Find out a little bit more about the fantastic teaching and non-teaching staff at St Mary’s High.
Each month, we’ll be posting a couple more profiles, so check back regularly!
Cilean Blanchard
When did you start working at St Mary’s? What is your role?
2019-Learning support assistant / change role 2021 – Inclusion coordinator.
What do you love about your role and about St Mary’s?
Working with students individually and in small group (Social emotional literacy), liaising with parents and working with agencies.
Have you always worked in schools? Why did you decide to?
No, Retail made the change due to family circumstance.
Who is your role model? Why?
My mum because she was selfless in every way, her career as a teacher, youth worker, mother, sister and friend.
Do you have any hobbies?
Listening to music, dancing, reading and visiting new places, learning about the history.
What one thing would you change about the world?
Reduce hunger.
Esperanza Iniesta
When did you start working at St Mary’s? What is your role?
September 2017 – Spanish Lead and teacher
What do you love about your role and about St Mary’s?
St Mary’s is a multicultural community with many languages that we value and celebrate. My role as a teacher is rewarding and challenging at the same time and I really enjoy seeing our students growing into lovely young adults.
Have you always worked in schools? Why did you decide to?
I worked in the insurance and telecoms industries before becoming a teacher.
Who is your role model? Why?
Barack Obama, he maintained his original principles and beliefs as president. Also, he has a brilliant sense of humour.
Do you have any hobbies?
I enjoy baking and cooking, also going out for walks with my family.
What one thing would you change about the world?
Intolerance to others.
Nathan Casimir
When did you start working at St Mary’s? What is your role?
I started at St Mary’s in January 2021 and I am an academic tutor
What do you love about your role and about St Mary’s?
I love igniting a passion for Geography in the students and helping them better understand the world they live in. What I love about St Mary’s is that is a very caring environment in which students are encouraged to be ambitious and positive about their future.
Have you always worked in schools? Why did you decide to?
This is the first school I have worked in. Having left university in 2020 I thought it would be nice to teach the next generation about some of the problems that will impact them in their lives.
Who is your role model? Why?
My role model is Leonardo da Vinci as he found a marriage between art and science. We often think of them as separate but he noticed the value one could bring to the other, art encourages creativity and the proposal of new scientific theory sometimes requires creativity.
Do you have any hobbies?
In my spare time I enjoy playing the piano and watching Formula 1 on the weekends.
What one thing would you change about the world?
Our relentless pursuit of increased GDP
Anne Crawford
When did you start working at St Mary’s? What is your role?
1999. Drama Teacher and form tutor all the way through from year 7 to year 11 with the same group.
What do you love about your role and about St Mary’s?
I love teaching drama here and seeing the students grow and flourish in their confidence to collaborate with other children and to see their skill in performing increase. In my job I can easily build on positive relationships with the students in order to get the best out of them. The drama studios are a safe space and students in drama have fun but work hard. I am privileged to see their work grow and develop and when I see work of such a high standard where students put their heart and soul into their work, magic happens. Their confidence in being able to present their work in front of others is a joy, they put everything in to their work and I frequently feel privileged to see their amazing work.
Have you always worked in schools? Why did you decide to?
Mostly. My degree was in drama and Theatre and I wasn’t sure what I wanted to do at the end of the course, I thought teaching would be a good option in the meantime, and I’ve been a teacher ever since.
Who is your role model? Why?
My parents – They are no longer alive, but they were always hard-working and kind with a great sense of humour, attributes you need in teaching.
Do you have any hobbies?
Theatre, reading, walking my dog, nature, socialising
What one thing would you change about the world?
That we lived in a fairer world with a greater distribution of wealth
Wayne Smith
When did you start working at St Mary’s? What is your role?
I started at St Mary’s in February 2011 and I am the ICT Manager
What do you love about your role and about St Mary’s?
My role is challenging, rewarding and varies day by day. The facilities, staff and students are great.
Have you always worked in schools? Why did you decide to?
Previously I have worked in Local Government, Private Investment in London and the retail industry. I have always enjoyed showing and helping people to make their use of IT easier and more productive, so working in a school allows me to use this ability.
Who is your role model? Why?
I never really had a role model as such, but i have always used my parents as a standard to what a person should be.
Do you have any hobbies?
I enjoy motorsport, films, reading and cooking.
What one thing would you change about the world?
Equality, if everyone had the same then there would be no need for theft, poverty, hunger and homelessness everyone would work together in harmony to make the world a better place.
Kristine Johnson
When did you start working at St Mary’s? What is your role?
I started working at St Mary’s at the beginning of January 2022 and I am the Aspire Business & Enterprise Academy Lead
What do you love about your role and about St Mary’s?
As well as teaching business, enterprise and finance I am able to provide multiple additional opportunities to our students that are outside the academics of school so that they build their life skills and increase their employability. I love my role and working at St Mary’s as the openness to change and to be agile to deliver more for our students is an advanced foresight helping our students and our community.
Have you always worked in schools? Why did you decide to?
I have 20 years’ corporate career experience working in London for a variety of institutions specifically in HR, Payroll and Finance. In addition, I was also an associate lecturer for a university and chartered institute which is where my love for teaching started. Life changes presented me with an opportunity to make a change for what I wanted to do going forward so I trained for my QTS and PGCE.
Who is your role model? Why?
My grandmother is my role model. As a child who was evacuated during the war and living a full working life from a young age and then with a serving navy husband she has always demonstrated that hard work is worth it. At 92 years old she is still looking after herself and if we are honest all of us. A strong and influential woman.
Do you have any hobbies?
I have two pugs who are influential members of our family so they take up a lot of our time.
What one thing would you change about the world?
Improved social justice specifically where opportunities are made available to everyone.
Kerry Gaulton
When did you start working at St Mary’s? What is your role?
September 2022, Careers Lead and Careers Adviser
What do you love about your role and about St Mary’s?
Helping students to achieve their next steps and future goals
Have you always worked in schools? Why did you decide to?
I have always worked in education. I like the sense of fulfilment at being able to help students who are not sure what pathway they should take or the options open to them.
Who is your role model? Why?
Lots of sporting greats: Lewis Hamilton, Mo Farah, Jessica Ennis-Hill. They never give up and work hard to achieve what they do.
Do you have any hobbies?
I like to run and have completed 4 marathons.
What one thing would you change about the world?
An end to all wars and violence.
Diana Salgado
When did you start working at St Mary’s? What is your role?
I started working at St Mary’s in 2019 as an MFL Teacher.
What do you love about your role and about St Mary’s?
I love inspiring students and transmitting my passion for learning languages. I also love learning from my colleagues and students.
Have you always worked in schools? Why did you decide to?
I have always worked with kids and young people. When I was in secondary school, I had the opportunity to help some of my classmates to reach their potential in maths and chemistry. I was passionate about that and I did it with dedication, patience and love. My teachers encouraged me to follow that path and it’s something I don’t regret.
Who is your role model? Why?
Jesus. He effectively teaches one-to-one. He knew how to address and teach different groups of people. Jesus used different leaning styles effectively, He was patient, provided opportunities to apply learned principles. He used examples from everyday life, helped others and the most important: He taught everything with passion and love.
Do you have any hobbies?
I love dancing, travelling and learning about other cultures
What one thing would you change about the world?
I think that change begins with the change of each person. So, I would change people’s hearts so that we would be more tolerant, humble and empathetic.
