Staff List

Jennifer McGovern BA (Trinity College Dublin), MA, PGCE

Jennie was born and raised in Dublin, Ireland.

She studied English Literature and Film at Trinity College Dublin before moving to London, where she earned a Master’s degree in Writing for Stage and Screen.

Alongside her studies, she led creative writing workshops in schools across the city – an experience that ignited her passion for teaching. It was in this role that Jennie discovered her joy and fulfilment working with children and nurturing their creativity, imagination and curiosity. This inspired her to pursue teacher training, culminating in a PGCE from Goldsmiths.

Along the way Jennie completed a professional course in culinary arts. She enjoys playing with recipes and cooking for friends and family as well as trips to the theatre, cinema and especially live music. All of this when she is not spending time outdoors walking on the heath with her beloved dachshund, Betty.

Lucy Baker  BA (Hons), QTS

Lucy studied at Durham University and began her teaching career at Durham High School for Girls before relocating to London in 2006. A strong believer in the power of learning through play, Lucy was drawn to St Christopher’s. She is passionate about nurturing children’s natural curiosity through play and creative experiences. After taking a short break to raise her own family, Lucy taught at The Children’s House before returning to St Christopher’s!

Lucy loves crafting and baking (as her name suggests)! She lives with two mischievous cats and is a proud Arsenal supporter!

Julia Finlay BA (Hons), QTS

Julia grew up in Leeds and studied Childhood and Education at the University of Birmingham. After graduating, she moved to London and began working in a local nursery before joining St Christopher’s as a teaching assistant. Julia later qualified as a teacher, specialising in Early Years.

She believes that fun and laughter are powerful tools for learning, helping to captivate the imaginations of the girls she teaches and create a joyful classroom environment. Alongside teaching, Julia expresses her creativity through painting and crafting, passions that often inspire her lessons.

Olivia Fleming BSc (Hons), PGCE –  Teaching Assistant

After growing up in Hampshire, Olivia studied for her BSc at the University of Bath, followed by a PGCE in Primary Education. She then spent over a decade working in a number of London prep schools teaching across EYFS and Key Stage One and as Head of Pre Prep.

After a few years’ career break, she was thrilled to return to prep school life and join her daughter at St Christopher’s; a current St C’s girl!

Olivia is a huge ballet and theatre enthusiast (and still attends a weekly ballet class!) enjoys playing tennis, reading and spending time in both London and the New Forest with her young family.

Laomie Walker

Laomie attended Fine Arts college in Belsize Park, where she developed a strong creative foundation that continues to inform her work today. Alongside an artistic background, Laomie holds qualifications in child development and counselling, which have given her a deep understanding of young people’s emotional and educational needs.

As a parent of three teenage children, she brings both professional expertise and personal insight into supporting young people. Laomie has worked as a Teaching Assistant for the past twelve years, during which time she has built extensive experience in helping students thrive academically, socially, and emotionally.

Katie Metcalf BSc (Hons), PGDE

Katie grew up in Kent and, after graduating from the University of Bath, joined Teach First in Hastings where she completed her PGDE. Since then, she has worked in a different London schools before discovering her perfect fit at St Christopher’s.

What Katie treasures most about St Christopher’s is the welcoming atmosphere that fills its corridors – a vibrant buzz of energy and excitement that feels truly unique.

Outside the classroom, Katie enjoys relaxing with a good jigsaw puzzle or building imaginative LEGO creations, seeing friends for afternoon tea, travelling to new places and indulging her lifelong love of all things Disney.

Rebecca White BA (Ed), PGCE

Becky grew up in Cambridgeshire and studied Education, Culture and Childhood at the University of Sheffield before completing her PGDE and qualifying as a teacher. She has been teaching for nine years and is passionate about helping children to develop confidence and skills that will stay with them for life. Becky teaches to share her love of learning and to create a classroom where every child feels empowered and inspired. After teaching in Dubai for four years, St Christopher’s School was the warm, welcoming community she wanted to come home to. In her spare time, she enjoys running and exploring new places, near and far.

