About Us
- Senior School and College Management
- IELTS and CALP at Junior and Senior levels
- University Entrance (UCAS and other systems)
- Physics
- Mathematics
- Science
- Academic English
Recent Successes
- Guiding post graduates applying for and gaining Master’s Places at University College London
- Preparing primary and junior students 100% of whom gained places at a leading Day School through competitive assessment sessions.
- Continuing success at placing students in top International Schools and ensuring excellent improvement within these schools
- Improving performance of students in International Sections within Chinese schools
- Development of Internet-based support systems targeting specific needs of individuals
Providing the best education for one’s child is such an important task, the greatest gift a parent can give to their son or daughter so making the best decision is critical. Choosing the best school is vital but it is also so important to monitor and guide students along their educational journey, from the earliest days through to University.
MBEM can offer the benefit of years of experience in British and International Education. Our team includes successful subject teachers, department heads, senior managers and Head Masters, examiners and coursework moderators with boards such as Cambridge (OCR/CIE) and Edexcel so we have strong connections to top educational institutions and supporting educators both in the UK and in China. With this wide experience and through this network of links, MBEM can offer you the personal and individual support and guidance you need. producing individual education plans and so aiming for optimal performance and final success.
We take the time to know our students well, see them as individuals, understand their aspirations and so personalise our advice, support, academic development plans and care.
We firmly believe that each student is unique, an individual with tremendous potential, hopes and dreams. We believe all students can be successful given opportunity, support, commitment and hard work. We aim to support each of our students to achieve that success by selecting the right opportunity, providing the support they need and deserve and stimulating the motivation required.
Senior Management Team
Richard Mason
With a joint degree in Mathematics and Physics Richard has had extensive experience in leading UK and International Schools (including China). Initially a teacher of Physics, Mathematics and Science Richard has had a variety of roles in management and education and has been an examiner for Cambridge and London.
He was founding Academic Head teacher at the leading A Level College in China, Shenzhen College of International Education, which sent 10% of its students to Cambridge and 80% to the best UK and US universities including Oxford, UCL, Imperial College, the London School of Economics, Warwick, Durham and Bristol. Richard managed the university application system and strongly advised on choices, skill development, personal statements and how to be successful in interviews.
He was on the founding senior management team for Harrow Beijing with the joint roles of Deputy Head and Head of Sixth Form.
Originally a Mathematics teacher then a Physics specialist at A level and IB Richard has held posts as Head of Science, Head of Faculty at a leading English Boarding School and worked with Durham University on analysing data to enhance teaching through ALIS and YELLIS. He also has a deep love of theatre and has directed, produced and written a wide range of plays and musicals.
Zhang Wei
Zhang Wei was a member of the senior management team at a school in her native Harbin, then began a Chinese School in Doha in Qatar, liaising closely with the Chinese Ambassador and the Chinese Government. She was also in the founding administrative team for Harrow Beijing and has a thorough knowledge of the English education system.
Working within Cartus she operated as a settlement advisor assisting foreign business people and their families find schools for their children and advising and easing families into new situations in Beijing, finding accommodation and dealing with all aspects of moving into a new country. Zhang Wei is fluent in English and Chinese and has lived in the UK for five years.
Kaz Michalak: Director of English
Originally from close to Cambridge, Kaz is a widely-experienced teacher of English as a Second Language and an IELTS examiner. He was the Head of the ESL Department at the British School of Beijing, both in Sanlitun and Shunyi, and identified as the outstanding teacher of the year at the Nord Anglia Shanghai conference.
He co-devised and introduced the successful PACE program in BSB with Richard and has an extensive understanding of the needs of non-native English speakers. His specialty is improving sophisticated academic-orientated language (CALP) which is so necessary for excellent performance in examinations in academic subjects such as Mathematics, Economics, the Sciences, the Humanities and the Arts at GCSE, A Level and more. Most schools are good at social, every day language but this often fails to enable students to be specific, clear and precise.
Kaz is also a multi-talented instrumentalist and is married to a Chinese national with whom he has two delightful, bilingual children.
He is committed to enhancing the reputation and success of MBEM and provides perceptive and detailed analysis of students’ strengths and needs, giving our students the frameworks and direction for developing their academic English.
Prior to the summer school Mr Michalek will be assessing individual students’ strengths and needs in English so that when they arrive in July we can target their individual and group sessions to specific aims.
Toby Ward
Toby is a Scientist by degree and Head of Technology at Terra Nova School, delivering computing and integrating IT skills throughout the school but particularly in Science. He is passionate about IT, Science and sport and is a nationally qualified football and cricket coach.
Toby will be leading our Science Challenge Day and ensuring students make the best use of Information Technology including research, simulation, data presentation and, with Mr Michalek, helping students develop good academic English using IT, throughout the course.
John Spellman
John Spellman is currently teaching at The King’s School, the top performing school in the North West of England. Graduating with B.Ed. (Honours) in Primary Education from University in Manchester, John has 20 years of excellent experience at top preparatory and junior schools and has had a number of roles including Assistant Head Teacher, KS2 Maths Coordinator, EV Coordinator, Junior and Senior Boys Games and 1st XI Football Manager.
Specialising in Maths, English and the Humanities John is an expert on e-Safety and managing Extra-Curricular Visits and inspirational, particularly when looking deeper into literature and building better, richer and more precise English.
He has an outstanding reputation and is highly regarded by his pupils, colleagues and parents and we are thrilled and delighted to have his expertise and skills in our team.
Jacqui Ward
Jacqui is a lively and energetic specialist teacher of years 3 and 4 with wide-ranging skills. She is responsible for the Gifted and Talented provision at Terra Nova and is so highly regarded she now mentors teachers new to the profession, teaching them how to teach!
She has been at Terra Nova for 15 years, produces drama and other performances at the school and has an amazing reputation for enthusing, producing excellence of achievement, challenging and developing children from 6 to 13 years old.
