Meet some of our staff

At CATS College London you will enjoy being taught by tutors with high academic qualifications and rich life experiences. Here are just a few of them...

Click here to download a list of staff members (correct as of October 2011)

Principal

Mark Love BEd PGCLME

I am very proud to be the Founding Principal of CATS College London where we will continue to build upon the long established educational values and successes of Cambridge Education Group.”

Educated at University in Bristol, Mark began his teaching career in the USA before returning to the UK to take up post at Barton Peveril College in Hampshire. Here he fulfilled various roles including that of a teacher of A-level Economics, Senior Tutor and College Governor. After seven years as Vice Principal of a College in Surrey, Mark joined Abbey College in 2004, assuming the position of Principal in 2005.

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Director of Student Services

Adam Poole BA (Hons)

Adam began his career teaching English as a Foreign Language in Peru before deciding to return to university to study a BA in English Linguistics. Adam continued to teach ESL in numerous countries including Finland, Italy and the UK before settling at CATS College Cambridge. After a number of years Adam’s skills took him into a role within the welfare department where he has successfully helped drive student support, attendance and accommodation.

Adam takes his valuable experience of student care and CATS College to our new London campus where the post of Accommodation Manager awaits him. With safety of primary concern for many parents who are sending their children to the UK, Adam will play a pivotal role in the delivery of this key function offered at CATS College London.

“I am looking forward to the move to London because of the unique opportunity of setting up and assisting in the running of a college from the beginning. I plan to use the experience I’ve gained from Cambridge and also the ten years I’ve worked in a managerial capacity at various summer schools to ensure CATS College London offers the best most secure home from home for its students. We are in a unique position in that all out accommodation is owned and managed by us, we will employ 24 hour supervisors and offer a chaperone service for any student who wishes to have accompanied travel to and from College and our accommodation. Piccadilly Court is in an ideal location – 2 tube stops or 15 minutes from College – and of a very high standard so students all benefit from modern, single en-suite rooms just a stones throw from College.”

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Director for Higher Education

Dawn Merriman LLB (Hons)

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.

Formerly the UCAS Officer and Business Studies tutor at CATS College Canterbury, Dawn now acts as Director of Higher Education for all three CATS College centres where she will focus on developing our extensive links with Universities working closely with students and staff and advising and improving the quality of our UCAS provision.

Dawn comments "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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Medics Programme Leader

Guilly Lassman MSB, MSc, BSc (Hons)

As a member of the Society of Biology, Guilly holds a First Class Honours degree in Zoology and an MSc in Shellfish Biology from Cardiff University. A native Portuguese speaker, Guilly also speaks French, Italian and Spanish and with over 20 years experience, she successfully prepares intending Medics for the rigours of their future career.

"CATS College Medics Programme is designed to stimulate, educate and challenge potential doctors to develop their skills in several areas – academic, creative and social. Our students share the passion and determination required to succeed on the Medic pathway - ambition and motivation – and we provide the ideal environment for that success at CATS College."

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Curriculum Director, Art & Design

Aimee Lawrence BA (Hons)

As a practising artist Aimee has worked at a number of private and state schools including St James’s Catholic High School, Mill Hill and Enfield School. During her time at Middlesex University Aimee worked as a visiting artist in schools and communities, running workshops which culminated in art installations and exhibitions in local spaces. After university she gained experience as an exhibiting artist, specialising in moving sculpture and performance pieces whilst also building sets and props for creative media companies.

Aimee gained her PGCE from the Institute of Education and has worked as an Art teacher for the past five years. During this time she has organised trips to Art galleries and universities and arranged Art exhibitions to showcase students’ work. Aimee is well versed in many artistic disciplines and prides herself on my knowledge of contemporary artists.

“As an Art teacher, I ensure all students are engaged and excited by their work. I achieve this by creating personalised work plans for each student, making sure each plan is designed to make the most of that particular student’s talents and interests.

London is one of the best places in the world to study Art and where better to study than at CATS College new campus with all of London’s Art galleries, universities and studios at our doorstep. I am so excited to be part of such an exemplary international college.”

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Mathematics Teacher

Marcel Armour BSc

Marcel has a degree in Mathematics from the University of Warwick and a PGCE from Canterbury Christ Church University, Marcel has been teaching at an International School in Norway before returning to the UK to join CATS College.