Marta Carrera BA (Hons) MA

Marta was born in Italy and moved to London to study for her Bachelors (Hons) and Masters in Literature at the University of Greenwich and Queen Mary University of London.

Inspired by her family of teachers she is now studying for her PGCE with QTS. Being a TA at St Christophers for the past two years made her realise teaching here at St. C’s is her calling as it’s such a lively and curious place for girls to learn, think, and grow up.

Marta speaks fluent Italian, English, Spanish and a little bit of German.

Loretta Obilaso BEd, QTS

Loretta was born in Leicester and went on to study at the University of Manchester. She was inspired to become a teacher by her mum, who worked in a school where Loretta used to volunteer during the holidays. Loretta says the best thing about working at St Christopher’s is the laughter and happiness that fills the school each day. Her personal values are centred on treating others with kindness and respect, which guide her both inside and outside the classroom. Outside of school, Loretta is a qualified personal trainer.

Catherine Turner BA, PGCE

After growing up in Hertfordshire, Catherine studied English and History of Art at the University of Nottingham. She then worked at Buckingham Palace and the Tower of London before deciding to pursue a career in teaching and completing her PGCE.

Outside of school, Catherine loves to make the most of the fantastic galleries in London and has a membership at the Royal Academy of Art. She is also a dedicated fan of the Lionesses and often attends matches at Wembley. As a keen runner, Catherine can often be seen jogging around the Heath and has completed over 300 parkruns!

Dimitra Katsa BA (Athens)

Dimitra was born and raised in Greece. After she completed her Bachelor’s degree in Psychology at the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, she moved to London and has since built her career in Early Years education.

During her time working in Early Years, Dimitra gained her NVQ Level 3 in Children’s Learning and Development and qualified as an Emotional Literacy Support Assistant (ELSA). She currently works as a Teaching Assistant and ELSA, supporting the girls’ emotional development and wellbeing.

Dimitra has spent the past five years teaching and working in Hampstead, including in a leadership role as Deputy Head in Early Years. She is particularly passionate about supporting children’s emotional regulation, confidence, and social development through a nurturing and child-centred approach. Dimitra is deeply committed to the values of St Christopher’s and places each girl’s wellbeing at the heart of her practice.

Outside of school, Dimitra enjoys cooking and travelling, always seeking new experiences and inspiration.

Alexia Miller Foundation Course Diploma

Alexia Miller is a Teaching Assistant, supporting Year 3 pupils with enthusiasm and care. Before joining the school, Alexia worked as a Yoga and Mindfulness teacher, where she developed a strong passion for promoting emotional regulation and wellbeing through ancient practices. Her natural inclination towards working with children inspired her to pursue a more community-focused role, and she now aspires to become a fully qualified teacher.

Outside the classroom, Alexia continues to teach yoga and enjoys creative, mindful activities such as pottery painting. She also loves dancing, singing, and exploring the crisp countryside air.

Daniel Carey BA (Waikato), QTS

Daniel studied Tourism Management and Applied Computing at Waikato University in New Zealand before embarking on an overseas expedition to Europe, with an Irish passport in his back pocket.

After working in a Special Education Needs role for three years, he completed a QTS course through St Mary’s University Twickenham and recently a PGCE through Anglia Ruskin University.

In his spare time he enjoys playing guitar, trips to the theatre, and is a staunch All Blacks supporter.

Mira Ranchhoodas, BEd, QTS

Mira was born in Lisbon, Portugal, and moved to London at the age of six. Raised in an Indian family, she developed a deep appreciation for learning about different cultures and religions.

With 12 years of teaching experience, Mira has worked in London, Valencia, and Luxembourg.

She has a passion for travel and adventure, particularly hiking, and has completed challenging treks such as Machu Picchu and Patagonia. Outside of work, she enjoys going to the theatre and is an avid fan of Arsenal football and Indian cricket.

