Meet the Team

Philip Bujak - C.E.O

BA, C.Ed, ARHistS, ACMI

Philip joined Montessori St Nicholas in 2004 after eight years as Boarding Housemaster and Deputy Headmaster at Langley School for Boys in Norfolk and ten years as Headmaster of Stover School for Girls in Devon. As Chief Executive, Philip oversees the direction and expansion of the Montessori movement in the UK. He established the Montessori Schools Association in 2005 and the MEAB School Accreditation scheme in 2008 and was responsible for the purchase of the MCI Teacher Training College by the Charity in 2009. Currently engaged on a series of new Montessori developments in the UK, Philip also writes for a number of journals and newspapers on education.

Sharron Zubaida - Asst to C.E.O & Admin Manager

Sharron joined the Charity in 1996 after working for a leading Independent Financial Advisory Company.  She is currently the Administration Manager and P.A. to the C.E.O.  Her role is to administrate on aspects relating to the Charity, especially Grants and our exhibitions/conferences and to organise the Chief Executive’s diary.

Chris Marke - Finance Officer

Chris joined the Charity in 2006 after working as Finance Director of an Exhibitions company for 28 years. He is responsible for all financial matters relating to both the Charity and MCI Training College.

Stephanie Ilo - Front Office Manager

BA (Hons), PR. Dip

Stephanie joined the Montessori St Nicholas Charity in October 2006. She is responsible for magazine subscriptions and classified job advertising as well as being the Front Office Manager for MCI. She also deals with course queries, general administration for the Charity and supports the Admin Manager and CEO. She is also responsible for updating key sections of the Charity and MCI webiste.

Amanda Gilchrist - Commercial & Marketing Manager

BA (Hons), Marketing Dip.

Mandy joined Montessori St Nicholas in 2006 after leaving the education book publishing world to have her baby daughter, Sophie. She is the Commercial and Marketing Manager and is responsible for getting Montessori known and more importantly understood in the UK. She also promotes the benefits of Montessori teaching as an inspiring career option for people from all walks of life.

Rupert Smedley - National Sales Manager

HND, HNC

Rupert joined Montessori St Nicholas in summer 2009 having previously worked in Sales & Marketing for Aston Martin and Mercedes-Benz. Rupert manages student enquiries, liaises with MCI Centres around the country and is responsible for promoting teacher training at home and abroad. He is also involved in representing the College at educational and career events throughout the year.

Amanda Engelbach - Editor, Montessori International magazine

BA (Hons), Mont. Dip.

Amanda joined Montessori St Nicholas in 2003 after working in Hong Kong and New Zealand as a Montessori teacher having previously trained at MCI. She is currently the Editor of Montessori International magazine, a quarterly publication published by the Charity.

Catherine Tubbs - Marketing and Advertising Manager

MA, LLB

Catherine joined Montessori St Nicholas in 2006 having worked in Marketing and Advertising for an international media company.

She is the Marketing and Advertising manager of Montessori International magazine and is responsible for securing Corporate Partnerships for the Charity. Catherine has recently completed an MA in Marketing which was partially funded by St Nicholas. 

Philip Davis - MEAB Administrator

Philip is the Administrative Manager of the Montessori Evaluation and Accreditation Board (MEAB), overseeing and arranging the schedule of assessment visits to Montessori settings here and abroad. He also proofreads the Montessori International magazine and advises on its house style rules.

Peter Salvadori - Cleaning and Maintenance Officer

Peter joined the Charity in December 2008 after working for over 30 years for Royal Mail. Peter is responsible for the general maintenance of the building.

Barbara Isaacs - Academic Director, MCI

MA, BA, Adv. Mont. Dip.

Barbara joined the newly established MCI in 1998 after training Montessori teachers both at Montessori St. Nicholas and London Montessori Centre.  She was also a proprietor of Seedlings Montessori Nursery in Oxfordshire for fifteen years. She is the Academic Director for the Montessori Centre International and the Senior Accreditation officer for the Montessori Accreditation and Evaluation Board.

Sandra Morris-Coole - Internal Chief Examiner

Sandra is currently the Chief Internal Examiner of MCI, having changed career from the commercial world into teaching in the 1990s.  She has gained much enjoyment from teaching both children and adults throughout this time.  The introduction of the Montessori Foundation Degree has added an exciting new challenge to her existing duties.

