Bournemouth Staff

Admin Team

Roland, School Director

Welcome to our new school in Bournemouth, the perfect town for you to improve your English. Here we combine the experience of British Study Centres with the youth and excitement of one of Britain's freshest and most famous seaside resorts.

Our English language courses will give you the skills to progress. Whatever your needs may be, we have the knowledge and ability to challenge you and ensure you make the most of your opportunity here. We have the right class for everyone, all in a brand new school just a few minutes walk from perfect sandy beaches.

Whether this is your first time away from home or you are an experienced traveller, you will feel safe and part of a large international community. It really could not be better!

Please take a look at our photograph library and see what is waiting for you in Bournemouth.

We are looking forward to meeting you!

Vania, Marketing & Project Manager

I joined BSC in 2002 as a teacher at our Oxford centre, where I taught and organised the social programme. In 2004 I moved to the Marketing Department and helped set up our London school.

After leaving BSC to work for Kingston University, I have now rejoined the team and am helping set up our very exciting new school (opening Spring 2010) on the sunny Bournemouth coast.

I am involved in the logistical set up and will initially help in all areas of the school but with a specific focus on marketing. You can contact me for any general enquiries and all marketing enquiries.

At BSC we have a 'can do' culture where anything is possible, this is reflected in the huge growth we are seeing within the group. We are one big family and customer satisfaction is our aim.

In my spare time I enjoy decorating my house, gardening and cooking. I have two little boys who keep me on my toes.

Jessica, Head of Student Services

Hi, my name is Jess. I've just joined the British Study Centre team as Head of Student Services. If you have any questions about enrolling, course fees, and extending your stay then see me.

I've been a Bournemouth girl all my life but my family roots are in Spain. I am fluent in Spanish. My father comes from Galicia, in the north of Spain and my mother from Cadiz, in the south.

I graduated from university in 2006 with a degree in Spanish. During my studies, I lived in Granada, for a year where I studied at the Translation and Interpretation school. After finishing my degree, I completed a CELTA course and became a teacher of English. I worked in various schools as a teacher in Bournemouth during the summer months, and then joined the Student Services team in a language school where I became Administrative Manager.

In my spare time I enjoy eating out, going on day trips, shopping, photography, watching movies, reading and socialising with family and friends. I also enjoy meeting new people and look forward to meeting you all!

Michelle, Accommodation Officer

Hello, my name is Michelle and I'm the Accommodation Officer here at Bournemouth. If you have any questions or concerns about your accommodation then please come and talk to me as I am always happy to help!

I previously worked in a language school doing the same job and met many interesting people from all over the world. I love meeting new people and learning about different cultures so you could say I have the perfect job!

Bournemouth is a fantastic place to live and study in. Its cosmopolitan feel and vibrant night life make it one of the best places to visit in the south! There are no shortages of beautiful and interesting places to visit while you are here.

I recently ran the London marathon so if you feel fit, join me in a gentle jog along our 7 miles of beautiful coastline!

I look forward to seeing you soon!

Jack, Junior Course Administrator

Hi, I’m Jack, the junior course administrator. I also organise the social programme. I'm here to take care of you and show you the best bits of Bournemouth and the surrounding areas; I am in the school every day and am happy to help with any of your social programme queries.

I worked at BSC Bournemouth last summer and really enjoyed it, now I have a full time position which is great! Bournemouth is a great place to live with lots to do and see, especially in the summer with our lovely beach! It’s great to go down the beach after work to relax or play beach games and have a BBQ!

In my spare time I really enjoy sports and play for a couple of local football teams. So if you like your sport too, there is plenty to keep you occupied. I am also training to be a DJ, so hopefully you will hear my music when you come to BSC Bournemouth!

If you have any questions or issues, please come and talk to me as I am always happy to help!

Tracey, Café Manager

Hi, I'm Tracey 'The Juice Bar' Café Manager. I was born in Oxford but moved here in 1987, so I'm a Bournemouth girl at heart. I've owned coffee shops and also worked in conjunction with English language schools all over Bournemouth for 21 years and I love it!

I'm passionate about food and creating new items to sell in The Juice Bar. I'm open to new ideas and love input from students. So, If there's anything you'd like me to add to the menu, just let me know!

In my free time I like to design dance costumes for all over the world, to create home decorations from driftwood found on our beautiful Bournemouth beaches and enjoy modern Jive dancing.

I look forward to welcoming you to The Juice Bar!

Sarah, Juice Bar Assistant

Hi, I'm Sarah and I work in the 'Juice Bar' café at BSC Bournemouth. Before joining the team here I worked for a well known car firm, but I really wanted to change direction and as cooking is my passion I started to look for catering jobs, then I landed the job of Café assistant here! You'll find me behind the counter on most days making Paninis, sandwiches and coffees.

