Meet some of our staff

At CATS College Cambridge you will enjoy being taught by highly qualified tutors. Here are just a few of them...

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Principal of CATS College Cambridge

Kevin Savage, BA(Hons) MSc EdD

Kevin's educational experience is notable for its breadth and depth. Kevin has worked as a senior leader in the independent education sector for twenty years, including Headmaster of a co-educational day school in Nottingham. He joined CATS Cambridge as Vice Principal - Quality before becoming Head of College a year later. His doctoral research on performance management highlights his commitment to the key issue of standards and how to achieve high quality in all aspects of educational provision.

Tell us about yourself?
I am a firm believer in the power of lifelong learning and personal development. I have spent over 20 years working as a senior leader in the independent education sector in a number of positions including Director of ICT, Deputy Head and Headmaster. Before that I taught English language and literature to A level in the maintained sector for almost ten years. I am an experienced school inspector and in my spare time enjoy hill walking, sailing and music making. I am married with four children, two of whom are teachers.

What is your job?
To provide leadership for, and oversee the daily management of, CATS Cambridge, building on the success of our inspection reports to ensure that quality is maintained in everything we do. My most important aim is to fulfil the promises we make to our students and parents. I am particularly concerned with ensuring that students’ experiences meet their expectation.

What do you enjoy most about your job?
It is a diverse role and immensely stimulating and I consider it a privilege to make real changes that enhance our students’ educational experience.

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Vice Principal

Tim Joseph, BA(Hons) RSA Dip MA

Tim has worked in EFL for 25 years in Europe, the Far and Middle East. He holds an RSA diploma, a BA in French and English and a Master’s in Applied Linguistics. He has been an IELTS examiner and currently heads the EAP Department at CATS Cambridge and Cambridge School of Visual & Performing Arts (CSVPA).

Tell us about yourself?
I have three children and enjoy football, walking, cooking and travelling. I have worked overseas for over 30 years in Primary, Secondary and Tertiary Education. Before coming to Cambridge I was Assistant Professor in the Language Centre, at Sultan Qaboos University, Oman.

What do you do?
I look after the language provision, ESL and MFL and focus on personalised learning throughout the College. Part of my job is to ensure the College remains vibrant and successful.

What do you like about your job?
Seeing individuals achieve academic success, promoting language and cultural awareness and using my passion and the outstanding opportunity we have here to do just that.

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Director of Studies

Stuart Hocknell OBE, MSc, BSc(Tech), PGCE

Stuart Hocknell joined CATS College Cambridge in 2011 after 10 years service at an independent 6th form college in Cambridge and 35 years service in the Royal Air Force. He was educated at Swansea Grammar School and the universities of Bristol, Southampton and Wales.

The first half of his RAF career included tours in both flying and ground engineering training. In the early 1980s he directed an international flying training project, working on secondment in the aerospace industry. He was subsequently deputy principal of the RAF's college of aircraft engineering and, later, a senior inspector of ground engineering training. He spent the second half of his career at Headquarters Training Group Defence Agency, where he worked in support of the Agency's management board on the strategic and in-year management of RAF training. He also worked in support of the Government’s reform of the public services, on secondment to the Cabinet Office. He was decorated in 1985 for services to flying training and in 1999 for his contribution to the reform of the public services.

Stuart Hocknell became a schoolmaster when he retired from the RAF and was vice principal of an independent 6th form college in Cambridge before joining CATS College Cambridge. He has extensive experience in academic and collegiate management; he specialises in physics teaching, examination management and the preparation of candidates for university admission.

In his younger days, Stuart Hocknell gained representative honours for Wales at athletics and competed in international modern pentathlon competitions. He won the RAF modern pentathlon championship on 3 occasions, and he was the honorary secretary to the RAF modern pentathlon and winter sports associations for 25 years. He is now a veteran racing cyclist and competes throughout the year in mountain bike and cyclo cross races at home and overseas. He has won medals in the British cyclo cross championships and the World mountain bike championships; he has been Welsh champion on 7 occasions.

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Deputy Head of Science

Dr Janet Holden, BSc, PhD, PGCE

"After graduating from Durham University with a degree in Zoology, I progressed to University College London Hospital Medical School where I completed a successful research project looking at treatments for malignant melanoma.

My research career then took me to the United States where I worked as a post-doctoral research fellow specialising in molecular biology and protein chemistry of cell signalling (National Institute of Health in Washington).

I have also worked on projects at the Ludwig Institute for Cancer Research in Melbourne, Australia and finally - and most exotically - on the barrier reef whilst at the Australian Institute for Marine Biology.

As a practicing research scientist with over 15 years of teaching ranging from supervising PhD students to GCSE I look to guide my students into the many exciting avenues that make up the huge field of modern Biology.

I love the working environment at CATS College Cambridge and the opportunity to share in the students' wonderful diversity. CATS is a special place – whatever your goals in life we aim to enable you to achieve your dreams.

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Medics Programme Leader

Guilly Lassman BSc MSc PGCE MSB

Equipped with a First Class Honours Zoology degree (University of Bombay) and an MSc in Shellfish Biology Fisheries and Culture (University of Cardiff) Guilly started her PhD research project in University of Porto before returning to the UK.

Guilly ran her own company of language training and translation for the University of Porto. Later she expanded her business to Pharmaceutical Industries. She did a PGCE at King's College (University of London). Guilly worked with Austrian lecturers in the Fachoschule Studiengang Vorarlberg to deliver courses in Project Management and Media and Film Studies. At this time she was also pursuing a parallel career as a private tutor, preparing students for A-levels in Biology.

This was followed by nine years in a Sixth Form College where Guilly successfully led the Biology department for 6 years. In the last 4 years she conceived, developed and implemented a very successful Medic Programme which led to placement of prospective medic students in the UK’s top 10 medical schools.

