Menu
Menu
Menu
180-8 Appikogen,
Hachimantai City, Iwate Prefecture, Japan
Founding Head Master
Previously Head Master of the British School Tokyo (BST 2003-09) and Harrow Bangkok (2012-19), Mick was AISL Harrow International Director of Group Operations before switching to Harrow Appi in October 2021. He is expert in facilities design, curriculum solutions and educational leadership. He was Vice Chair of FOBISIA and a governor of several Harrow family schools, and a charitable school in N.E. Thailand.
Under his leadership, BST was transformed; he more than doubled the enrollment, opened the ‘BST Showa’ Senior School and prepared the school for an overall ‘outstanding’ judgement in an independent Schools Inspectorate (ISI) inspection.
Mick also led Harrow Bangkok to outstanding success, with exceptional examination and university entrance results affirming the school’s world-class status. He led the school’s ‘HBuild’ facilities redevelopment programme, opening a new Sixth Form Center, Creative Arts Centre, Boarding Houses and Early Years Little Lions Centre. The school’s roll significantly grew to a vibrant and diverse 1,700.
Of Harrow Appi, Mick says, ‘This is truly a unique and exciting project in the Asian educational landscape; combining Harrow academic standards and close personal tutoring methods with full boarding in the Japanese mountains is a combination that will guarantee success for our students. Despite the pandemic, we remain on schedule for opening in great style in August 2022’.
My name is Nicola Bartram and I join Harrow Appi as the Assitant Head Mistress, overseeing our boarding and pastoral care. I read Natural Sciences at the University of Durham before completing my teaching qualification and doing a further Masters qualification in Inclusive Education. The pastoral and wellbeing care of children is my life passion and I’m fully committed to ensuring that our students develop as well-rounded global citizens, who are cared for physically, socially, and mentally.
I’ve worked at many different schools in the UK and Internationally in a variety of in classroom and pastoral roles, starting my career as a Science teacher and a Head of Applied Science, before moving into a range of different pastoral roles from Head of House to Director of Inclusion. The mountain school experience is a far cry from my last appointment in the big city of Ho Chi Minh, but the rich natural resources we have available to us here in Appi is the perfect environment for the holistic education that Harrow can provide and is the ideal environment to develop our young people in all aspects of their growth; whether it be academically, socially, or in leadership and service.
I love to run, hike, and stay active and Appi is the perfect location to get out and about, summer or winter. Our students will be fully immersed in this environment and will get the opportunity to access all the rich resources both in lessons and the wrap-around curriculum. It’s a fantastic setting for us all to develop together!
Head of Co-curricular
“I couldn’t be more excited to be joining Harrow Appi staff team, embarking on a unique adventure with a tight knit international community that combines a world-class education with the beautiful Japanese natural environment. The Appi setting will provide the inspiration for learning that will take place beyond the four walls of a classroom, utilizing the mountainous surroundings to bring topics to life. In addition, the extensive co-curricular programme will enable a truly holistic education where a wide variety of activities will enable students to try new pursuits and develop existing talents alongside their classmates and friends. The range of opportunities, specifically outdoor adventurous activities throughout the white winter and green summer seasons will provide the perfect way for students to make significant personal development by advancing a portfolio of skills for like including communication, confidence and leadership. ”
David will head up Harrow Appi’s Co-Curricular Programme (Leadership and Service Curriculum). He’s particularly suited to this role having been Director of Summer School at Aiglon College in Switzerland for a number of years. He brings a wealth of boarding experience, having set up the boarding provision as the Head of Boarding at the International School of Milan. David’s gained a PGCE in Physical Education at Cardiff University and an MA in Education at the University of Bath.
Here at Harrow Appi I am House Mistress of Lyons House and a teacher of Maths. I decided to become a Maths Teacher after having spent three enjoyable summers working at a summer camp in America. I trained in the UK to become a teacher then after a couple of years moved to teach at an international school in Penang, Malaysia. I loved working at an international school for many reasons including learning about the different cultures and working with students who enjoy doing Maths. From Penang I moved to Harrow Bangkok where I not only taught Maths but was also House Mistress in a Boarding House. From Bangkok I moved to Bali where I taught in an international school close to the beach. I decided to swap the beaches of Bali for the mountains of Japan as I missed working in a boarding school and Harrow Appi offered not only this but the opportunity to pursue my love of the outdoors. I enjoy completing endurance events such as a quadrathlon, London Marathon, running 87 km around Penang Island and cycling 397 km around Bali in 2 days. I haven’t always been a teacher, I started my Officer Training at the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst but was unfortunately given a medical discharge following a shoulder injury during training.
I began my educational journey at Southern Cross University in New South Wales, Australia. I studied a double degree in Human Movement Science and Secondary Education. I later completed additional study obtaining my Masters Degree in Education, focussing on Leadership and Management. I enjoy learning new things and am continually looking for opportunities to grow and develop. I have recently developed a strong interest in student health and wellbeing, as well as positive and respectful relationships. I have also recently been learning to surf, which is something I’ve wanted to achieve for a while. I enjoy being outdoors, travelling, fishing and spending time with my family. I have spent many holidays travelling Australia with my family and can say I have seen a lot of my home country. I especially enjoy free camping on the beach with my family. These experiences and lifestyle are very important to me. From a sporting perspective I have enjoyed many sports with a focus on Triathlon. I’ve completed two Ironman triathlons and numerous half ironman and Olympic distance events. I loved the discipline and mental strength needed to train and complete these events and I now feel that I am a better person for the experience.