IIn my spare time I look after my three beautiful children, fishing, eating out, Salsa dancing and enjoying the stunning coastline while camping.

Academic Team

Alex, Academic Director

Hey, I'm Alex, the Academic Director at British Study Centres' brand new school in Bournemouth, probably the best town in England to live and study in. I was born and bred in the English countryside, but I've been living in Bournemouth for the last 10 years or so. Having started off my post-university life as a journalist, I then spent two years travelling around the world, experiencing other cultures, meeting new people, before entering the wonderful world of EFL. Getting to meet new students from all over the world means that in a way I'm still travelling, which means that I love my job.

So, as you might have guessed, I love living in Bournemouth – and you'll find out for yourselves why it's so great when you get here. The miles of golden sands, the cosmopolitan atmosphere, the bars, the nightclubs, the people - it all adds up to Bournemouth being a unique place. When I'm not in the school, I can be found playing any kind of sport (yes, even cricket!), down the beach, or cycling somewhere. Needless to say, I look forward to meeting you all when you choose to come to BSC Bournemouth - you won't regret it!

Karen, Course Manager

Hi, my name is Karen and I am the Course Manager at our Bournemouth school. I will welcome you on your first day, speak to you and give you a small test to try to ensure we place you into the class in which you will learn the most. I am here to help you if you have any questions about your classes.

I was born in Bournemouth and have lived here for most of my life. I went to university in London then went to Tanzania for 6 months where I taught English in a small school as a voluntary teacher. This was my first teaching experience but I had such a great time I returned to Bournemouth, did a CELTA course and became an EFL teacher. I taught in a few schools in Bournemouth before doing a DELTA course in 2007. I taught here at BSC last summer before going on maternity leave. I'm not a massive fan of English weather so I have spent quite a lot of time travelling in warmer countries. My most recent trip was to Latin America, where I studied in a Spanish school, climbed Macchu Picchu and drank Mojitos in Cuba.

I look forward to meeting you and helping to make your stay here in Bournemouth one of the best experiences of your life.

Teaching Staff

Ian, Teacher

Hi, I'm Ian. I'm originally from Northampton (you've probably never heard of it!) but I moved to Bournemouth because I like being by the beach! I've been teaching English for five years now. I did my CELTA in Milton Keynes (you've probably never heard of it!) but my first teaching job was in Tokyo, Japan, where I taught for nearly three years.

I had a fantastic time living and working in Tokyo. I taught a wonderful variety of classes, from grammar, conversation, business and private lessons to kids lessons and specialised classes such as music and functional English. I taught every level, from beginner to advanced, and every age, from three to eighty three! One of the strangest courses I have ever taught was 'hairdresser's functional language' to two hairdressers that wanted to open a salon in New York.

I came back to England in 2010 to study an MA in History. When I first got back I taught at the University of Northampton before moving to London to study my MA at Kingston University. I moved to Bournemouth and started working at BSC last year, which has been fantastic so far.

Someday I would like to continue my travels. So far I've been to France, Spain, Hong Kong, Australia, New Zealand, Fiji, USA, Tanzania, Japan, Korea, Singapore and Malaysia, and there are many more places that I want to go!

In my spare time I also like film, music, F1 racing, going to the beach and hiking. Five years ago I climbed Mount Kilimanjaro (the tallest mountain in Africa), which was an amazing experience. My next challenge is to hike the Inca trail in Machu Picchu, Peru. What's your next challenge?

Adam, Teacher

Hey I'm Adam, An English language teacher at the new British Study Centres school in Bournemouth. I was born in Bath but grew up in places all around the West-country. I studied Media at university in Wales but became interested in EFL soon after that. I have been working in different areas of EFL over the last 5 years, living in both Spain and Mexico. After 3 years teaching English in a Mexican university I have now decided I want to set down some roots in the U.K. again. Bournemouth was an ideal choice with its beaches, nice people and good transport links to other parts on the U.K. I hope to see you here soon to enjoy learning and everything else Bournemouth has to offer.

Taryn, Teacher

Hello! I'm Taryn. I was born in South Africa and lived there until I moved to England when I was 16 years old. Moving to England enabled me to study, travel and achieve many of my goals.

I finished my schooling in England before graduating from a university in Cardiff, Wales. In 2002 I travelled round the world experiencing many exciting and beautiful places. After working as a project manager I decided to further my education and completed a Masters in Art Museum Studies which was hugely challenging but rewarding. It sparked my interest in teaching and ultimately led to me qualifying with a CELTA.

I taught business English in Bournemouth for a year and then in 2011 set off to Vietnam to teach teenagers which was an unforgettable experience.

Teaching English has enabled me to combine my three great passions: travelling (meeting new people), being creative and English. The cherry on top is doing the job I love in Bournemouth! In my spare time I enjoy exploring the local coastline, having BBQ's on the beach with my friends, reading and making arts and crafts.

