New Staff Members

After studying a degree in Aeronautical Engineering I started teaching Avionics, and discovered my passion for education. I went on to complete a PGCE in Secondary Mathematics and have since worked in a number of local schools, including another Leigh Academies Trust school.

Having lived locally for over 20 years, I am thrilled to be joining Leigh Academy Blackheath, and to have the opportunity to work in such an innovative school supporting families in a community I know and love.

I am an enthusiastic, if somewhat novice, tennis player, and I enjoy playing with my daughters whenever we get the chance. I also love walking, particularly in Greenwich Park and in the Welsh countryside where I grew up.

I have been teaching for more than 25 years now. I grew up in Margate. I have worked in a number of different schools in Bromley and Bristol as well as in Colombia. I am joining LAB after 18 years at Chislehurst School for girls. I am excited to be joining LAB as Director of Learning for Science and working with the team to bring science to life for our young people! 

I grew up in North London, Islington and lived there my entire life before getting married and moving to Kent. My favourite subject at school was English Literature funny enough, however, Science (specifically biology) was always an interest of mine! 

I was fortunate enough to attend a school that offered the IB at Sixth Form; I enjoyed the opportunity I had to delve into a variety of subjects, as I've always been keen on learning and education. I then went on to study at Middlesex University and secured a 1st class degree in Biomedical Science. 

I'm looking forward to joining the LAB family in September and bring fun and structure to an ever-growing Science department.

Hi everyone - I’m Mr Taing! Born and raised in Blackheath, I’m a pianist, flautist, and singer who’s been lucky enough to perform around the world, from Wales, to France, to China. Believe it or not, my musical journey actually began with the humble ukulele in my primary school’s ukulele club – and I haven’t looked back since! I studied Music at King’s College London, where I was a choral scholar and the university’s first ever music president, graduating with First-Class Honours. I also studied flute performance at the Royal Academy of Music and later trained as a music teacher with a PGCE from the Institute of Education, UCL. Some years ago, I also studied the IB MYP and DP programmes myself, so I know just how exciting (and challenging!) they can be, and I look forward to enriching the school’s CAS programme with more music!

Alongside professionally performing, directing, writing about music, and working with charities, I’ve taught music to students of all ages and am delighted to be back ‘home’ teaching, joining Leigh Academy Blackheath. I can’t wait to share my love of music with you all!

Born and bred in Belfast, I studied in Leeds before living and working in France for the following ten years. While there I worked for various NGOs, including an organisation supporting children with parents in prison, a Red Cross home for unaccompanied migrant children and Amnesty International France’s Human Rights Education Commission. I moved to London three years ago, to work with South East London Mind, delivering mental health workshops in schools but found that, as an external facilitator, I was jealous of the teachers in the room who got to support the students on the long term. That was when I decided to retrain to become an English teacher and I’ve just finished my PGCE at UCL. I’m really looking forward to working at LAB, particularly to getting stuck into the international, critical thinking and community-oriented aspects of the IB framework. Really looking forward to meeting everyone in September!