Associates

Experienced & Dedicated Educators

Explore Our Team Of Associates

Georgina Gray

Educationalist, Transformational Coach, Parent Trainer

Georgina Gray brings 27 years of educational experience to her role as an advocate for positive parenting and emotional well-being. With a background spanning various countries, Georgina specialises in fostering positive parent-child relationships across diverse cultural contexts.

Her expertise lies in understanding and managing children's emotions, addressing behavioural challenges, and addressing underlying beliefs.

Trained as a transformational coach and certified by the Positive Discipline Association as a parent trainer, Georgina is committed to supporting parents in their journey towards personal growth and effective parenting.

Recognizing the complexities of parenthood, she views it as one of life's toughest roles.

Georgina collaborates with parents to define the life skills and qualities they wish to instil in their children. By nurturing a sense of belonging within the family unit, she empowers parents to foster their children's independence and self-responsibility, guiding them towards holistic development.

Sarah De Louwere

Educational Consultant and Specialist Teacher

Sarah is a seasoned educator dedicated to empowering children aged 2-18 to excel both academically and personally. With over 25 years of experience across various educational roles, including headteacher, teacher, educational consultant, specialist teacher, leader of neurodiversity, executive functioning coach, and assessor, Sarah has devoted her career to ensuring children's happiness and success. Her professional journey has taken her from London, UK, to numerous leading international and prep school settings across Asia.

As an educational consultant, Sarah collaborates with families to empower them within their current school environments, offering support through the team around the child framework. She assists children in finding the right school, whether locally or abroad, and provides professional learning, audits, and workshops for teachers and parents.

With a keen interest in neurodiversity, Sarah has led inclusion departments in various schools, advocating for and supporting children with diverse needs while enhancing support systems for students, teachers, and parents alike. She conducts individual assessments to meticulously evaluate students' learning profiles, identifying strengths and challenges.

Sarah is proficient in teaching specialised programmes to support children with dyslexia, dysgraphia, dyspraxia, ADHD, and executive functioning difficulties. Additionally, she offers wellbeing coaching and aids in school exam and interview preparation. Believing in a strength-based and holistic approach, Sarah aims to support families in cherishing their children's formative years, alleviating anxiety, and guiding them towards the path to success.

Silvia Natale

PhD Researcher in Positive Psychology and Positive Education

Silvia Natale is a dedicated PhD researcher at The Education University of Hong Kong, focusing on Positive Psychology and Positive Education. With a commitment to enhancing the well-being of children, teachers, and parents, Silvia's research interests span various areas, including Mindfulness programs for families, the role of schools in facilitating Mindfulness practice, and addressing barriers to mindfulness for children with neurodiversity.

With a Bachelor's Degree in Science from the Polytechnic University of Milan, a PGCE from the University of Sunderland, and a Master's in Psychology from Manchester Metropolitan University, Silvia brings a diverse academic background to her research. Before pursuing her PhD, she accumulated 15 years of experience as a teacher and team leader in international schools, followed by roles as a researcher in positive education and an Education Consultant.

Passionate about bridging research and practice, Silvia is dedicated to empowering individuals with evidence-based interventions. One of her notable contributions is the design of a Kindness Oriented Social Emotional Learning curriculum, which research has shown to enhance students' sense of belonging, happiness, and positive emotions.

In her role as an educator, Silvia has implemented international courses of studies, fostering the holistic development of multicultural students into balanced and virtuous citizens of the world.

Beyond her academic pursuits, Silvia's focus remains on guiding and empowering individuals to grow. She finds inspiration in sharing her knowledge and expertise to prompt inspired learning and positive societal impact, reflecting her dedication to fostering growth and well-being in both educational and personal spheres.

Xiaoyu Shi

Chairwoman, Co-Head of UK Little Panda Mandarin and Drama School, British Mainstream Middle School Teacher

Xiaoyu Shi, originally from China's Yunnan Province, initially arrived in the UK as a representative for the British Council Teachers exchange project. Currently serving as Chairwoman of the China-UK Cultural Exchange Association and the China-UK International Women's Association, she also co-heads the UK Little Panda Mandarin and Drama school.

In addition, Xiaoyu contributes as a member of the British Council Chinese Teachers Exchange Project London Training Department and works as a mainstream middle school teacher in the UK.

Throughout her career, Xiaoyu has played pivotal roles in cultural exchange initiatives, including co-producing the first China-UK New Year Gala in the UK and the London Voice competition for overseas Chinese students.

She organised an event at Sadler's Wells Theatre featuring renowned Chinese dancer Yang LiPing and represented the UK at a global seminar for heads of cultural groups in the overseas Chinese community in Beijing.

Xiaoyu's artistic contributions extend to directing and choreographing Chinese dance performances at prominent venues like the Hammersmith Lyric Theatre. She leverages her educational background and artistic passion to promote Chinese culture and foster cross-cultural exchange between the UK and China.

Xiaoyu actively supports BBE's mission by facilitating professional learning opportunities for educators in both countries, aiming to deepen understanding and appreciation of cross-cultural pedagogy.

Kim Gillingham

Critical Thinking Specialist

Creator of Drop Thought Kids Educationalist

Kim Gillingham is an education specialist, dedicated to building students’ confidence to think critically. With over 25 years of educational experience, mainly within science and methodology, she has focused on engaging students in gathering, analysing and transferring knowledge.

With her bespoke WHOA program she focuses on WONDER and questioning, HARNESSING analytical skills, OPENING to diverse perspectives, and ARRIVING at possibilities.

With her Master’s Degree in Comparative Education and international experience within the UK, China, Canada, and Africa, Kim has investigated different educational systems to collate the benefits of each.

With the speed and increase in technology, Kim is particularly interested in helping students to work alongside these advances, rather than rely on them, to ensure human voice and values are applied. As a mother and teacher, she sees these skills as pivotal in leading the way to inclusive and exceptional leadership and a requirement to academic studies and the modern work force.

Kim works with parents and teachers to utilise the power of critical thinking and to understand how to incorporate these skills into academic studies and life skills. She is the founder of Drop Thought Kids which helps families and teachers to unite and enjoy big questions. She is a deep thinker herself with a love for education that she brings to all her students.

Bea Wongjumras

Special Needs Specialist and Assessor in training

With a Master of Science in Psychology of Education, Bea brings expertise to the field of special educational needs. Specialising in working with students aged 7-15, Bea has experience supporting individuals with diverse needs, including dyslexia, dyscalculia, ADHD, autism, Fragile X syndrome, and generalised cognitive learning difficulties.

As a Special Educational Needs expert, she combines a deep understanding of psychological principles with practical teaching strategies to foster an inclusive and supportive learning environment.

Bea is an active member of the British Psychological Association and has completed their Certificate of Competence in Educational Testing which specialises in assessing and students effectively.

With a particular interest in special education, educational assessment, and the impact of cultural and language differences on learning, she is passionate about exploring the performance of English as a Second Language (ESL) learners within international school settings. Her goal is to develop innovative approaches that address the unique challenges faced by diverse student populations.

Committed to empowering every learner to reach their full potential, Bea is dedicated to making a meaningful impact in the field of education.