Stephanie Martineau BA (Poitiers), PGCE

Stephanie grew up in La Rochelle, France, and has always had a passion for languages and culture. After studying languages at the Université de Poitiers, she spent four exciting years in Los Angeles working as a teaching assistant in a primary school and tutoring French privately. She later returned to Paris for further studies before moving to London in 2002, where she completed her PSHCE training. Ms Martineau taught French and Spanish up to A-level in a secondary school for five years before joining St Christopher’s, where she has been teaching pupils for the past 15 years. She loves sharing her enthusiasm for languages and helping children discover the joy of learning about different cultures.

Amy Ullman MA (Hons) PGCE

Amy Ullman was born in Edinburgh and spent her early years in Australia. Upon returning to the UK, her lifelong passion for history took root in secondary school and continued through further study. After university, she made a brief foray into public relations, working with design and museum clients before finding her true calling in education. Amy joined St Christopher’s in 2016 and has since taught across both key stages before settling in the Upper School. In her spare time, she combines her dual passions for reading and stationery by collecting beautifully designed limited-edition hardback books.

Molly Fowler BA, PGCE

Molly knew she wanted to be an English teacher ever since falling in love with the subject in Year 3. She is passionate about empowering girls to become confident, articulate communicators and has taught English to students from age 6 to 18. After leaving St C’s to experience secondary teaching, she missed the magic of the school so much that she returned in 2025. A lover of language, she sets herself the challenging of reading a book a week (that’s 52 a year!) and completes the cryptic crossword every morning over a cup of coffee.

Simran Spencer BA (Hons), QTS – (SENCO)

Simran has been in primary and early years education for 15 years as a teacher, deputy headteacher and specialist leader of education (SLE) providing support and training to schools to raise attainment in reading.

She was inspired to become a SENCO 5 years ago as she believes every child, regardless of their background, individual needs or starting point, deserves the best opportunity in education. She is a firm believer that inclusion should remain at the heart of the curriculum, values and ethos of a school and that ‘every interaction is an intervention.’

In her spare time, Simran is enjoying raising her 2 year old daughter and spending quality time with her family.

Rebecca Legg BA (Hons), PGCE

Rebecca graduated from the University of Nottingham and initially worked in property, before returning to university to retrain as a teacher. She has spent the last 20 years working predominantly in the private school sector and has been at St Christopher’s since 2016. As an experienced Learning Enrichment Teacher, Rebecca is passionate about supporting students to achieve their full potential. Rebecca is married with two children and enjoys travel, spending time outside in the countryside where she lives and watching her children in their sporting matches.

Ella Schierenberg BA (Hons), PGCE

Daphne Sarnat BA , PGCE

Daphne is a musician, composer, songwriter and music educator, specialising in Music and Movement for Early Years and Primary-aged children. She holds a BA in Musicology, a PGCE in Music from Middlesex University and a Dalcroze Eurhythmics Certificate in Music and Movement for Early Years. With over two decades of teaching experience, Daphne has taught and led music departments at some of London’s leading independent girls’ schools. She brings creativity, energy and joy to her teaching, inspiring children to explore music in imaginative ways. Outside the classroom, Daphne is a devoted Harry Potter fan – so feel free to test her knowledge with a trivia challenge!

Emma Pelkiewicz  BMus Royal College of Music, MA

Emma trained as a classical mezzo-soprano at the Royal College of Music. She has performed at Fulham Palace, Downing Street and St. Peter’s Basilica to name a few!  As well as teaching singing, Emma is a qualified Music Therapist and has worked in SEND schools and the NHS.

Connor Finney BA Hons, QTS

Connor was born in Colchester and moved to London to study PE and Sport at St Mary’s University in Twickenham. He was inspired to become a PE teacher by his Year 4 teacher, Miss Lonsdale. She was the PE coordinator for the school and even during the 90’s, she had her pupils doing some kind of physical activity every single day. In his spare time, he enjoys playing golf and cricket as well as travelling back to watch his beloved Tractor boys in Ipswich.

Charlotte Smith BEd (Macquarie University)

Charlotte was born in Australia and graduated from Macquarie University with a degree in education. She began her teaching career in Australia and Asia, gaining valuable experience over two years before moving to the UK to continue her passion for sport and physical education.

