other schools.

After leaving sixth form, and undecided whether to enter the world of media or teaching, Mr Sayers studied Sociology, Communications and Media at Brunel University which allowed him to gain experience in both professions; he obtained a 1^st Class BSc (Hons) and decided that teaching was his calling.

Miss Ismail, has been a Primary teacher for nine years, teaching the National Curriculum both in the UK and Internationally across Key Stage 1 and 2. Most recently, she spent four years in the United Arab Emirates teaching at a British School, where she excelled to the positions of Head of Year and Head of Department in English. Before teaching abroad, Miss Ismail graduated with a Psychology degree from Royal Holloway, University of London, and began her career in the Inclusion Department of a Secondary boys school. She then went on to complete the Graduate Teacher Programme in Primary Education and achieved Qualified Teacher Status (QTS).

Whilst teaching, Miss Ismail has always enjoyed volunteering within the field of education. She has organised several residential summer camps where students experienced activities such as white-water rafting, kayaking, and abseiling. Miss Ismail has also maintained strong ties within her community and has regularly taught RE to primary aged children at Saturday school. Always looking to empower students, Miss Ismail is currently working on a project which is developing the Science Curriculum in schools in Tajikistan.

Miss Kaluzna has been a teacher and teaching assistant for seven years. She has experience working in the United Kingdom, Ireland and Poland and, during her time in these countries, has taught pupils from Nursery age to Year 5. She has worked with children from a wide variety of cultures and backgrounds and, prior to joining The Lyceum, enjoyed teaching at Norwich School in Norfolk. She has a Masters Degree in Primary School Teaching with English and a Postgraduate Diploma in Early Music Education. In her spare time, Miss Kaluzna loves learning new languages as well as playing and listening to music. She is a keen trumpet player and plays at orchestral level.

Miss Hardman is the coordinator of Maths and Topic (History and Geography) at The Lyceum and currently teaches in Year 4 and leads assessment, Maths, Topic, and IT alongside supporting our NQTs. She joined the school in September 2020 and has enjoyed every minute since! Before venturing to London, Miss Hardman worked in Hexham at Hexham Middle School, teaching across Upper KS2 and Lower KS3.

Originally, Miss Hardman studied Nutrition, earning a 1^st class BSc (Hons) degree from Newcastle University. After this she retrained, completing her PGCE with Maths specialism through Durham University and Shotton Hall SCITT. Hailing from the Lake District, Miss Hardman’s love of all things outdoors is unsurprising; if she isn’t out walking or climbing, Miss Hardman is most likely to be found in the kitchen, pursuing a love of cooking and baking.

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 Rawn gained her BA (Hons) in Primary Education, graduating with Qualified Teacher Status (QTS) from St Mary’s University, Twickenham. Alongside her degree, she completed an ‘Initial Teacher Education’ course at The National Gallery, which gave her greater understanding of how to incorporate the arts into core subjects.

Mrs Rawn has previously taught in Key Stage 1 and 2 in state schools in North and East London. Prior to completing her degree in Education, she worked in a PRU (Pupil Referral Unit), focusing on art and poetry as a means of expression. Her teaching extended into her travels, teaching English to children in Hangzhou (a province of China), and Kerala in South India. Whilst studying for her degree, she worked as a private household tutor, providing tailored educational programmes, and developing her understanding of how to prepare children for the 11+ entrance exams; she has successfully helped children gain scholarships in the West London area.

Growing up, Mrs Rawn found it difficult to read and put her thoughts on paper; she was later diagnosed with dyslexia. As a result, she has strived to adapt her teaching style to ensure all pupils can reach their potential and overcome any hurdles.

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, Miss 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.

Mrs Ufland is a Year 1 Teacher and the Art Coordinator at The Lyceum. She gained her Primary PGCE in 2017 and has since taught in the EYFS and KS1. Mrs Ufland has worked in both the state and private sector prior to joining The Lyceum in 2019.

She completed her BA (Hons) in Textile Design at the Manchester Metropolitan University, subsequently deciding to pursue a career in Education. She is a passionate teacher who is particularly fond of using creative and interactive methods to engage students. Mrs Ufland has always been a keen artist, spending many hours completing sketch books and paintings as a child. In her spare time, she enjoys painting abstract canvases, spending time with her family, and travelling.

