Mrs Wyatt has been teaching for 30 years, 17 of which have been in senior leadership roles. During her teaching career, she has taught pupils from Nursery to A-level. She was Head of Pre-Prep at Durston House School for 8 years, before becoming Headmistress at Eaton Square, Kensington. After three exciting years at the school, she moved to head up The Lyceum in the City of London in November 2018.
Mrs Wyatt was born in Jamaica and had an unconventional childhood, travelling with her family in Africa and America and nearly getting trampled by an elephant when she was eight! She survived these adventures to become Head Girl at school and went to Sussex University to read English with African and Asian Studies. She has a Masters’ Degree in Education, an NPQH (National Professional Qualification for Headship), and is a compliance and Educational Quality Team Inspector for ISI. She has been inspecting schools in England since 2014 and has written about and delivered public talks on Emotional Contagion. Mrs Wyatt married her childhood sweetheart who is still her best friend and she has two beautiful daughters – Lilly who is a teacher, and Alice who works in the City. She also has a very naughty cat called Stella.
Mrs Taggart trained very close to The Lyceum at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama, gaining a First-Class Honours Degree in Stage Management and Technical Theatre. It was during her time at Guildhall that she met Mr Taggart, who was training as a classical actor. Throughout her degree course, and for a few years after, she worked on various large West End shows including We Will Rock You, Joseph and Oliver.
After a number of years in the theatre world, working very late into the evenings, Mrs Taggart decided a career change was the path to follow. She took a job as an Assistant Teacher and, shortly after, was accepted onto a prestigious Graduate Teacher Programme, being thrown in the deep end with a Year 5/6 split class. During her training, she achieved outstanding in all areas and gained Qualified Teacher Status (QTS).
Mrs Taggart has taught in both state and independent schools in every year group within Key Stage 1 and 2. She particularly enjoys the challenge of working with older pupils and preparing them for the 11+ and secondary school transfer. Mrs Taggart is The Lyceum’s Safeguarding Lead and oversees the pastoral care of all the children at the school; ensuring children feel safe and happy is something she is deeply passionate about.
Outside of school, Mrs Taggart enjoys spending time with her young family and pets, as well as travelling, cooking and gardening.
Miss Lamond is the Assistant Head at The Lyceum. She is an excellent practitioner with nine years teaching experience, with a particular passion for the EYFS. Miss Lamond grew up and studied in Glasgow, gaining a BA (Hons) in Primary Education from the University of Strathclyde.
In 2018, Miss Lamond relocated to London. She began at The Lyceum as a Class Teacher and has since progressed to Head of Early Years and subsequently Assistant Head. She is a passionate teacher who loves her job, values her pupils and most importantly, creates a happy, engaging atmosphere for all in her care. Miss Lamond won “Staff Member of the Year” for the EYFS division in the Annual Dukes Awards in 2019. In her spare time, Miss Lamond enjoys running, cooking and attending live music gigs.
Miss Ismail has been a Primary teacher for over ten 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 in Dubai, where she excelled to the positions of Head of Year and Head of Department for 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). Miss Ismail is always looking to develop her teaching practice and is currently completing the National Qualification for Senior Leadership (NPQSL) with UCL Institute of Education.
Whilst teaching, she has always enjoyed volunteering within the field of education and engaging in charitable initiatives. During her role as Head of Science at The Lyceum, Miss Ismail led and completed a voluntary project which developed the Science Curriculum in schools in Tajikistan. Her most recent charitable engagement involved walking/running/cycling over 100 miles in a month-with the students in her class. They managed to raise £2000 for the Bulogo School in Uganda.
Mrs Livingstone qualified as a Chartered Accountant in 2010 with a grounding in audit and accounts. After qualifying, she worked at a media investment firm before setting up her own business providing tax and accountancy services to owner-managed businesses. She began working within independent education in 2017 and joined the team at The Lyceum in September 2021.
Away from work, she looks forward to weekly Family Movie Night with her husband and two young children. She also enjoys going for walks along the river with her dog.
Miss Rothery is one of our Year 1 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.
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 1 British Sign Language qualification.
Miss Wassenberg was born in Germany but grew up near Portsmouth. She graduated with a BMus in Music Performance from the University of Leeds and spent a year studying at Strasbourg Conservatoire in between her Leeds studies. One of her biggest achievements was playing the solo for Howell’s Elegy for Viola for the London Mozart Players in 2015. In the last 5 years, she has looked after children whilst living in Germany, France and England, using her knowledge of many languages to help out a variety of international families.