"I am really excited to join CATS College - the college itself is a beautiful building in a fantastic location. Of course, I am also looking forward to teaching maths! I hope that I will be able to transmit my enthusiasm for the subject to the students."

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Teacher of Psychology, Sociology, PSHE, Politics & Citizenship

John Goddard BA (Hons), MA, DipSoc, PGCE

Following a career in commercial management John became a mature student from 1990 until he completed his PGCE at University of Greenwich in 2002. John has worked in a number of different education sectors as a Social Science teacher and as Head of Social Science and has academic interests in Political Sociology and Qualitative Research Methods.

"CATS College has a wonderful reputation and the prospect of working in a brand new teaching and learning environment is very exciting indeed. The key to success for me is my ability to develop supportive and positive relationships with students enabling them to reach their full potential. I am ever mindful that teachers are always reflective practitioners. Social Sciences are living subjects and I intend to make them come alive for all students I teach."

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Curriculum Director ‐ Economics / Accounts / Business Studies

Vickash Seeburrun (BA, MA, MSc)

Vickash (Vick) Seeburrun graduated in Economics and subsequently gained an MA in Public Administration from Madras University. He began teaching Economics at the highly prestigious St. Joseph’s College in Mauritius, before moving to London in 2002 to read for another Masters degree in Financial Management. Between 2004 and 2008 Vick taught Economics and Business Studies at the Queen Elizabeth’s School in Barnet, one of the highest performing grammar schools in England, where he contributed to significant improvements in exam results and spearheaded the department to regional success in the Young Enterprise competition.

Vick subsequently joined Abbey College London as a teacher of Economics and Educational Visits Co-ordinator. There he developed his skills in teaching students who speak English as an additional language and, soon after joining the College, became one of its ‘English Champions’. Vick was also at the forefront of developing ICT and multimedia-based teaching strategies at Abbey, to optimise learning for both local and international students. In addition, he has been an examiner for a major exam board.

"I always aim to build a good rapport with my students and to help them build academic confidence, in addition to teaching them the substance of Economics. I believe confidence is the key to developing responsible young adults who can make a meaningful contribution to society; and who can stand up both for themselves and for causes greater than themselves. As Curriculum Director, I aim to bring out the intellectual poise that all students have within them; and to ensure that each and every one realises their full potential.

For me, working at CATS College is a great opportunity to interact with a more diverse and international student body. I will impart both my subject-based knowledge and Content Language Integrated Learning (CLIL) to highly motivated students with equally high aspirations. Indeed I am proud to contribute to the success of such a long-standing organisation that has been instrumental to bringing out the best in students for more than half a century."

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Business Studies Teacher

Stephen Burrows BA (Hons)

CATS College brings together a team of outstanding teachers in a perfect setting - newly upgraded premises opposite Bloomsbury Square Gardens. Public transport access is easy and a rich array of restaurants from many cultures can tempt students and teachers alike. This location is at the thriving heart of one of the world's outstanding capitals.

"I am excited by my inclusion at CATS College - to be part of a fresh initiative in an expanding organisation. I believe in helping students to fulfil their potential and to realise their educational objectives. I have been fortunate to teach in some outstanding colleges and these include Lansdowne College and also City University. I have been fortunate to work in Paris, helping international executives find jobs through delivering training and mentoring. I graduated from Durham University with an Economics degree and consequently completed the PGCE."

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Chemistry Teacher

Christine Bladon BSc (Hons), PhD, MRSC, CChem

Christine obtained a first class BSc degree and PhD in Chemistry from the University of Glasgow and undertook post-doctoral research at the Universities of Cambridge and Edinburgh and the Medical Research Council before embarking on a career in teaching. She has lectured on undergraduate degree courses at the Universities of Kent at Canterbury, University College London and Queen Mary University of London and, having gained a PGCE, has taught A-level chemistry at secondary school.

By combining her teaching at CATS College with part-time lecturing on the Pharmaceutical Chemistry degree programme at Queen Mary, Christine is able to set the IGCSE and A-level specifications in a wider context.

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Mathematics and Physics Teacher

Sharon Low BEng MA

Before moving to CATS College London, Sharon taught Physics at CATS College Cambridge for two years after obtaining my Masters of Arts (MA) in Education at King’s College London.

