Katarina Zelezinger
Katarina Železinger
Director of Student Welfare
Katarina Zelezinger

Katarina Železinger

Director of Student Welfare

Mrs Železinger was born in Slovenia, but grew up in the UK. She gained a BSc in Psychology and Social Anthropology from Brunel University and trained as a TEFL teacher before joining the International School of London. She later moved to Spain, as School Psychologist and SEN Coordinator at the International College of Marbella and other schools in the area.

After returning to Slovenia, Mrs Železinger joined BISL in its opening year as a Music and Art Teacher, working with both Primary and Secondary students, and as SEN Coordinator and Administrator. In the years since, she has also been a Primary Class Teacher, has taken on the role of Child Protection Officer and has been the Head of Primary since 2014.

With her musical background and her experience in performing arts and training young people, Mrs Železinger has been a keen member of BIMS, as both a teacher and student, and is currently working hard to master the saxophone.

Ana Pirnat
Ana Pirnat
Primary Teacher
Ana Pirnat

Ana Pirnat

Primary Teacher

Ms Pirnat is a highly motivated and dedicated educator who was born and raised in Slovenia. From a young age, she developed a passion for travel, culture, and language learning, which has influenced her career path in education.

She obtained her primary school education degree from the University of Ljubljana, which included studying outdoor education in Norway, giving her a unique perspective on education and learning. Ms Pirnat's passion for exploring different cultures led her to live in Spain while studying at Loyola University. This experience allowed her to gain a deeper understanding of the Spanish language and culture, which she now incorporates into her teaching.

Ms Pirnat is currently pursuing a Master's degree in Primary education in English to further enhance her teaching skills and knowledge.

In her free time, Ms Pirnat enjoys traveling and exploring new cultures. She also enjoys spending time outdoors with her dog, hiking, and exploring the beautiful Slovenian countryside. Her love for nature and adventure is reflected in her teaching style, where she uses outdoor learning as a way to engage and inspire her students. Ms Pirnat's passion for education and her commitment to creating a positive and stimulating learning environment makes her an ideal fit for BISL. Her ability to connect with students and create meaningful learning experiences makes her an asset to the school community. She is excited to share her love of learning and exploration with her students and is looking forward to a fulfilling career in education.

Anja Drofenik web
Anja Drofenik
Slovene Teacher
Anja Drofenik web

Anja Drofenik

Slovene Teacher

Ms Drofenik graduated from the Faculty of Arts at the University of Maribor with a degree in Slovenian language and literature. During her studies, she started teaching Slovene language for volunteers from different countries who were working on projects at the Magdalene’s Network institute in Maribor. After graduating in 2012, she took part in a voluntary teaching practice at the Slovenske Konjice High School. A year later she also gave Slovene language lessons for foreigners at the Secondary Vocational and Technical School in Zreče. In the last five years, she has also worked in sales and marketing and before joining BISL, she was working as a proofreader.

Living in Slovenske Konjice, Ms Drofenik likes to relax in nature, often goes hiking, enjoys playing badminton, and adores travelling and reading. Whenever she has a spark of inspiration, she writes poetry as well.

Brad Eve
Brad Eve
English & EAL Teacher
Brad Eve

Brad Eve

English & EAL Teacher

Mr Eve has been living in Slovenia for the past 18 years where he has spent a lot of time running his own English language school, writing music and lyrics for his own band or a number of local pop stars, representing Slovenia in the national cricket team as well as all the other things that make life in Slovenia so fascinating.

Dan Mac Neil
Dan MacNeill
Science Teacher
Dan Mac Neil

Dan MacNeill

Science Teacher

Originally from Portsmouth, England, Mr MacNeill obtained his Biochemistry degree from the University of Newcastle, before completing his PGCE teacher training at Leeds University. He remained in Leeds, working in state schools, and for the last three years he has been teaching Science in a comprehensive secondary school rated ‘good’ by Ofsted.

BISL will be Mr MacNeill’s first international teaching post, and he is very much looking forward to broadening his experience as part of our team.

In his free time, he enjoys travelling, baking, cooking, reading and is an avid runner.

Dasa Jakop
Daša Jakop
Slovene Teacher
Dasa Jakop

Daša Jakop

Slovene Teacher

Ms Jakop has recently completed her Master Studies of Primary Education, focusing on Mathematics, but is passionate about other topics as well. Working with children has always been very fulfilling to her. She cares about supporting young minds, helping them grow and develop their potentials. She believes that every student is capable of achievement, given the right guidance and encouragement.

In her free time, Ms Jakop loves to travel, sample traditional cuisines, meet new people and learn new languages.