In her free time, she likes to freelance as a violist, go to gigs with friends, cook and plan hiking trips. She is eager to incorporate her love for music and languages into lessons and is very excited to be a part of the Early Years team at The Lyceum school.
Miss Marvin joined The Lyceum this year as Assistant Teacher for Year 3 and 4, after having a great time working as part of the Summer Club team.
After graduating with a Drama and Theatre degree from Royal Holloway University, she set up a theatre education company which toured around the UK providing workshops in primary schools and youth groups. In 2015, she decided to retrain as an English as a Second Language Teacher and spent the next few years teaching abroad in Europe. Having recently returned to London after three years in Italy, she is now studying for a Higher Level Teaching Assistant qualification.
Mrs O’Rourke has enjoyed a career in education spanning over 30 years . She has been privileged to serve as a Headteacher, Deputy Headteacher and Senior Teacher. A dedicated high achieving classroom practitioner, she has a particular love of classic literature and relished the role of Literacy Lead in an outstanding school over two decades. Mrs O’Rourke has always prioritised the importance of developing pupils’ self-esteem and confidence and is firmly committed to ensuring all pupils in her care achieve their potential. Mrs O’Rourke loves reading, walking and discovering new places particularly on her beloved Pashley bicycle.
Mr Rodriguez was born and raised in Murcia, Spain. Since he was very little, he had a great passion for teaching and he achieved his BA in Primary School Education at the University of Murcia.
Mr Rodriguez lived for one year in Porto, Portugal, studying and working with children and adults with different special needs, mostly diagnosed within the Autism spectrum and where he got his specialisation in PE.
In 2017 Mr Rodriguez decided to move to London to carry on with his teaching career and where he got his QTS. He has being working as Early Years Educator and as private Spanish teacher.
Miss Graden is in her third year of teaching, having previously taught at a state school in Hoxton before joining The Lyceum this September. 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.
Mrs Murray teaches the Year 3 children at The Lyceum. She graduated with a BA in English and History and a MA in English from the National University of Ireland in Galway. After almost 10 years working in IT and visual media companies in both Ireland and the UK, Mrs Murray re-trained as a primary teacher, gaining her PGCE with Qualified Teacher Status from St Mary’s University in Twickenham. Mrs Murray is passionate about English literature and Philosophy and, in her spare time, volunteers with youth groups as a coordinator and mentor.
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 1st 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.
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 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.
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.
Christine is an education specialist with over 30 years of experience in education. She spent 20 years working as the Headmistress at a number of co-educational, girls’, and boys’ schools. Her time at leading schools such as Godolphin Prep and Hawkesdown House enabled her to form a deep understanding of independent schools and what they are looking for in prospective students. Christine has spent 12 years as an ISI inspector, finishing as a trained Reporting Inspector (RI). She has represented children’s interests in legal cases, offering judgments in school investigations and participating in grievance panels, and has over 20 years of experience as a school governor, with four as Chairman of the Board for an overseas English international school. Alongside this, Christine has 12 years of state school experience, including overseas army schools.
Currently an independent adviser with The Child and Family Practice, she uses her wealth of experience to provide parents and their children with well-grounded education advice to help them make the right choices when considering independent education in the UK.
She supports Dukes in an advisory capacity, retaining her independence as a consultant for parents.
Aatif founded Dukes Education in 2015. He is also Chairman of Cavendish Education, a group of schools for pupils with dyslexia and autism; and a trustee of St James Independent Schools. Aatif is also on the board of CReSTeD.
Aatif has a first-class degree in Mathematics and Economics and also had a British Army commission. In 2020, he was awarded the Freedom of City of London for services to education.
Prof Mark Bailey was educated at Durham University, where he obtained a first-class degree in Economic History, and then went on to the University of Cambridge, where he was awarded a PhD in History. His academic career between 1986 and 1999 included Fellowships at two Cambridge colleges, lecturing in Medieval History, and spells as an Admissions Tutor and Domus Bursar. In 1999 he became Headmaster of Leeds Grammar School and in 2008 oversaw its merger with Leeds Girls’ High School. He has been a headteacher for 18 years.
Mark was the 2018-19 James Ford Lecturer in British History at the University of Oxford and a Visiting Fellow of All Souls, Oxford. He previously played rugby for Wasps and England and captained Suffolk at cricket. He was President of Cambridge University RUFC between 2010 and 2018.
Most recently, Mark Bailey was the High Master of St Paul’s School in London and is a Visiting Professor of Later Medieval History at the University of East Anglia.
Mr Wheeler is passionate about education and worked and volunteered in several academic settings before joining The Lyceum in October 2021.
