Welcome to Sri KDU International School

Gareth Barnaby

Head of Primary

Mr Gareth Barnaby has over 15 years’ experience in education having taught and led schools in England, Spain and Russian. Most recently having been the Principal at an international school in Moscow, he understands the challenges and complexity of a comprehensive education system and the important role schools play in the mental and physical wellbeing of students.

Mr Barnaby has gained extensive experience in teaching English in the mainstream classroom to additional language learners, developed STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) education programme with the curriculum, and created enhanced safeguarding systems within schools for the protection of its students. He was recently invited as a guest speaker at an event delivering a speech on ‘International Education and Student Wellbeing.

Josh Sheridan

Assistant Head of Primary

BA Hons - University of Chester - Law
College of Law - Legal Practitioners Course
PGCE - University of Cumbria - Primary Education
NPQSL - UCL

Previously the Assistant Head of Primary and Head of Year 3 and Year 5 at GEMS International School, Josh has experience in teaching SAT preparations and is also an experienced SEN and EAL teacher for both Year 6 and Year 3. During his PGCE duration, he has taught all years across KS1 and KS2 and is fully qualified in Safeguarding.

He has a passion for reading and recently spoke at a FOBISIA e-Conference on how to implement effective teaching of reading and its impact on overall child development. He is a keen sportsman and particularly enjoys rugby and competing in triathlons. He also enjoys taking part in drama with previous on-stage roles in the UK and has directed previous Primary and whole school performances.

Magdalena Davies

Primary Teacher

Ms Magda Davies is a Primary teacher and the Coordinator for the ECO Council in SKIPS who holds a

PGCEi, Nottingham University,
MA in TESOL (Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages), Lancaster University,
BA in Russian Studies, University of Leeds.

Magda graduated from Leeds University with a BA diploma in Russian Studies and during her second year on the course, she taught English at Lomonosov State University. During that time, she found her passion for teaching and decided to redirect her career path. In 2016, she completed her Master’s Degree in TESOL.

Magda’s full-time teaching career started in 2012 at ELS Language Centers in Kuwait. From there, she switched to her first international school post in the Early Years department. She continued developing her teaching skills and confidence for the next three years before moving to Malaysia. Sri KDU has been recommended to Magda by parents within our school’s community, and after teaching at a different international school in Kuala Lumpur first, she was excited to join SKIPS. Following her educational practice in KS1, Magda is now enthusiastically teaching in KS2.

Magda believes in creating a comfortable learning environment in which children are encouraged to try their best and make mistakes. Understanding that challenges allow her students to grow instigates the feeling of endless possibilities for their improvement. Teaching through discovery and fun, hands-on activities, as well as dedication to a project, are reinforced in Magda’s methodologies. Giving her students the flexibility of expression whilst facilitating and guiding discussions is what Magda is passionate about. She enjoys watching the children develop into independent learners utilising their learning powers with confidence.

In her free time, Magda enjoys being active, especially out in the wild, jungle trekking or diving. Although her family is back in Poland, she considers Malaysia her second home and wishes to stay here long-term.

Daphne Chiam

Teaching Assistant

Bachelor of Commerce – University of Adelaide, Australia
Master of Business Administration– University of Nottingham, Malaysia
Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) Diploma – Centre of Excellence
Currently completing Post Graduate Certificate in Education (International) (PGCEi) – University of Nottingham, UK

Daphne is born and bred in Malaysia. She resided in Australia for 3 years during her undergraduate studies, but has since lived and worked in Malaysia.

Becoming a mother had Daphne revisit her childhood dream of becoming a teacher. She realized she preferred to spend her days surrounded by the laughter and joy of children, guiding and learning from them.

Daphne began her teaching career as a pre-school teacher in a Montessori kindergarten, teaching mainly 4 to 5 years old and loving every moment of her 4 years there. Following that, she joined Sri KDU International Primary School as a KS2 teaching assistant, working mainly with Year 6s, and supporting EAL and AEN students across KS2. After 6 years, she is now working with Year 3 and in the final term of her PGCEi.

Daphne believes that learning should be fun and engaging. As such, she strives to plan and teach lessons that are creative. She hopes to create a classroom environment where students are supportive of each other and passionate about learning from one another.

On weekends, Daphne enjoys reading and baking but during the school holidays, love to travel and explore the different cultures around the world.

Anis Amirah binti Mohamad Fadillah

Teaching Assistant

Anis was born and raised in KL, the capital city of Malaysia. She graduated from University of Selangor, where she obtained a Bachelor of Education (hons) Teaching English as a Second Language (TESL), before pursuing her Master’s Degree in English as a Second Language at University of Malaya.

