Meet Our Teachers

Paul Gildea

Paul joined the British School of Bucharest in 2015, taking on the Key Stage 2 Coordinator role then becoming Director of Pastoral Care and Inclusion for Primary and is currently the Director of Professional Development and Learning.

He studied at the University of Durham and graduated with a BA degree in Russian and Eastern European Studies before undertaking a PGCE (Postgraduate Certificate in Education) focusing on Modern Foreign Languages at the University of London, and has an MA in Education, Leadership and Management from the University of Derby. Paul gained eight years of experience in the British school system, rising to the position of Assistant Headteacher while working in two London primary schools. He has also worked as an English Subject Leader and Year 6 Teacher at the British School of Beijing.

Dan Batson

Dan Batson joined the British School of Bucharest in 2014 and is currently the Director of Academic Studies in Primary, as well as the Deputy Designated Safeguarding Lead for whole school.

Dan has a BA in Education from Wolverhampton University, a MA with distinction from Liverpool Hope University, and an NPQH (National Professional Qualification for Headship). He started his teaching career in Birmingham in 1998, working mainly in Key Stage 2 within the British Curriculum. In 2005, he joined a highly respected international British school in Abu Dhabi, where he worked as Assistant Headteacher. At BSB, he oversees all curriculum, assessment and reporting matters within Primary and has led many whole-school teaching and learning initiatives. Dan has also worked hard to incorporate technology effectively within our classrooms and beyond.

Jodie Lewis

Jodie Lewis joined BSB as KS1 Coordinator in 2014 and later took on the role of EYFS Coordinator.

She graduated with a BA (Hons) in Primary Education from the University of Central England in 2001 and began her career teaching in a mainstream primary school in the UK, where she worked for four years.
She went on to teach in a special needs school for children with profound and multiple learning difficulties before moving into international education. Her career abroad took her to Egypt and Kuwait, and eventually to Bucharest.
In 2023, she was appointed Director of EYFS and KS1, a role in which she continues to draw on her experience and commitment to early years education.

Debra Herring

Debra joined BSB in 2025 as an EYFS Teacher, bringing extensive international experience in early years and primary education.

She holds a Bachelor’s degree in Teaching and Learning from Canterbury University in Christchurch, New Zealand and has 14 years of experience working with children across a range of settings, including Nursery, Reception, Year 1–2 and Special Needs Education. Most recently, she spent five years at BASIS International School in Shenzhen, China.
Debra believes strongly in providing a safe and nurturing environment where children are supported in exploring, creating and learning through fun, play-based activities. She is committed to fostering curiosity and creativity while building strong foundations for lifelong learning.

Karen Greenhalgh

Karen Greenhalgh joined the British School of Bucharest in 2025 with almost 20 years’ experience in Early Years and Key Stage 1, gained from educational settings in the UK and overseas. She holds a PGCE in Primary Education with a specialism in Early Years from Oxford Brookes University.

After graduating from the University of Durham in 2007 with a BA in German and Russian, Karen moved to Russia to improve her language skills, working as a Nursery Teaching Assistant in an international school. This experience inspired her to pursue a career in education.

Since qualifying, she has taught in the UK and in international schools in Russia and Norway. She has previously held responsibilities for leading Phonics and leading Key Stage 1 and now looks forward to the new challenge of her Nursery Lead role at BSB.

Sofia Anagnostaki

Sofia joined the British School of Bucharest in 2023 as a Teaching Assistant in Pre-Nursery. She brings a wealth of experience in management and coordination from various roles, coupled with a personal passion for child development and education. She also possesses a nuanced understanding of nurturing young minds and fostering engaging learning environments.

Her previous experience in hospitality, where she excelled in guest relations and event organisation, has honed her skills in creating warm and welcoming atmospheres, which translate beautifully into the BSB classroom setting. She is excited to apply her talents and enthusiasm to inspire our young learners.

Loredana Barbu

Loredana joined the British School of Bucharest in 2008 as a TA in Pre-Nursery. She graduated from Law School in 2009 with a degree in Law. Over the years at BSB, she has gained valuable experience and knowledge. Her professional profile showcases her as a compassionate and patient Early Years TA with over 16 years of experience supporting children aged 2-3 in achieving outstanding development and educational progress.

As an experienced and enthusiastic early years practitioner, she demonstrates a passion for supporting young children in all aspects of school life. Her extensive knowledge of child development, teaching strategies, and behaviour management, coupled with her unique ability to identify individual pupils’ needs, enables her to tailor their learning in a manner most beneficial to the individual. She excels in encourages pupils to achieve their full potential and adapt to any situation, advocating passionately for maximising learning outcomes for all students.

Her core skills have been further honed through attendance at numerous courses over the years, including ‘How to Talk so Children Can Learn’ (Level 1) in Early Childhood Education, First Aid, and Safeguarding/Child Protection.

Lucy Marshall

Lucy joined BSB in 2025 as an EYFS Teacher, bringing experience in language education and early literacy development.

She completed her BA in French and Spanish at the University of Manchester before obtaining an MA in English Language and Linguistics. Whilst studying, Lucy worked with children in a variety of capacities, including teaching English in Madrid, volunteering as a Girl Guiding leader and tutoring children in the United Kingdom. Her passion for education then led her to complete a PGCE.

Since then, Lucy has worked in England as a Key Stage 1 Primary Teacher and Phonics Lead before moving internationally to Lithuania where she taught Key Stage 2 and held the position of Languages and Phonics Lead at a British school. Lucy has a strong interest in early reading and places great importance on oracy in the classroom.

Adriana Salceanu

Adriana Sima has been with the British School of Bucharest since 2008.

Her experience as an Early Years Teaching Assistant covers Pre-Nursery and Nursery, and she has also worked with older children, aged 6 to 11, at the popular BSB Summer School. Adriana has an MA in Psychology – Human Resources and a BA in Psychology – Education Sciences. She graduated from the CTAIC (Certificate for Teaching Assistants in an International Context) course in 2014.

Jenna Batson

Jenna Batson joined the British School of Bucharest in 2014 as a Music Teacher for Primary and is now one of our EYFS Curriculum Coordinators.

Jenna completed her teacher training at Chester University, specialising in Art. Following graduation, she spent her first few years in a Lancashire school before moving to the Middle East as a Class Teacher and Subject Coordinator in a highly respected British Curriculum school in Abu Dhabi.

Jacqueline Lungu

Jacqueline joined BSB in 2024 as a Teaching Assistant. She holds a Bachelor’s degree in Creative Writing and English Literature from the University of Brighton, England. She is currently pursuing a Master’s degree in Philosophy and Critical Thinking, alongside a second Bachelor’s degree in Psychology, specialising in the pedagogy of primary and preschool education. With over three years of experience working with children, Jacqueline focuses her practice on fostering a sense of self and emotional intelligence through philosophical inquiry and storytelling.