He graduated from University of Cambridge before studying marketing with the Chartered Institute of Marketing and then an MBA with the Quantic School of Business and Technology. He became a Chartered Marketer in summer 2021.
Outside of work, Mr Wheeler is heavily involved in the charity Cambridge Student Community Action where he is the Chair of Trustees, and loves learning languages – so if you get the chance please say hello in Spanish, French, Russian or Catalan!
Miss Sims-Hilditch has worked in a variety of schools across London for the past 5 years. Throughout this time, she has worked with lots of different children of all ages and abilities and loved it! She prides herself on giving excellent customer service and making sure school transitions are an enjoyable experience for pupils and their families as they embark on a new schooling experience.
Miss Sims-Hilditch joined The Lyceum School in August 2021 and is really looking forward to the journey ahead. Outside of work, Miss Sims-Hilditch can be found browsing travel websites planning her next holiday, cycling along the river or playing netball, weather permitting!
My name is Manu and I’m The Lyceum School dog! I am an Irish born greyhound and I moved to England in January 2021, after my racing career ended.
I was adopted from the Harvel Greyhound Trust in Kent in August 2021 by my mum and dad (my mum is Miss Graden).
My hobbies include taking long sofa naps, snacking on tasty treats and receiving never-ending belly rubs. My favourite part of the school day is when the children sit with me quietly, give me gentle strokes and read me stories!
Horacio was born in Portugal and was brought up in a small village in the countryside. At school, he was known for his football prowess where he played in midfield and defence. He was always first when competing in running races and was keen to trampoline until he overshot the crash mat! At 16, he followed in his father’s footsteps and worked in a brick making factory, helping out in a bicycle shop at the weekends. He was so skilled at mending things that he was soon offered a full-time job at the shop. He met his wife in Portugal and they came to England 34 years ago. He has worked at The Lyceum for over 22 years. He loves animals and has 2 Yorkshire terriers called Tiger and Lilly.
Mrs Kidd has enjoyed and created art most of her life. She has been teaching for 15 years, 6 of which have been as an arts specialist. Mrs Kidd is passionate about making her own art and sharing her skills, experience and love of the subject with the children she teaches.
She studied Fine Art at Winchester School of Art. Achieving a BA (Hons) at University, she then went on to receive a Masters from Cambridge School of Art. Mrs Kidd is a practising artist, creating works in the form of installations and prints – a collaboration of art and music. These have been executed on Japanese paper using a wood block printing method. Having been awarded first prize in the Gainsborough House printing competition, Mrs Kidd has subsequently exhibited across the country extensively, London and the Royal Academy.
In addition to her art, Mrs Kidd offers complementary therapies to patients in her local Oncology department in Cambridge. She has also delivered talks and demonstrations on Story Massage and enjoys the balance that teaching brings to her life.
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 stepped in at the eleventh hour performing in the Park Lane Group Young Artist series to critical acclaim. Miss Loh has since performed and broadcast as a soloist and chamber musician in many venues in Britain and abroad.
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.
Since graduating from Italia Conti Academy of Theatre Arts in 1999, with Teaching Qualifications in ISTD Tap, Modern and Ballet, Miss Haynes has worked in a variety of roles across the Entertainment Industry for the last 20 years. Her career began at a holiday park in Cornwall as a Dancer and Children’s Entertainer, before moving abroad to Greece and Cyprus. Eventually she found a small independent Entertainment Company and worked as their choreographer and Entertainment Director. This involved overseeing 4 and 5 star hotels with their entire Entertainment programme, ranging from sports activities and kids clubs to the evening Entertainment Shows. In 2019, 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.
Throughout all of this, Miss Haynes taught as a dance teacher in the UK when time would allow, teaching children aged 4 all the way up to adults. With a BA Hons in Mathematics and Statistics, and a career which has always involved children in some way, when it became time for Miss Haynes to hang up her professional dancing shoes, she naturally turned to teaching in a school setting.
Mr Lopez was born and raised in Jerez, Spain. From a young age, he loved sports including football, tennis and athletics. Mr Lopez became champion in the long jump in Andalusia (a southern region of Spain) in 2005 with 6.12 metres when he was 17 years old; he then went to compete at the National Competition in Madrid but unfortunately wasn’t so lucky this time.
Naturally, Mr Lopez chose to study sports at university and combine this with his other passion – teaching. He gained a BA in Education, specialising in PE. A few years later, wanting to improve his English, Mr Lopez decided to leave Spain and move to England. He has been teaching Spanish in the UK since 2014 and Sports since 2017.