Inspired by her own primary PE teacher, Charlotte chose teaching as a way to empower children through sport. Her teacher’s encouragement and belief in her abilities motivated Charlotte to always try her best, and she now strives to share that same sense of confidence and self-belief with her students. At St Christopher’s, Charlotte values the strong sense of community and the opportunity to nurture a lifelong love of physical activity in every child. Her personal motto is: “Empower through movement – confidence grows when we try.”

Charlotte is also a trained yoga and mindfulness teacher, and she integrates these practices into her gymnastics and PE lessons to support both physical and mental well-being.

Hollie Cox NVQ

Hollie is  a big fan of LEGO building and Marvel films, and enjoys staying active through sport  – on top of all the sport she does at school! Hollie also loves socialising with friends and eating out, whether it’s trying new places or revisiting favourites.

Hannah Adler BSc, PGCE

Hannah began her teaching career through the Teach First programme and quickly discovered a genuine passion for the profession.

She loves being part of a vibrant school community and was inspired early on to specialise in maths. As a former Head of Maths at St C’s, she thoroughly enjoys guiding pupils through the 11+ process, helping them consolidate their skills, and watching their confidence grow. Hannah is committed to bringing maths to life — making it exciting, relevant, and rooted in real‑world experiences. Before entering teaching, Hannah studied International business Spanish at Birmingham University and spent time living in Granada.

She is delighted to be teaching some Spanish lessons this year and sharing her enthusiasm for the language and culture. Outside of school, Hannah enjoys outdoor swimming, reformer Pilates, and spending time with her husband and daughter.

Kayleigh Chu BEng, PGCE

After studying Civil Engineering at university, Kayleigh took the opportunity to teach English as a Foreign Language in Japan. During this time, she discovered how creative and fulfilling teaching can be, which inspired her to pursue a career in education upon returning to London.

With a strong passion in numbers and science, Kayleigh completed a PGCE specialising in Mathematics. She is committed to making learning engaging and accessible for all pupils, and enjoys fostering curiosity and confidence in the classroom.

Outside of school, Kayleigh enjoys a wide range of creative crafts, particularly sewing and crocheting. She has a real enthusiasm for making and designing, and loves sharing this passion with children, especially through teaching Design and Technology.

John Fleetwood

Emma Karat BA (Hons), PGCE

Emma has worked in teaching for over twenty years, specialising in guiding and supporting girls through the 11+ process. Emma started working at St Christopher’s in 2014 as The Head of English and is passionate about building a love of language and instilling confidence in the girls. As a mother of three daughters herself, Emma is now working part time but remains committed to championing girls’ education, fostering independent, sparky young women through challenging yet rewarding lessons.

Emily Poster BA (Hons), PGCE

Holly Thomas Bachelor of Teaching (Auckland)

Born in New Zealand, Holly began her teaching career after graduating from the University of Auckland. Her love of travel took her from Auckland to Berlin and back again before making the leap to Europe once more. For the past six years, she has been proud to call St Christopher’s home.

As a student, Holly experienced everything from a rural school of nine pupils to a city school of 2,000 girls. These experiences taught her the true power of great teaching. She is passionate about making learning meaningful and inclusive for every student.

Beyond the classroom, Holly seeks adventure and sunshine, happiest where azure waters meet endless skies.

Stephanie Vega BA, PGDE

Stephanie is of Spanish and American heritage. After living in Spain, Tennessee and Prague, she moved to England to study Anthropology and Sociology at Durham University.

In 2016, following a post-graduate degree in Education and teaching experiences in London, Prague and Glasgow, Stephanie joined St Christopher’s. She has remained ever since, drawn by the school’s incredibly warm and creative community.

Outside of school, she loves staying active, discovering new restaurants with friends and spending hours reading on the beach.

Millie Scott Professional Business Diploma

Carline Black GNVQ, BTEC

Carline started working in education after the birth of her first child; she wanted a role that would allow her to balance home life and working. She became a Welfare Coordinator because she has always had a passion for the medical field and finds supporting students incredibly rewarding.