She began her teaching career in a National Secondary School where she taught English to Form 2 and Form 4 students and became a qualified teacher ever since. She joined Sri KDU International School in 2011 when the school first opened and taught English to KS3 to KS4 students for 2 years before moving to SKIPS. She has more than 10 years of experience teaching children across different stages. For the past 5 years, she has been teaching Phonics for KS1 and classroom interventions for children who struggle with their learning.

Watching children learn and grow is a very rewarding experience, and this is a vital reason why she loves teaching as it makes a difference in people’s lives. She also believes that learning takes place best in a positive safe environment filled with laughter.

Anis enjoys travelling abroad and discovering new places with her family and two young children. She also has a passion for scuba diving, water rafting and anything crafty.

Afifah Bt Hassan

Teaching Assistant

Fifa was born in Gombak, Selangor but was raised in Melaka until she was 10 years old. After that, she moved back to Selangor. She graduated from University Malaysia Sarawak (UNIMAS) and obtained a Degree in Cognitive Science. Then, she went to University Putra Malaysia (UPM) to pursue her master’s degree in Education (Psychology Education).

After completing her master’s degree, she worked at several preschools and private schools and from there, she discovered her passion in teaching. She really enjoyed teaching and sharing her knowledge with the students.

Fifa believes that each children have their own unique ways to learn and explore at their own pace. She also believes education brings self-discipline, a sense of responsibility, teamwork among children and prevents them from feeling social insecurity.

During her free time, Fifa enjoys outdoor activities such as hiking, running, playing badminton and pound fitness.

Badriatul Nadia

Teaching Assistant

Nadia was born and raised in Malaysia. She completed a Bachelor of Information Science (Hons) Library Management with a first class honours from MARA University of Technology Malaysia (UiTM).

Before joining SKIPS as a Teaching Assistant in 2016, she was a librarian at Sri KDU for about 6 months and from there, she discovered her passion in teaching and joined the education industry as she is passionate about working with children and thrilled to use her knowledge to contribute to the school.

Nadia believes that every child is unique and has potential to succeed in his or her own learning style. She also understands the need to get to know each child individually and help the students in every way so they can reflect on their own learning and identify different ways they can learn more efficiently and effectively.

Outside of the classroom, she enjoys cooking, singing, and exploring different activities with family and friends. She often listens to classical music and would really love to learn to play the piano one day.

Georgina Crane

Primary Teacher

Bachelor of Arts degree in Special Needs and Inclusion - University of Wolverhampton
PGCE – Early Years and KS1 - University of West of England

Georgina has been with Sri KDU for 4 years as a Teaching Assistant in the Primary School. Prior to Sri KDU, she has had 12 years’ experience working in both Primary and Secondary schools in Norfolk in the UK

Georgina believes in creating an engaging and supportive environment where all children can reach their full potential. This can be achieved by instilling a growth mindset, leading to resilient and determined young learners who learn from their mistakes and love to take on new challenges. Her aim for her classroom is to be a fun and playful environment to encourage children to develop socially and emotionally as well as academically.

Michelle David Saviar

Teaching Assistant

Michelle is a Teacher Assistant currently helping in Year 5. Michelle is also providing support for SEN and EAL students in the classroom by making sure they are able to achieve the lesson objectives. She holds a Diploma in Early Childhood Education from SEGi College Kuala Lumpur and Degree in Bachelor of Education in Teaching English as A Second Language (TESL) from City University.

Michelle got a calling to become a teacher when she volunteered to teach in Catechism classes at Church. She also loved the way children explored their abilities and talents, they often shared knowledge with each other and communicated actively to enhance their social skills and were attentive when other people were conveying something to them. She looks forward to helping more children in gaining education. The unique thing about life is that lessons are everywhere, and new things can be learnt daily, that is what Michelle aspires to achieve

Michelle has 1.5 years of teaching experience in nursery/kindergarten and 4 months experience teaching in a high school as an Intern Teacher. Michelle taught English for Form 1 students and carried out various activities such as creating a My Family Video, posters, group discussions and online presentations. She did not want to only focus on the basics of English and Literature; hence she gave different activities for students in order for them to explore their creativity by utilizing educational sites such as Photo Grid, Vivavideo, Canva and many more. She also watched and reviewed all end products and appreciated students accordingly

Michelle’s personal statement is to make a positive impact on a pupil’s life. She achieves this by motivating and encouraging students even on the little milestones they achieve. She also ensures they fully comprehend the lessons taught and guides them patiently if they don’t.