Previously, Sharon had five years’ experience teaching Physics and Mathematics in the state sector in Singapore. She has a Bachelor of Engineering (BEng) from Nanyang Technological University (Singapore) and a PGCE from National Institute of Education (Singapore).

With a keen interest in ICT, Sharon is passionate about teaching the practical aspects of Physics and Mathematics through hands-on activities, demonstrations and technology-infused lessons.

“It is a dream come true to teach in the brand new campus of CATS College London which offers interactive whiteboards in every classroom and newly-equipped science laboratories. Having entered the UK only 3 years ago, I am very familiar with the difficulties and challenges faced by a international students new to the UK. This allows me to establish good rapport with many of the students in my classes. Although it saddens me to leave my colleagues and students from CATS College Cambridge, I am very excited to start at CATS College London and continue to motivate and engage more students in their learning.

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Accounting Teacher

Eugene Merrett ACCA

Eugene Merrett has been teaching Accounting and Business Studies at UK Further Education Colleges and Sixth Form Colleges for the last 8 years. Prior to that he was working as a financial controller to a group of night clubs for 7 years . He is a fully qualified teacher and has recently passed the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants final exams.

Eugene is very enthusiastic about teaching A level Accounting: “it is about as difficult as the first stage of a professional accounting qualification, moreover every Management or Business Studies student at must take a similar course within the first year of University. It is so much easier to study Accounting at a College. At CATS College you have a small number of students who can be closely monitored by a teacher and help can be given immediately. At University you could be studying Accounting in a class of over 200 students!”

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Art & Design and 3D Design teacher

Cassandra Bradnack

Cassandra studied a Fine Art Diploma at Cambridge Regional College and specialised in Ceramic Sculpture. She went on to study a BA in Design Crafts at De Montfort University where she concentrated on Ceramics and Glass. Cassandra is a practicing Ceramicist specialising in porcelain slipware design and she creates various styles of slip cast vessels which are marbled with contrasting tones.

Cassandra’s vessels and installations have been sold at New Designers, London and in various galleries around the UK. Cassandra went on to study an Arts Management MA at Anglia Ruskin University, Cambridge in 2010. This has given her a rounded perspective on the business side of the arts world.

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Vice Principal

Victoria Matthews BSc PGCE

Victoria Matthews graduated from University College London with a BSc in Zoology and then attended the University of Bristol to attain her PGCE. Her first teaching job was at King’s College School, Wimbledon where she taught biology and chemistry for GCSE, A-level and IB higher level students. She also headed the Royal Naval Section of the Combined Cadet Force and was Head of Stage Management.

After 5 years at KCS she moved to Portsmouth to take up the post of Head of Science at St John's College, Southsea. This move saw not only an improvement in the School's grades in Science but also an increase in the number of pupils wanting to study the Sciences into A-level and at University. Whilst in the area Victoria became associated with the University of Southampton as a Medical Student Selector and Ofqual as a Consultant.

"I am thrilled to be working at CATS College London. I consider London to be one of the very best cities in the World and the opportunity to be part of a supportive, friendly and focused community is a great bonus. CEG has a fabulous reputation and I will strive to build on this whilst I am associated with the CATS College in London."

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Economics, History & Politics Teacher

Joanne Ferris BA PG Dip MBA

Joanne graduated from University College London (UCL) with a degree in History. She has a Postgraduate Diploma in Marketing, a Masters in Business Administration (MBA) and a Postgraduate Certificate in Education. She had a diverse career in marketing in business to business insurance; publishing and working for the Energy Saving Trust. Her experience includes operational and strategic decision making including boardroom experience. Joanne has taught in a variety of educational settings including work on foundation degree programmes.

"I am really excited by the opportunity to work with young people a wide variety of backgrounds. Their insights make the subjects I teach come to life in a whole new way."

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Mathematics and Accounting teacher

Zahra Merali

After studying mathematics at King's College, London Zahra pursued seven very successful years building a career as a CFO within the financial services and investment sector before making the move into education. She has taught A ‘level for the past four years. She is a member of the Chartered Institute of Management Accountant.

"I am looking forward to working with young people from such diverse backgrounds. I hope to be able to assist each student reach their own full potential."

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