Leadership team
Thames British School Madrid
Lea Gabbitas
Headteacher
Qualifications:
BSc (Hons) Mathematics and Statistics, PGCE, IPML
Professional background:
Early on in my teaching career, I spent five years teaching in Primary where 4 of those were in Early years. For the rest of the time, I have dedicated my teaching to the secondary school, teaching all ages and holding many different types of responsibility posts such as Head of Key stage 4 and also Head of Sixth form. I have worked in a large international school and now in a small, family orientated school here at Thames where I am delighted to work with other like-minded professionals who share the same educational philosophies and ensure the emotional and academic success of each child is the focal point of everything we do and strive for.
Alex Martinez
Head of Primary, Deputy Headteacher
Qualifications:
BA Hons Linguistics (Lancaster University), PGCE (London Metropolitan University)
Professional background:
Having completed my PGCE in London, I returned to Madrid to work at a British School, firstly as a Primary teacher and English and Humanities Coordinator, and then as Head of Phase. After eleven years at the school, I moved to Shanghai, where I worked for four years as the Assistant Head of Primary, overseeing a department of nearly a thousand students. Throughout my teaching career, I have taught all of the age groups in Primary, from Nursery to Year 6. I am very excited to have joined Thames British School as Head of Primary on my return to Madrid, and ensuring the high standards in teaching and learning as well as the well-being of the pupils are maintained and developed further.
Daniel English
Head of Secondary
Qualifications:
BA Honours Degree in Graphic Design, PGCE (Resistant Materials)
Professional background:
I have spent the first 8 years of my teaching career teaching at two secondary schools in Coventry, England. Whilst there, I was mostly a teacher of art and design however I have taught a variety of creative subjects such as resistant materials, product design, photography, fashion and textiles. My passion is art but my teaching qualification is actually in resistant materials. Just before coming out to Madrid, I was the Head of Art at a large Secondary school in England for four years.
I have lived in Madrid for nearly four years now and have worked at Thames British School for the same amount of time. I love Madrid and its culture, I feel very happy and settled here. I also really enjoy working at Thames, with such enthusiastic and interesting people.
Justine Delmet
IBDP Coordinator, IBDP Core and MFL teacher
Professional Background:
I entered the field of education after working in international relations and cultural exchange, which provided me with a unique perspective on the importance of languages and education.
I have taught French in various educational institutions across Europe for over seven years. My journey began in France, followed by a move to the UK, where I worked in schools, and then to Spain to lead the language department. This experience deepened my understanding of educational standards and the IB philosophy.
Recently, I joined the team at Thames British School to spearhead the implementation of the International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme. I am delighted to share that we have successfully achieved authorization and are now an IB World School.
I am committed to an evidence-based approach to teaching and learning and actively support teacher professional development. I also believe in the importance of reading for pleasure and its impact on student success.
I look forward to working with our fantastic team and contributing to the development of the IBDP at our school.
Sophie Heaton
Deputy Head of Primary
BA Hons History (Lancaster University), PGCE Primary (University of Cumbria), MSc Psychology (University of Derby)
I have worked in various educational settings, such as international schools, colleges and universities for over ten years. In doing so, I have developed a distinct awareness of how children learn and what factors influence their learning. I am particularly interested in the ways mental and physical health impact children's wellbeing and academic success and am passionate about working to improve these. I am very excited to be working as the Deputy Head of Primary (Pastoral) at Thames British School, where I have the opportunity to support children with their academic and personal development and in doing so help them live happier and healthier lives.
Eppie Howe
Deputy head of Secondary, Special Educational Needs Co-ordinator, Teacher of Chemistry
Qualification:
MA(Hons) University of Edinburgh, PGCE Sheffield Hallam University
Professional Background:
I trained as a teacher because I wanted to create a positive learning environment for every student. My specialisms include curriculum development and I quickly obtained leadership positions within the department, becoming head of department in my second year of qualifying. In the UK, I worked in alternative provisions and special schools, developing my passion for individualising learning to support students with learning needs. I look forward to combining my pedagogical and pastoral interests in my new roles at Thames British School.
I began my teaching adventure through the Teach First program, teaching Mathematics full time while studying pedagogy. I took responsibility for teaching and learning across the department, progressing to the role of Head of Mathematics, where I strived to instill a love for the subject in my students. I transitioned to Special Education, leading a department of seven then fourteen teachers in specialist settings. This experience not only strengthened my resolve but also deepened my understanding of the diverse challenges students face, inspiring me to integrate practical problem-solving into my teaching approach.
In my roles of Special Educational Needs Coordinator and Deputy Head of Secondary (Pastoral) at Thames British School, I have the privilege of being an advocate for all students. I am excited about the next step of my educational journey and empowering all students to reach their full potential.
Jorge Aguado Villameytide
Director Técnico
Qualifications:
History Degree (Universidad Complutense de Madrid), Patrimonio Histórico Escrito Master´s Degree (Universidad Complutense de Madrid), Formación del Profesorado Master´s Degree (Universidad Complutense de Madrid), Enseñanza del Español como Lengua Extranjera Master´s Degree (Universidad Internacional de Valencia).
Professional background:
In the educational sector, I began my professional career in public schools in the Community of Madrid teaching lessons and educational support in the area of Humanities.
For the last 7 years I have been teaching Spanish Culture, Philosophy, Geography and Spanish Language in British schools.
For the last 5 years, I have been part of the Thames British school family where I have had the opportunity to give a much more personalized type of teaching.
Learn more
We are always delighted to hear from prospective parents that are considering our international school for their children’s education. Please do not hesitate to call us on the phone number above or select from the options below:
Note: As an international school we conduct admissions placement all throughout the year. Applications for the academic year 2023-2024 are for children in Nursery (2.5 years old) through to A Level.