Carline says : I discovered how fulfilling it is to help students feel safe and supported. When I joined St Christopher’s after 10 years in a state school, it was a big change, but I love the strong sense of community and the way everyone works together for the students.

Carline’s personal motto is: ‘Helping others is the greatest reward.’  She values compassion, patience, and making a positive difference every day.

Richard Edwards BSc Hons

Richard Edwards served with the Metropolitan Police in East London for nine years before studying Banking and International Finance at City University. After graduating, he spent over 20 years in the City working as a trader for several leading investment banks.

Looking for a more fulfilling and community-minded role, Richard made the move into education to become a bursar. He is married and has two sons, both currently at university. Outside of work, Richard enjoys watching his sons play rugby and rarely misses a match as a proud West Ham United season ticket holder.

Shelley Simpson ACCA, Certificate in School Business Management

Shelley Simpson is a dedicated and ambitious qualified Accountant with over 35 years of experience in finance, including 18 years specialising in the education sector.

She also holds a Certificate in School Business Management (CSBM) qualification, demonstrating her specialist expertise in educational finance. As Assistant Bursar at St Christopher’s School, she oversees key financial operations at St and assist the bursar in day-to-day school management.

Throughout her career, Shelley has developed proven expertise in financial strategy, stakeholder engagement, compliance, and team leadership across independent schools, academies, and local authority settings. She is committed to supporting educational excellence through robust financial management and continuous improvement.

Outside of work, Shelley is passionate about the arts and enjoys attending theatre performances, concerts, and festivals. She previously taught dance and played the steelpan in the vibrant Notting Hill Carnival. She is also a devoted, but nervous, Arsenal supporter.

Lavinia Dos Santos Brandao BA

Jessica Rea Haydon Hardy

Jessica is half-English, half-Swedish and spent most of her childhood in Greece and East Africa. On returning to the UK she attended City of London School for Girls and Camden School for Girls. After leaving Camden, she temped for a couple of years to fund her twin passions for travel and photography. Returning to London once more, Jessica joined the IT department of a merchant bank (where she fell in love with all things tech and geek) and later worked in research and development for a magazine publishing company (where she picked up an enduring love of market research and statistics). In between, and until she joined St Christopher’s in 2010, Jessica also worked as a business and personal assistant in various private households and family offices (where she became highly proficient at reading the money markets, booking private jets and washing puppy vomit out of priceless Persian rugs). Jessica has been heard to say that she has only stayed at St C’s so long for the fish fingers on Friday, but secretly nurtures the hope that she might see one of her alumnae’s daughters join the school before she retires.

Alistair Wade BA (Hons) MA (Jerusalem University College) PGCE

Alistair grew up in Bristol and studied history at university, followed by postgraduate studies in Middle Eastern Cultures and Religions. An experienced teacher across KS1 and KS2, he is passionate about education, lifelong learning and building strong communities.

Florence Deakin BA (Otago) MA (Wellington)

Florence is from Wiltshire and moved to New Zealand as a teenager. Whilst in New Zealand, she studied Education and Psychology and went on to gain her Master’s degree in Education.

With a passion for advocating for sustainable education, she became inspired to gain experience working in schools as a teaching assistant before going on to work in New Zealand’s Ministry of Education.

After moving back to the UK in 2024, Florence deepened her understanding of the UK education system by working in the Ed-Tech space. Missing working in schools and supporting students directly, Florence joined the St Christopher’s Team to bring her enthusiasm and care to the school. Whilst always looking out for photo opportunities, she loves going for walks and reading, often with a cup of tea!

Philippa Flint MA (Cantab), LLM

After studying Archaeology and Anthropology at Cambridge University, Philippa converted to Law and qualified as a solicitor. After several years in private practice, she moved into legal publishing whilst taking care of her growing family, and then to compliance in schools. Her career has spanned the legal and education sectors, and has involved dealing with a wide range of HR and employment law issues.

Outside of work, Philippa keeps up with her four grown-up sons who live in various parts of the UK and globally, and is a part-time Tech House DJ.