Our teachers
Meet our teachers
These are the qualified teachers who teach your child, and the people who run the school.
Who will teach my child?
Your child is known as a learner and as a person.
Qualified and experienced
Every teacher is qualified, and experienced in the curriculum they teach.
Specialists in their subject
The person leading a lesson knows their subject inside out, and enjoys teaching it.
Known by name
Teachers know your child by name, and what they learn about your child helps decide what should happen next.
A teacher’s job is to help students understand deeply, think well and progress.
To do that, teachers provide
The leadership team at IWS.
The educators and leaders who run IWS Online School.
Cigdem KaramanCEO & Founder Thomas SoudHeadteacher 
Jenna NelHead of Community 
Lori CaliHead of Teaching and Learning 
Thomas CooperHead of Growth and Operations 
Michelle van RoonPastoral Care Lead and DSL
DSL stands for Designated Safeguarding Lead. Michelle van Roon leads safeguarding and child protection at IWS.
What our teachers teach.
Qualified specialists teach Cambridge IGCSE and A Level in each of these areas.
Mentors who are teachers too.
Every Mentor is a qualified teacher, trained to deliver the Well-Rounded Programme.
Megan NelMentor, and English and Maths teacher 
Dennis LukoziMentor, and Science and Computing teacher 
Edward EayrsMentor, and English teacher 
Ruth AkintolaMentor, and Global Perspectives teacher
Every IWS student receives mentoring that fits their learning model. In Academy, a student’s Mentor is one of their own subject teachers, and they meet one-to-one for twenty minutes every week of term.
How mentoring worksI’ve been really pleased with the support my son has received. Whenever we’ve had a question, the teachers have replied quickly and explained everything clearly. It’s reassuring to know that he can always ask for help if he needs it.
Questions parents ask
Are IWS teachers qualified?
Yes. Every teacher is qualified and experienced in the curriculum they teach, and lessons are led by specialists who know their subject inside out.
Will my child have live lessons with a teacher?
It depends on the learning model. In Academy, students have 12 to 15 live lessons a week, depending on year group. In Bridge, there’s one live lesson in each subject every week, so up to 5 a week. Foundation is recorded teaching, at the student’s own time and pace.
What’s the difference between a teacher and a Mentor?
A subject teacher helps students understand deeply, think well and progress in their subject. A Mentor keeps the wider view of each student: their goals, progress and habits, what’s getting in the way and what should happen next.
Every IWS student receives mentoring that fits their learning model. In Academy, a student’s Mentor is one of their own subject teachers, and they meet one-to-one for twenty minutes every week of term.
What happens if my child falls behind?
In Academy, if a student falls behind a goal we’ve agreed, IWS takes responsibility for getting them back on track. We give extra academic support, with no fixed limit, until the difficulty is dealt with and the student can move on. A Mentor helps work out what’s in the way.
Who is the Designated Safeguarding Lead?
Michelle van Roon, our Pastoral Care Lead, is IWS’s Designated Safeguarding Lead, known as the DSL. The DSL leads safeguarding and child protection at IWS. The safeguarding policy explains how to raise a concern.
Can my child try a lesson before we decide?
Yes. After you enquire, your child can try a 30-minute lesson with a qualified teacher, and take a look inside the learning platform, at no charge.
Meet the team before you decide.
Book a consultation and talk to our admissions team about your child. Our admissions team replies within one working day. You can try a 30-minute lesson with a qualified teacher, at no charge.