Dominic Hulse 21
Dominic Hulse
Performing Arts Teacher
Dominic Hulse 21

Dominic Hulse

Performing Arts Teacher

Mr Hulse studied performing arts from a young age. More specifically, he developed a love of music and the saxophone, studying at Paul McCartney’s Liverpool Institute of Performing Arts (LIPA) where he achieved ‘The Beatles Story Award’. Throughout his music career he has travelled the globe, more recently he completed a contract for an international production show on Asia’s biggest cruise liner and spent six months working for the biggest music venues in Dubai. In his free time, Mr Hulse is a passionate Liverpool supporter and will very rarely miss a match. His hobbies also include, ballroom & latin dancing and filmmaking. Having recently skied for the first time on his first visit to Slovenia, he has developed a passion for the sport, and is very much looking forward to going back on the slopes after joining BISL.

Emina Begic 21
Emina Hašić
SEN Teacher
Emina Begic 21

Emina Hašić

SEN Teacher

Ms Begić is driven by exploring new places and opportunities. A week after graduating in Special and Rehabilitation Pedagogy from the University of Ljubljana, for instance, she travelled to Gambia to work with the youngest students and assist with curricular planning in a school there.

Following a period working within the Slovene school system, Ms Begić joined the SEN team at BISL in 2012.

As well as exploring new places and situations, Ms Begić enjoys spending time with her new daughter, her family and friends; hiking and rollerblading; and she loves walking through the city centre in the early morning, as the first rays of the sun break through the darkness.

Gary Bradley 21
Gary Bradley
Head of Humanities
Gary Bradley 21

Gary Bradley

Head of Humanities

Joining us from the Tenby group of international schools in Malaysia, Mr Bradley has a BSc in Archaeology, an MA in Palaeolithic Archaeology and a PGCE in Geography. His teaching philosophy has been hugely influenced by his own experiences as a student at an international school in Zürich, being exposed to an internationally-minded and friendly learning environment where positive student-teacher relationships were highly regarded. Mr Bradley likes to keep up to date on current affairs and world news as these can often be directly incorporated into lessons.

Outside of teaching and learning, he loves to travel and in particular enjoys walking or hiking, especially in Scotland, his home country.

Graeme
Graeme Chuter
Business & Economics Teacher
Graeme

Graeme Chuter

Business & Economics Teacher

Mr Chuter has a BA (Hons) in Business Studies and a CIM postgraduate diploma in Marketing (Chartered Institute of Marketing). Mr Chuter joins us with a wealth of commercial, training and teaching experience, enabling him to teach academic concepts alongside real-life business applications.

His pragmatic teaching approach has been hugely influenced by his own experiences of working in teaching/training, personal development, business consultancy and research. Graeme particularly enjoys the positive and friendly teaching environment that BISL provides for staff and students alike.

Outside of school, Graeme is keen to keep abreast of current affairs in the wider political, social, and economic environment. He is a keen traveller, and particularly enjoys exploring the highlights and hidden gems of Slovenia and its neighbouring countries. His other interests include sport, music, and discovering local food and wine specialities.

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Hannah Appleyard
Early Years Teacher
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Hannah Appleyard

Early Years Teacher

Originally from Leeds in the UK, this will be Miss Appleyard's first position at an international school. She particularly enjoys working in early years/KS1 and supporting the children to grow in social skills, confidence and independence in their first years at school.

Completing a TEFL qualification and spending 6 months supporting in schools in Japan, Miss Appleyard realised that working with children in a primary setting was something that she enjoyed and wanted to pursue. After working as a language support assistant for a year she completed a PGCE and has been teaching in England for the past 8 years.

Outside of the classroom Miss Appleyard enjoys hobbies such as aerial hoop, anime, skiing and traveling. She is excited to explore more of Europe and make new friends along the way. With an initial degree in art and design she likes anything creative and is very much looking forward to whatever new experiences Slovenia has to offer.

Kalender Slagkrooie Imre te Velde
Imre te Velde
Primary Teacher
Kalender Slagkrooie Imre te Velde

Imre te Velde

Primary Teacher

Ms te Velde is a passionate and enthusiastic educator who completed her double bachelor's degree in International Teacher Education and Dutch Teacher Education in her native country, the Netherlands.

During her time at university, she gained valuable experience by completing internships at schools in different parts of the world, including Spain, India, and Malaysia. This experience allowed her to gain insight into various international and national curricula, enabling her to become a versatile and adaptable teacher.

This academic year, Ms te Velde will be teaching Year 2 at BISL, where she will apply her knowledge and skills in creating an engaging and stimulating learning environment for her students. She is excited to join the team at BISL and continue her professional development by pursuing a Master's in International Teacher Education.