 Mrs Tomalin is a Year 1 Teacher, KS1 Phase Leader and Head of English. She has an undergraduate degree in Psychology, in which she studied child development, child psychology and educational psychology. It was during this time that she became interested in a career in teaching. To pursue this interest further, Mrs Tomalin spent time in Laos and Costa Rica, volunteering to teach English to Buddhist monks and children living in serious deprivation. She then went on to complete a Post Graduate Certificate in Education, gaining Qualified Teacher Status.

Mrs Tomalin has prior experience in key stage and subject leadership, as well as experience teaching in EYFS, KS1 and KS2. She has a lifelong love of learning – something she strives to instil in her students – and is currently completing an MA in Comparative Education at the UCL Institute of Education. Through this degree, Mrs Tomalin is learning about educational improvement through a national and global perspective. In her spare time, she enjoys walking the lovely Socks, reading and practising yoga.

Tanya Sultana has been teaching for almost 5 years, having completed her PGCE in Secondary English in July 2016. Her first post as a teacher was at Chingford Foundation School in East London, teaching students from Years 7 to 11, with particular focus on students undertaking their English GCSEs. Whilst there, Ms Sultana also worked closely with students with special educational needs, specifically children who were diagnosed within the autism spectrum. After three wonderful years at the school, Ms Sultana decided to challenge herself by moving her attention to Early Years. She began this journey by initially accepting a short-term contract at The Lyceum and, after a refreshing and delightful experience, she accepted a permanent post within the Early Years team.

Ms Sultana, a proud Londoner, has studied in the city throughout her life, having graduated with a BA (Hons) in English Literature at the University of Westminster, before embarking on her PGCE at the University of East London. Despite her fondness for the city she grew up in, Ms Sultana loves exploring different parts of the world, having been on a number of adventures around the globe.

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.

Ms Blosse has been teaching for 6 years. Starting as an Assistant Teacher 8 years ago, she found a great passion for teaching and trained and qualified with QTS within a year.

Ms Blosse grew up in Portsmouth where she found a love for performing. She decided to audition for a Performance School in London and, once she moved to the city, she never left. Ms Blosse attended Tech Music Schools in London and gained a BMus degree in Performance Music Practice as a vocalist. Her greatest achievement was singing and performing at the Shepherds Bush Empire. During her teaching career, she has taught in both KS1 and EYFS. With her love of performing, she enjoys leading a Performing Arts Club at The Lyceum and supporting school productions. Ms Blosse is trained in Singapore Maths and has taught Maths No Problem for 4 years.

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. Ms Knox is hoping to start a crocheting club soon for those with nimble fingers. Apart from her native language, Lithuanian, she speaks Russian and English and has been learning French over the last few years.

Mrs Farrell has been at The Lyceum since November 2019. Born in Hong Kong, Mrs Farrell grew up in an international learning environment, speaking three languages. Since leaving Hong Kong to pursue a BSc in Psychology at the University of Exeter, Mrs Farrell has been passionate about Early Years education and development. Upon graduating, Mrs Farrell undertook a PGCE at the Institute of Education at University College London (UCL) and has experience teaching in London and in Singapore at an international school.

Outside of education and teaching, Mrs Farrell has creative passions in the form of photography and boxing. Mrs Farrell is a weekly volunteer for the Happy Baby Community charity which provides support to young mums and their children who are refugees and asylum seekers.

Miss Leach has been at The Lyceum since September 2009. She grew up in London but has always been interested in the great outdoors. For many years, Miss Leach was a member of the Scouting movement, dedicating her spare time to volunteering. She ran her own Beaver and Cub groups, often taking the children on adventures to learn basic life skills and this is what encouraged her to pursue a career in childcare.

Before joining The Lyceum, she studied for three years at Bromley College in Kent, gaining both Level 2 and 3 in Childcare and Education. Miss Leach works in Early Years and is also our Head First Aider at The Lyceum. Each year, Miss Leach works with the Year 6 children in the Summer Term, running a course to complete their Young First Aider qualification.