Meet our Team

Our staff spotlight

At Southbank, we have recruited outstanding teachers and support staff from around the world who encourage a global perspective and educational adventure.

Our staff place great importance on assessing the individual needs of every student they teach at our school. This helps them to adapt to the needs of each student, provide tailored personal and academic support, and challenge students appropriately so they continually progress during their education.

Meet some of our fantastic team below!

Erika Dingli

I’ve been working in education for over 20 years, having taught various grades in primary school and occupied various roles in education leadership. I first joined Southbank in 2006. After moving away for a few years in 2015 to start a family, I was delighted to rejoin in 2021.

I am the Deputy Principal and PYP Curriculum Coordinator at Southbank’s Hampstead Campus. Being in leadership puts me in the privileged position of working alongside the senior leaders of the school to create a vision and culture that enact the mission and values of the IB.

My role as Curriculum Coordinator involves supporting teachers in the design and delivery of the programme. I work alongside teachers to ensure that the curriculum is engaging, challenging, and aligned with the IB philosophy.

As a leader, I believe in empowering and inspiring people. My approach is to cultivate a collaborative environment where teachers feel supported and valued. By maintaining open communication and providing the necessary resources, I aim to create a dynamic and engaging PYP program that not only meets but exceeds the expectations of our students and their families.

What matters to me the most when leading the PYP is having an impact on students. All discussions that we have, and all decisions that are made, are always guided by the question 'What impact will this have on student learning?' My focus is on creating a supportive and stimulating learning environment that encourages curiosity and critical thinking where students are engaged, challenged, and inspired to become lifelong learners.

Southbank students stand out because of their inquisitiveness, their ability to challenge assumptions, think critically, and offer innovative solutions.
What I love most about Southbank is the strong sense of community that exists among students, staff, and parents. This community is built on values of trust, respect, tolerance, and communication.

My most memorable Southbank moment is the annual Grade 5 PYP Exhibition. This event perfectly encapsulates the essence of the PYP, showcasing the students' development through inquiry, action, and reflection. It is incredibly rewarding to see their skills and attributes of IB Learner Profile on full display. This inspiring event each year embodies the essence of the PYP and makes it truly memorable.

What makes Southbank special is the nurturing environment it creates for students to learn and grow. We provide a safe space where students are encouraged to question, explore, and discover. Here, every child is supported to reach their full potential, both academically and personally, which nurtures a sense of confidence and curiosity that prepares them for lifelong success.

If I had to describe Southbank in 3 words, I would say that it is Dynamic, Diverse and Nurturing.

    Chris Galley

    I started my teaching career at a language school in Japan in 2008. For five years, I taught Grade 4 and 5 at a PYP school in Mexico City. During this time, I also took on the role of Deputy Curriculum Director, working with teachers across the PYP, MYP, and DP to develop the school’s curriculum.

    I joined Southbank in 2016. Over the past eight years, I have taught Grades 4 and 5. The supportive environment and collaborative spirit here have made my time at the school truly fulfilling and rewarding.

    I teach Grade 5, and I particularly love working with this age group. At this stage, students are incredibly curious and enthusiastic about learning. They are developing their critical thinking skills and becoming more independent in their studies, which makes teaching them both exciting and rewarding. It's a joy to see their personalities shine and to help guide them through this important transition in their educational journey.

    What matters to me the most when teaching is truly getting to know my students. Building strong, meaningful relationships with each student allows me to understand their unique strengths, challenges, interests, and learning styles. By taking the time to learn about their backgrounds, hobbies, and aspirations, I can tailor my teaching approach to better meet their individual needs and foster a more inclusive and engaging classroom environment.

    My approach to teaching is about creating a supportive and dynamic learning environment where students feel connected, empowered, and prepared to tackle real-world challenges. Through strong relationships, personalised choices, and meaningful engagement with real-world issues, I aim to inspire lifelong learners who are not only knowledgeable but also compassionate and proactive citizens.

    Southbank students are curious, balanced, and internationally minded. They are risk-takers who strive to learn more about the world and to make a difference by taking action. The diversity of our student population enriches our culture and allows students to make connections across languages, cultures, and interests. The PYP approach nurtures their natural curiosity through inquiry-based learning.

    The inquiry approach to teaching and learning makes each unit of inquiry unique. Teachers start by listening to the students’ questions and curiosities. This means that each year is different based on the students’ background knowledge and interests.

    My favourite moment of each school year is the Grade 5 PYP Exhibition. The Exhibition is the culmination of the students’ learning throughout their primary education. It allows them to inquire into a topic that matters to them and make a difference through action. The Exhibition highlights the development of the students’ approaches to learning, including their social, communication, and research skills. The process requires the input of the whole school community, including the classroom teachers, specialist teachers, mentors, parents, and the local community.

    Our holistic approach to education ensures the children have a balance across subject areas and can truly flourish in sports, arts, music, language, science, or maths.



      Jaz Akhtar

      This is my 3rd year working at Southbank as one of their Lab Technician Support staff. You’ll see me in Grades 6 to Grade 10 classrooms helping the students a lot.

      The thing that matters to me the most when I’m supporting students in their science lessons,is that they can understand, analyse and interpret my teachings and know that learning is fun in the way I teach them.

      My approach to teaching is to understand the learning objectives, relay that to the students, encourage them to get their hands stuck in with a fun experiment, then analyse what was learnt from the experiment and make sure that students can explain their findings in some manner by the end of the lesson.

      I would describe Southbank students as inquisitive, aware & high spirited

      One of the things I love most about Southbank is that students will ask questions, to gain a better understanding and it is up to the staff to coherently explain in the best way to allow the student to understand the question that they asked. In science, asking “why?”can go a long way. At the end of the lesson, it is fulfilling that the students enjoyed learning and I feel that having an interactive lesson with experiments can aid in teaching.

      At the end of every term 2 I go up on stage and amaze the students with a fun science show presentation and video compilation. Last year I filled paper rockets with a “winner” ticket for a prize and I launched these rockets in the air towards the students to catch (carefully following H&M and risk assessment). This year I built a Tesla coil and got students up on stage to decipher a song that the electricity played and they all got it correct and won a prize. Having an interactive science show makes it 100x more fun for all. I wish we had the fun Science Shows recorded!

      The Southbank community is what makes Southbank special. The staff members are kind to each other which sets a good example to students. The way we teach students is also another reason that makes Southbank special. It’s not heads down in textbooks and churning and churning lesson content. Each lesson is different in a good way and allows students to learn, conceptualise and interpret to excel in their understanding.

      If I had to describe Southbank in three words, I would say it’s open, thought provoking and kind.


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