Outside the classroom, Ms te Velde has a wide range of interests, including reading, cooking, and travelling. She is also an active sports enthusiast and enjoys cycling, ice skating, yoga, and long walks. Ms te Velde's passion for education is matched only by her love for adventure and exploration. Her positive attitude and eagerness to learn make her a valuable addition to the BISL community.

Jason Batson2020
Jason Batson
Assistant Head, Curriculum and Assessment
Jason Batson2020

Jason Batson

Assistant Head, Curriculum and Assessment

Mr Batson gained his BSc in Psychology from Kingston University, in London, before undertaking a PGCE in Mathematics at Brunel. Whilst working in England as a Mathematics and Psychology teacher, he added a TEFL qualification to his repertoire and decided to explore more parts of Europe, teaching in Toulouse, Vienna and Barcelona.

Mr Batson joined BISL in August 2010 as a part-time teacher of Psychology and ESL and soon became a full-time member of staff, also teaching Maths. He has been the Mathematics Coordinator since 2012, whilst continuing to teach Psychology, took on the role of Examinations Officer in 2015 and became Head of Sixth Form in 2019.

Mr Batson divides his free time between long distance running and running after his two beautiful twin daughters.

Josephine-Torrington
Josephine Torrington
Primary Teacher
Josephine-Torrington

Josephine Torrington

Primary Teacher

Ms Torrington is a highly experienced educator who obtained her PGCE in Primary Education from Canterbury Christ Church University. After working in primary schools in Portsmouth, England, she decided to pursue her career in international education.

Her specialties in teaching are children with Special Educational Needs, English as a Foreign Language, and outdoor education. Ms Torrington's experience in the field of international education includes teaching in several cities within China, where she spent a significant amount of time at the Orbital campus of Britannica in Shanghai. She was responsible for developing social outreach and fundraising events for the school, particularly during the period of Covid-19, to ensure that children and families had a strong connection with their communities.

Her commitment to fostering a strong sense of community and creating meaningful learning experiences aligns with the school's values, and her dedication to social outreach and fundraising will undoubtedly benefit the wider community. In addition to her professional achievements, Ms Torrington enjoys spending her free time outdoors. She loves to hike, swim and travel, and going for long walks with her husband and their two dogs in Slovenia are some of her fondest moments.

Katarina Miklavec 21
Katarina Miklavec
Primary Teacher
Katarina Miklavec 21

Katarina Miklavec

Primary Teacher

Ms Miklavec has completed her Masters degree in Ethnology and Cultural Anthropology at the Faculty of Arts in Ljubljana, has completed her teaching course in Slovenia and is now working towards a further educational qualification.

Ms Miklavec first joined the BISL team in 2014, as the afternoon receptionist and later assisting in Student Services and organising school trips and has since been an assistant teacher across the Primary school. She is excited to join the Early Years teaching team this academic year.

Outside of school, Ms Miklavec is a passionate scout leader and organises training courses for young leaders on behalf of the National Scout Organisation of Slovenia. She is also an advocate of Forest Kindergartens and is organising workshops to promote the idea in Slovenia. She also enjoys travelling, sports and jazz dance.

Katherine Blundell
Katherine Blundell
Primary Teacher
Katherine Blundell

Katherine Blundell

Primary Teacher

After gaining a BA(Hons) at Wrexham, Ms Blundell worked in a Pre-School in the UK, initially leading arts and crafts activities. During this time, she also trained as a TEFL teacher.

Leaving the UK, Ms Blundell traveled and worked in Europe before arriving in Slovenia in 2012, where she became actively involved in a number of social-care arts projects with disabled adults and children charities around Ljubljana, as well as teaching in Language schools. She spent a year working in a Slovenian Primary school, offering cross-curricular lessons with English, before joining BISL back in 2014.

Ms Blundell has successfully completed her iPGCE recently, an internationally recognised course with The University of Derby which offers a global perspective of education and challenge, and has dedicated some of her study towards inclusion and understanding learning differences.

In her spare time, Ms Blundell enjoys cycling, road trips abroad, cooking, creating artwork and gardening.

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Kathryn Hobson
Psychology Teacher
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Kathryn Hobson

Psychology Teacher

Ms Hobson comes from the home of the world’s oldest football club – Sheffield, in England. She is a strongly motivated and passionate Psychology teacher, who also loves to travel, which has influenced her move to Slovenia. Ms Hobson absolutely loves to teach, and is a very animated individual when in a classroom, sharing her love for the brain and human behaviour.

Back in Sheffield, Ms Hobson loved going for long walks with her dog Juno, who she is leaving in the care of a trusted friend while she swaps her walks in the Derbyshire Dales for the beautiful landscapes of Slovenia. In her free time, she enjoys exploring, trying new things and catching up with friends and family.