Letter from the Head of School – 16 June 2017

By Head of School Valerie Thomas-Peter

It has been another busy week with more ‘end of year’ events taking place in the Primary and Secondary schools.

On Wednesday the FOBP hosted a ‘Staff Appreciation Lunch’ for everyone who works at Bangkok Prep and what a spread it was! The staff all enjoyed tucking in to the vast array of food. My thanks go to the FOBP and all of the parents who contributed and assisted. The Foyer was decorated beautifully and the food was delicious! It was a wonderful gesture which was greatly appreciated by us all.

We also had a whole school House Charity Day (Tigers/Sabre) on Wednesday and an Egyptian Day for Year 3 children. Thursday also saw our impressive Secondary Humanities showcase. My thanks go to all of the staff who have been involved in these activities.

Have a lovely weekend and please don’t forget that Tuesday 27 June will be a half day with the children finishing at around 12 noon (slightly earlier for younger children). Please ensure that you collect your child promptly!

Finally below are the last of the bios for staff who will be joining us in August.

For more information, please contact: hmsec@bkkprep.ac.th

Pandora Dufes – Key Stage 2 Teacher

After having been part of the Bangkok Prep Community for some three years, as my daughter is a pupil at the school, I am delighted to be joining the teaching staff in the next academic year. I have enjoyed a rich and diverse teaching career for over 14 years which has given me lots of wonderful experiences to bring to my new role.  Starting in a high-performing school in Liverpool, I then went to teach for seven years in Southern Spain. After that, I taught in Phuket and then Bangkok. Each school I have worked in has given me an opportunity to become more culturally aware, learn new languages and enjoy travelling, learning and teaching. I have worked in a variety of year groups and have gained valuable EAL experience. I am very happy to be continuing my Southeast Asian and Bangkok Prep adventure in August!

Vicki Pearmain – Foundation / Key Stage 1 Teacher

Hi, my name is Vicki and I am looking forward to joining Bangkok Prep this year.  I have been teaching for 11 years, starting in London, then moving to Tanzania for three years and have spent the past two years teaching in Pattaya. I am excited about moving to Bangkok and living in the city again, whilst knowing that the beach is still only a couple of hours away. When I am not teaching in the classroom I love teaching in the swimming pool and getting to know all of the students. Out of school I enjoy watching many sports both live and on TV. I try and find time to fit in some yoga, a massage or time by the pool to relax too. I enjoy travelling and have been lucky to visit many beautiful and exciting places, with my ‘to-do’ list ever growing!

Andrew Wooldridge – Key Stage 2 Teacher

Hello, my name is Andrew Wooldridge and I am extremely excited and looking forward to joining the Bangkok Prep school community as a Key Stage 2 teacher in the coming academic year. When I’m not teaching or preparing lessons, I enjoy spending time with my family and playing with my little boy, Thomas. In between nappy changes I thoroughly enjoy playing football with my colleagues and friends. Luckily or unluckily for me I am an avid Liverpool FC fan, and I have a passion for technology. I always try to be as creative, imagine and innovative as I can and I strive to pass this on to the children I teach. I trained as a teacher in Sheffield five years ago and since then I have taught in Bangkok and thoroughly loved teaching, living and enjoying this amazing city and country. I can’t wait to get started and meet all of the children, parents and staff at Bangkok Prep!

Catherine Blackburn – part-time EAL

I am very excited to be joining Bangkok Prep as a part time EAL teacher. I started my teaching career in London before moving to Thailand 17 years ago. I was a Key Stage 2 teacher at BIS in Phuket for two years followed by six years at Harrow International School here in Bangkok. I then spent two years in Singapore, before returning to Thailand to teach at Shrewsbury and St Andrews. In the last few years I have specialised in teaching English as an Additional Language and find it extremely rewarding to help children become proficient in English so that they can access the curriculum and interact happily with their peers. I am interested in conservation and animal welfare, and volunteer at the cat rescue centre run by Pet Animal Welfare Society (PAWS). I have two rescue cats of my own, as well as a husband and 10 year old son.