Rachel Hill - Examinations Administration Manager

NVQ Level 2

Rachel joined MCI in June 2010 and fulfils the post of Examinations Administrator. After working in the financial district of the city and spending some time travelling in the Far East, Rachel has now settled here at Montessori where she is responsible for exam enquiries and administration. She is also responsible for issuing diplomas and certificates for current students and sorting out replacement certificates and confirmation letters for former students.

Michela Yagoub - Academic Tutor

Mont. Dip.

Michela has been working at MCI for about 10 year after having taught and managed the Balderton street branch of St Nicholas pre-preparatory school. She is a lecturer, group tutor and leader for the Montessori diploma course in Early Childhood. Her duties also include supporting and tutoring students during their teaching practice experience.

Ewa Donnachie - External Programmes Manager

BSc (Hons), Mont. Dip.

Ewa started working for Montessori St Nicholas Centre (MSN) distance learning department in February 1990 and moved to MCI in 1998 when MSN merged with London Montessori Centre. Her main duties now are running the External Part-time Centres, returning assignments to distance learning students and issuing transcripts to past students.

Susan Balcombe - Distance Learning Administrator

B Ed. (Hons), Mont Cert. Stage 2

As distance learning co-ordinator, Susan provides a contact for all enquiries about the distance learning course and acts as the administrator for the distance learning course and the MCI seminar and workshop programmes.  She also deals with student accounts as well as registering students on their courses.

Kayleigh Burgess - College Registrar and Administrator

BSc

Kayleigh joined MCI in September 2008 having graduated in Psychology. She is responsible for initial course enquiries and prospectus requests, open evening and interview bookings. She is also the Teaching Practice co-ordinator, and organises placements in Montessori nursery settings for students as part of their course. She plans our annual Graduation ceremony. Kayleigh is also in charge of general administrative duties for the college.

Helen Barber - Tutor

MA, BA, Mont. Dip.

Helen joined MCI in 2002 after completing a MA in Early Childhood Education. She trained to be a Montessori teacher at MCI and worked as such in London and the Midlands.  She is currently Course Leader for the Foundation Degree.  She also teaches on the Diploma Course and is responsible for the Mallinson Library at MCI.

Sarah Olley-Dorey - Tutor

Sarah has worked at MCI and formerly LMC since the 1990s. She has also worked in schools across London and ran her own small infant toddler community that evolved into a small school for a few years. Her current involvement at MCI is teaching cultural and creativity and as a teaching practice tutor. She writes for Montessori international magazine and volunteers in her local primary schools supporting children with reading.

Antonella Cirillo - Tutor

PG Dip, Mont. Dip.

Antonella joined MCI in 2007. She practised as a clinical psychologist in Italy, before moving to the UK. Antonella gained a Post Graduate Diploma in Observational Studies at the Tavistock and Portman and trained as a Montessori Teacher at MCI. At MCI, she is a lecturer for the for the Diploma Course and for the Foundation Degree and is also a Teaching Practice tutor.

Janet Alston - Tutor

Janet's Montessori journey started in 2000 when she commenced the part–time Early Childhood Studies course at Woking. She completed the International Diploma in 2003 and worked in a Montessori Nursery School in Hampshire. Janet soon became a Teaching Practice Tutor for students in the nursery. In 2005 she joined Ann Jacobs at MCI (Surrey) as the Course Co-ordinator and soon began to teach some of the course modules. She completed the MCI Trainers certificate and City and Guilds 7303 certificate for teaching in the Adult Education Sector.
She is looking forward to the new challenge as Centre Manager of MCI (Woking) and will continue teaching the full course at Woking.

Penny Johns - Tutor

MA, BA, Mont. Dip., EYPS, PG Cert.

Penny recently joined MCI in 2009, having previously trained there as a Montessori teacher while also gaining a PG Cert in Early Year Professional Studies and EYPS at Middlesex University. She works in a Montessori nursery in North London, where she was first parent and now teacher and enjoys experiencing the links between theory and practice. She has taught Child Development, Observation and Sensorial and is looking forward to teaching on the Foundation Degree and Diploma courses. A previous career in Theatre Costume has led to a particular interest in creativity across the curriculum.

Marion Meechan - Tutor

Marion left a successful career as a senior buyer for a large retail group in 1996 and retrained at L.M.C. She still owns and manages the Montessori Nursery School in Surrey that she started fifteen years ago. More recently she has joined the team at M.C.I. as a part time tutor. Marion has a Foundation degree in Early Years, an Honours degree in Education; she recently completed the Montessori trainer certificate and is currently undertaking Early Years Professional Status at Chichester University.