Michelle’s hobbies are listening to music, singing, and reading books. She mostly enjoys Tamil and Hindi songs, on the other hand, her favorite author is Najwa Zebian as she feels that this author’s books reflect on one’s life. The pain, struggle, overcoming any obstacle and most importantly staying strong and confident under any circumstances we face in life. Listening and reading helps her to be calm and relaxed. It also soothes her when she listens to melodious songs.

Throughout her journey at Sri KDU International Primary School, Michelle has tried to be active and proactive in all school activities. For example, she was a backstage crew for Year 5/6 Production and was involved in the music showcase. She was one of the members of the lead team for Music Showcase 2022. She prepared the banner, tickets, certificates, and booklets for the audience to refer to. Michelle was enthusiastic in being part of both the events as these were the first two events that she was fully involved in, especially the Music Showcase 2022 as she was in the main lead team.

Hasina Mala

Primary Teacher

PGCE (Primary) – SCITTLES, London, Colegrave Primary School
LLB – Honours – University of East London

Hasina Mala is a highly competent, motivated and enthusiastic individual with a proven academic track record of success.

As an educator, she is approachable, well presented and able to establish good working relationships with a range of different people. She has a proven ability to generate innovative ideas and offer solutions to problems. Studying Law granted her with a realistic opportunity to make a difference to people’s lives. It has also provided some transferable skills with more technical aspects of teaching such as writing reports and presentations. Eventually, Hasina completed a PGCE through a schools’ direct programme with one of the outstanding providers in the UK (SCITTLES).

Hasina has worked successfully in both Key Stages 1 and 2 and has planned and taught all aspects of the English National Curriculum.

This is Hasina’s fifth year teaching, and she absolutely loves it! Her teaching experience has helped her develop highly effective teaching methods to engage and hold the learners’ interest. She has worked with pupils who have a wide range of needs including autism, speech and language difficulties and those in the early stages of learning English.

Candice Lee Myburgh

Primary Teacher

BA Hons – Pretoria University – Bachelor of Arts in Psychology
Hons – University of South Africa – Honors in Psychology
PGCEi – Nottingham University - Postgraduate Certificate in Education

Candice Myburgh is an enthusiastic, thoughtful, and passionate teacher with a proven record of assisting her students’ progress, providing a safe environment for positive learning experiences and building and maintaining effective behaviour management.

Having lived in and taught in various Asian countries and in an international school in Kuala Lumpur, Candice has experience with students with varied language abilities from diverse cultural backgrounds. Candice has an interest in photography, gardening, yoga and DIY projects.

John Stringer

Primary Teacher

BA Hons Lancaster University Primary Education with English specialism (2:1)

John is from Preston in the United Kingdom and over the past decade has lived in Bolton, Surrey, Qatar and Kuala Lumpur - quite a range of settings indeed!

John knew that he wanted to be a teacher from the age of 10 - and he went straight to university after college to do just that, where in Lancaster, United Kingdom, his career began to grow and flourish.

He has taught in Outstanding schools across the north and south of England, an international school in Qatar for 2 years and has now been in Kuala Lumpur for 5 years, where he lives happily with his wife, Victoria and his young daughter, Grace.

John has a firm but fair approach with all children and he aims to instill respect, important values, confidence and a deep love for learning in all students. Having been inspired by many teachers himself, he strives to positively influence the next generation of children to become the very best version of themselves.

He has a passion for literacy, mathematics and science and making learning both relevant and exciting within his lessons. He believes in an open-door policy to help foster positive relationships with both children and parents that are based on mutual trust and respect.

John plays the drums in a band, enjoys walking and exploring mangroves and nature trails and he has a particular fondness for monitor lizards!

Noraini Binti Ab Rasid

Head of Subject for Malay Language & Islamic Studies

Bachelor’s Degree in Management

Puan Noraini is married with four children and comes from Kelantan East Coast.

Puan Noraini was very active in youth activities as a young woman and had represented Malaysia in India to present on AIDS cases in Malaysia at the SEA Conference. She had the opportunity to exchange knowledge and learn more about culture and disease.

Puan Noraini later completed training to become a National Service Trainer and began her career as a National Service Trainer pioneer (Character Building module) where she was awarded the Best Trainer Award and consequently became the Chief Trainer.

Her experience as a National Service Trainer had a significant impact on her personal and professional outlook; giving her confidence, improving her positive attitude and bringing mental strength.

Puan Noraini has worked for SRI KDU Schools for 17 years (with full attendance for 14 of these years!). She believes in good character, energetic attitude and positive vibes.