I’m very excited about my time here at Harrow Appi. I’m looking forward to contributing to the school and particularly to your child’s development. It is an amazing opportunity for us all and our collective experience will be something to treasure.
I grew up and worked in rural Nottinghamshire, but in later years spread my wings (and gained a passion for working with teenagers) in Nottingham, Australia, Shropshire and then Cambridge. My career has been primarily in school boarding, where I gained a unique reputation for the effectiveness of my approach. In Cambridge, I ran boarding for seven years, then, Harrow International School Bangkok beckoned and over the best part of a decade, I developed the Boarding Houses which are now the envy of schools across Asia. I changed position and became Harrow Bangkok’s Director of Development in 2013, where I was committed to the ethos, reputation, and achievements of the school.
Now after 20 years within Harrow Bangkok, I am delighted to move within the Harrow group to Harrow International School Appi where again I aim to build relationships with students, parents and staff. During the holidays, I will travel and see beautiful Japan and visit to, what feels like my home country, Thailand.
Joining Harrow Appi after teaching History and Politics at Jumeirah College, Dubai having previously spent 5 years in boarding at Merchiston Castle School, Edinburgh I bring a blend of residential and international experience to Churchill House as House Master. Prior to my time in Edinburgh, I began my teaching career as a History teacher in the Orkney Islands to the North of Scotland. I am also, therefore, well-acquainted with the challenges of living and working in a remote environment and the unique opportunities which are presented by the setting of the school. Before entering teaching, I achieved a first-class BA (Hons.) Degree in History and Religious Studies from the University of Stirling. Following this I gained my PGDE in Secondary History Teaching from the University of Glasgow, which I developed into an MEd in Professional Practice.
Personally, I am a keen sportsman with a variety of athletic interests. My main fields of expertise lie within rugby union and strength and conditioning. Having played at the top of the amateur game in Scotland and Dubai, I have also diversified my experience through coaching, refereeing and, most recently, as a director of junior rugby. The opportunity to be part of establishing the co-curricular programme is a further area of excitement for me.
Head of Science
“I’m delighted to be part of the founding community at Harrow Appi and am hugely looking froward to reconnecting with nature and exploring the learning opportunities that the local area provides. ”
Amy brings a wealth of experience as our Head of Science. She studied at the University of Portsmouth, completing a BSc in Marine Biology and a PGCE in Science. Due to her commitment to lifelong learning, she later took a Postgraduate Certificate in Chemistry at the University of Sussex. Her teaching career started in the UK before moving to Malaysia as Head of Science, then Le Rosey School in Switzerland, also as Head of Science, before joining her current school, UWCSEA Singapore, again as Head of Science.
Head of Design Technology
“I’m honored to be joining Harrow Appi, and am looking forward to our shared learning experiences and adventures, both inside and outside the classroom. Having grown up in the Swiss alps, I’m looking forward to reconnecting with mountain life and nature after so many years in big cities. I’m also excited to immerse myself in Japan and its culture.”
John is currently leading the development the Design Technology curriculum for the International Baccalaureate Organisation (IBO). Originally from Switzerland, John was educated at Sheffield Hallam University where he completed his B.Ed in Secondary Design Technology (DT). His teaching career started in the UK before he headed to posts in Hong Kong and the Middle East. He is currently ‘Head of Innovation’ at UWCSEA Singapore where he has grown the DT Department from a start-up to a world class facility. This has led to recognition of his contribution to DT and a position on the global Executive Review Committee of the IB Design Technology Curriculum for the IBO.
I am the Head of English as an Additional Language (EAL) Department, here at Harrow Appi. This is a most welcome return for me, as I started my international teaching career in Japan in 2000. I spent five wonderful years teaching in places such as Oomiya, Nagoya and Shibuya. Following this, I was fortunate enough to find a small teaching position at the British Council in Singapore. There I honed my international teaching skills, teaching from 2 year-olds to 82 year-olds. I taught students from everywhere from Azerbaijan to Zimbabwe. Soon I sort new challenges, becoming a trainer and leader of other teachers.
When I left Singapore, I had achieved the position of Head of Academic Management Systems and Support for British Council Singapore. However, I missed teaching, and wanted to explore more of Asia. So for the past three years I have been the EAL Specialist at Dehong International Chinese School, Shanghai. There, I became better acquainted with teaching Chinese students, and training other teachers to do so as well.
To supplement my years of teaching and training experience, I have also acquired a range of qualifications. In addition to my degree in Psychology, from the University of Plymouth, and my PGCEi from The University of Nottingham, I am also a certified CELTA and DELTA trained teacher and TYLEC tutor. My personal interests include reading and visiting the cinema.
