Karen qualified as a teacher in 2001 with a PGCE in Secondary Music from Oxford Brookes University. Before this, she worked as a teacher of Performing Arts in a number of large theatre schools in the UK. Music and performance have always been integral to Karen’s life, having grown up in a very musical family. She started to play the piano when she was four years old and was so inspired to play, that she started by teaching herself. As a child and young adult, she was a member of her home town’s brass band, where she held the position of Principle Baritone Horn. Karen achieved ABRSM Grade 8 in both Singing and Piano, along with Grade 8 LAMDA Gold before leaving school. Karen worked as an Examiner for the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art before moving to Thailand to teach.
Having always had a passion for the English language, Karen has a combined BA Hons degree in English and Music from University College Chichester. Until joining university, Karen’s musical experience was mostly classical, but she became heavily involved in the university’s musical theatre group and she hasn’t looked back. In 2007, she founded her own school of theatre arts, offering singing, acting and dance classes to children aged 5 -18 years. The school continued to expand each year and offered holiday workshops that produced a Musical in a Week; after-school activities to local primary schools; and it was a registered examination centre for LAMDA, with the school only closing its doors in 2020 as a result of the pandemic.
In addition to teaching, Karen has worked in the industry and her performing credits include ‘Cinderella’ in Pantomime; ‘Lysistrata’ in Lysistrata; ‘Isobel’ in Frankenstein’s Guests; Gospel singer in ‘Fame’; various appearances with CBeebies, including performing at the annual CBeebies festival and she has been a member of the ensemble in a production of ‘Sweeny Todd’, Oxford. Karen has performed as a vocalist for a number of events. Her personal favourite gig is anything that commemorates the 1940’s and includes all the songs of days gone by.
Since qualifying as a teacher, Karen has been fortunate to teach in a number of different settings and work with children of all ages from babies to 18. Karen is very passionate about the wellbeing of pupils and has held the position of Head of Boarding and she is a qualified Designated Safeguarding Lead. She firmly believes that a teacher should approach education holistically and that many learning moments can take place outside of the classroom. Karen has held a range of roles including Head of Performing Arts; Head of Music; Activities Coordinator; KS1 and Reception Coordinator; LAMDA Coordinator and Head of Boarding. She is delighted to be able to share her extensive knowledge and experience with the community of Brighton College (Singapore).
Karen has taught in the UK and in Thailand, where she worked at both Brighton College Bangkok and Regent’s International School, Bangkok. She is moving to Singapore with her husband and two children. They are all very much looking forward to life in Singapore and to being a part of the Brighton family once again.