Leila, Teacher

Hi, I'm Leila, Bournemouth born and bred. Before studying at Bournemouth University I had a gap year and travelled around Australia and New Zealand and parts of Indonesia. Since then I have gone on to train as a journalist to post graduate level and complete my EFL training. I love the English language and becoming a teacher has made me look at it from a whole new perspective one that I'm enjoying very much and hope you will too!

In my spare time I love decorating and interior design. I also love to cook, especially Persian food as I am half Iranian. In my spare time I like to learn new languages, particularly Farsi so I can talk to my family in Iran.

Having studied in Bournemouth myself I can only recommend the town to new students. Bournemouth has great beaches a fantastic nightlife and a vibrant student culture so you'll never be short of things to do in your free time.

Liz, Teacher

Hi, I'm Liz. I've been teaching English for nearly four years now – the first year in Ethiopia (a country of such wonderful, gracious people) and three years in Bournemouth. Before that I worked as a wine import manager for a French logistics company, since my degree is in French and business.

When I'm not at work I'm an active member of a Rotary Club, the National Coastwatch Institution (volunteer coastguards) and a local gym, where I train most days. I'm in a scuba diver and am a shareholder in a canal barge in France, where I spend several weeks a year with friends. I like all kinds of music and play the piano, enjoy the theatre and dance, reading and entertaining.

I love my job and feel it is a great privilege to work with people from all over the world – you never stop learning!

Louise, Teacher

Hi, I'm Louise, one of the teachers here at BSC Bournemouth.

I was born not far from London, but my work and studies have taken me all over the south of England. About ten years ago I chose my favourite town on the coast and settled in Bournemouth.

After studying English and Drama at Winchester, I had an interesting few years working as a singer and dancer and also spent some time as a photographer. I then worked in publishing as an editor for five years before getting 'itchy feet' and decided that I wanted to see more of the world than my computer screen. So I took my teaching qualification and headed off to Italy for a year. After settling here at BSC Bournemouth, I have achieved my goal of passing my DELTA. Having finally found my vocation I have been happily teaching students from all corners of the world ever since.

When I'm not working, I enjoy swimming, cycling, dancing, jogging, cooking and reading. Of course I love travelling and experiencing new cultures and new cuisine. I also love languages and am currently trying to learn Turkish so that I can communicate with my husband's family!

When the sun is shining you really can't beat Bournemouth's sandy beach for a barbeque, and the gardens are a great place to relax and watch the world go by. There's always something going on, as I'm sure you'll find out!

Nilufar, Teacher

I am Nilufar, originally from Uzbekistan. I have been living in Bournemouth for over 4 years.

Teaching is my passion, my dream job. I was born and brought up in a teaching family, so from my childhood I knew that I would teach. I worked at Teacher Training College for 14 years, and then I lectured at Tashkent Regional State Pedagogical Institute for a couple of years. In 2010 I completed an EFL course at BEET/ITTC and was offered a job at one of the best schools in Bournemouth!

I am really enjoying my time here, there are many students from all over the world, a friendly atmosphere and supportive staff. I love the English language and teaching, especially when I see the results in my students.

In my spare time I like going to gym, travelling and driving. I have driven all over the South coast of England in my car. I also love cooking; especially Uzbek cuisine and learning the languages of course. I fluently speak Russian, Uzbek, English and basic Turkish.

Bournemouth has great sandy beaches and loads of places to visit. I would highly recommend Bournemouth to new students and promise, you'll never regret it.

Mike, Teacher

I have been teaching English as a foreign language since 2008. Initially I worked as a Geography teacher working in a secondary school, but decided to move into EFL teaching. Prior to joining BSC in January 2011, I taught abroad in Nepal, Spain and most recently Saudi Arabia.

I studied Politics and graduated from University in 2006. Between Graduating and doing my teacher training, I lived in South Africa where I worked as a Safari Guide. I moved to Bournemouth in 2010 after growing up in Hampshire.

In my free time, I play cricket for a local team in the summer. I also love diving and snowboarding when I have the time. I have also recently taken up road cycling as my new sporting challenge!

Interns

Anuj, Intern

Hi, I'm Anuj from Switzerland. I work at the school as an Intern, I was a past student studying here and liked it so much I returned to work here!

I work in Student Services and would like to help you have a great time in Bournemouth. I'd be pleased to provide you with any information and make your stay as enjoyable as possible.

In the past I used to live in Nepal, before settling in France next to the Swiss and German boarder. I studied in France as well as Germany therefore it is easy for me to speak German and French. Last year I started my studies in Tourism and Hospitality Management.

During my spare time I love doing many kind of sports. I'm interested in travelling and I like to have a good time with friends.

I hope to motivate you to join our social activities programme which are a lot of fun and will help you to enjoy the beauty of Bournemouth, while improving your English outside the classroom.