Determined to help prospective Medical students realise their ambition of becoming doctors, Guilly joined CATS Cambridge in January 2010 as the Medics Programme Leader - managing and developing the Medic Programme in our College.

In this short period of time one of our students has obtained a place at Peninsula Medical School and another has secured a place on the Medical Foundation Course at St Andrew's University.

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History of Art tutor

Ninette Rubinstein BA(Hons) DipAD

Ninette has taught A-level History of Art at CATS for the last six years. She has a lot of experience in teaching this subject and has organised many trips to art galleries and museums in London and abroad.

Earlier in her career, she was an Art school lecturer, taught Art to adults and to GCSE-level students, worked in a Special Needs department of a local secondary school and taught English as a Foreign Language in Tokyo and London. Ninette is also an exhibiting printmaker.

Her qualifications include a BA Hons in English, French and History of Art from the University of Bristol, a DipAD Fine Art from Homsey College of Art and a PGCE from Homerton College, Cambridge.

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Head of the Academic English Programme

Sioban Parker BA(Hons)

Sioban came to CATS Cambridge in 2009, bringing with her over 20 years of experience teaching languages in schools.

She graduated from the University of Salford with a Joint BA Hons in French and German, going on to train to become a teacher at the University of Reading.

Her teaching career began in France, where she spent several years as a lecturer at the University of Poitiers. She then returned to the UK to teach French and German to students of all ages in both the state and the private sector. She also co-authored a book designed to help children learn German.

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Tutor of Italian Language & Culture

Dr Anna F. Di Giovannantonio

Tell us about yourself?
I am an Italian native speaker. After achieving a first class MA Degree in Modern Languages and Literature at the University of Naples, in the South of Italy, I went to live in the North of Italy, near Lake Maggiore, where I taught English language and literature and German.

Since coming to England in 1998, I have taught Italian as a foreign language in English schools and worked as a private tutor and as an examinations supervisor in several colleges of the University of Cambridge. I am also an examiner for the Oral Italian Speaking exams.

I have a Diploma in Teaching Italian as a Foreign Language from DILIT, International House in Rome, Italy and I am a registered member of the Institute for Learning. In 2006 I was officially appointed by the Italian General Consulate in London as a Consular Correspondent for the city of Cambridge. I work as a promoter of the Italian language and culture with the Italian Embassy in London.

I am an active member of the Italian society for University of Cambridge and a member of Dante Society in Florence, Italy.

I have enjoyed teaching Italian language and culture at GCSE, AS and A level to International students at CATS since September 2003. I have a great enthusiasm for teaching and I like to share my own culture with other nationalities. Also I have always had a true passion for British culture and literature. My main interests are Foreign Languages, Philosophy, History of Art, European Literature, Dante Studies and Poetry.

Director of Education - CATS College

Jonathan Ullmer, MA LRAM F . Coll.P ACP Dip Arts NPQH

Jonathan took up the role of Principal at CATS College Canterbury after 2 years as Vice Principal at CATS College Cambridge and retains a brief across both colleges on educational development, staff training and planning. For six years previously he was involved in College leadership and development at a College in Brentwood, along with the welfare of 1,000 students. He has led school development work involving schools and Colleges, and been involved in UK wide national education projects.

Tell us about yourself?
I have a passionate belief in the power of education to change lives and have enjoyed working with a range of schools and colleges in the UK and overseas on teaching methodology and approaches for over 25 years. Its great to still be in touch with so many students and hearing of their success and achievements, as young people lie at the heart of everything we do. I have enjoyed publishing work and helping schools and students alike win a range of national awards and feel very privileged to work with so many young people who will become the leaders of tomorrow.

I also enjoy sailing and have studied at universities in France, Canada and the UK. I am married with two young children and very much look forward to meeting you in Canterbury.

What do you like most about your job?
Working with staff and young people and helping to make all CATS Colleges amazing places for everyone.

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Maths Tutor - CATS College Cambridge

Rob Mathers, MMath (Hons) PGCE

I studied a Mathematics Master's Degree at Durham University, specialising in Pure Mathematics. In my fourth year of study I worked in a group designing and analysing the Mathematics of different bubbles and how this could be used in other topics. After graduating I taught in three schools in the South West of England, before joining CATS College Cambridge just over a year ago. I have loved working with students from all over the world and finding out which different parts of Maths they've studied and enjoyed.

As well as being a Maths Tutor and a PT at CATS College, I also work with the student council, helping to make the changes that students want to see happen in the College. Outside of college I captain one of the University of Cambridge college's MCR football teams, and I also play guitar in a band who gig in Cambridge.

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Director for Higher Education

Dawn Merriman

Dawn Merriman is a graduate of Kent Law school, trained for the English Bar and a pupil at local chambers in Canterbury. Specialising in Contract Law with a specific interest in Public Law particularly Inquests, Dawn qualified in teaching in 1995 and went on to take a Postgraduate Diploma in Business and Management.

Ms Merriman has led a varied and diverse career including developing post-16 education for young adults to media projects working with TV companies on miscarriages of justice cases. Previous posts have included lecturing at Kent Business School (Kent University), postgraduate and CIPD Employment Law at Christ Church University, Canterbury and examiner for A level law.

Dawn says, "CATS College is a unique place to work, the students are wonderful here. The best part of my job is helping our students get to the Universities they want to go to. CATS College students are very special and they are my main motivation.

I have met some truly talented students since I have been here. The hardest part of my job is saying goodbye to our students, but I know when they leave us they are going on to fulfil their ambitions and that is all of our reward here at CATS College."

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Please contact the College if you would like further information about the number of teaching staff and a summary of their qualifications.