Prior to coming to Sri KDU International Primary, Puan Noraini taught in government schools. She began teaching at Sri KDU in 2005 in SRI KDU Secondary School and SRI KDU International Secondary School. She has now taught age ranges from Year 1 to Year 13, including IB, IGCSE Malay, and the National Malaysian Syllabus.

Alongside this, she also has experience as a Head of Subject, and leads the AIMS (Association of International Malaysian Schools) BM Network.

When she is not working, Puan Noraini loves to cook and try new recipes; she cooks for friends and loves to organise ‘potluck’ in the staffroom and cater for small events. Her dream, after teaching, would be to start a business in the field of food and beverage.

Nur Suhaila Binti Zainal

Teaching Assistant

Suhaila completed her studies with a Diploma in Nursing.

This is her 5th year working in Sri KDU. She previously worked with KDU National Secondary School and before moving to SKIPS. She also, has vast experience for over 4 years working as a healthcare personnel in a variety of medical settings.

Her hobbies and Interests include travelling and she can't wait to explore new places and enjoy new experiences. She is also a freelancer working as paramedic during her free time. She also loves drawing and painting as mind therapy.

Nurul Nadia Ahmad Bustamin

Malay Language Teacher

Master’s Degree, University Technology MARA (UiTM) Shah Alam- Mass Communication
Bachelor of Mass Communication (Hons) Public Relations
Diploma in Early Childhood Education

Nurul Nadia was born and raised in Selangor. As the eldest in her family and losing her father during her teenage years, developed her to be a firm teacher but at the same time she is kind with the kids and always puts a smile on their faces.

Nadia has taught for more than 10 years and her teaching experience started when she was the substitute teacher at the government school in a rural area. Following that, she was happy to choose teaching as her permanent career. Aside from that, she is always keen to give a helping hand and does volunteer activities during her free time. Over the years, she joined one of the programs organised by the Selangor state government and NGO’s which focus on helping underprivileged women and kids in education and welfare. She believes education should be easily accessed by everyone in this world

Over a decade, she has taught in several ranges of schools from nursery up to Year 9 in both government and private schools. This is her 4th year teaching in Sri KDU International Primary school and she is looking forward to bringing more energetic and collaborative learning to all students. She believes that with effective, creative and a variety of pedagogical practices, the learning becomes joyful and the students will achieve the learning objectives in Bahasa.

Nadia’s interests are reading, singing, solving Sudokus and spending time with her family members. She loves history and classic literature books and she can spend many hours at one of the book shops in town!

Farah Fazira Abdul Mutalib

Malay Language Teacher

Diploma In Early Childhood Education, Sultan Idris University of Education
Bachelor of Education (Hons) Early Childhood Education, UNITAR International University

Farah is a Malay language teacher, originally from Sungai Petani, Kedah, and was born and raised there. She graduated from the Sultan Idris University of Education with a Diploma in Early Childhood Education. She also graduated from UNITAR International University with a Bachelor of Education with Honors. She studied children's performing arts as a minor for her degree.

Farah knew she wanted to be a teacher when she was 15 years old while mentoring classmates for Malay Language and Science subjects. Farah is diligent in teaching friends in small groups.

Farah has been teaching at an international school for six years. Two years as a Malay Language and History teacher at elementary and high schools in Sungai Petani. And four years as a Malay Language Primary School teacher at Sri KDU International School. Farah has also taught IGCSE Malay as a Foreign Language subject at her former school. Farah worked as a tutor and lecturer at a private institution before becoming a school teacher.

Farah spends her free time reading literature and listening to music from all genres. She also enjoys going to the movies and going to the theatre. Aside from that, Farah enjoys crafting and puppetry. She can spend hours making hand puppets out of recyclable materials.

Farah understood that there would be no respite in education. The same is true for her students, who must always learn. There will always be changes in educational pedagogy, just as Farah will always change in the stream of education. To maintain a more holistic and forward-thinking curriculum The use of technology in education can also help to improve educational quality in the future.

Jessica Seow Jia Min

Mandarin Teacher

Jessica was born and raised in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. She graduated from University Malaya (UM) with a degree in Languages and Linguistics (Chinese Language). Then, she attained her professional Chinese teaching certificate (CTCSOL) which was issued by the Confucius Institute Headquarters China.

Jessica enjoys learning the Chinese language and is happy to share the joy with others. She started her teaching journey as a volunteer teacher in university. She then continued her career in Sri KDU International School till now.

She believes in creating a fun and engaging learning environment for students to cultivate their interests and passion towards Chinese language learning. Her teaching styles enable the students to immerse in the language and enhance their language skills through different approaches.

Jessica likes to travel outside of work. She enjoys exploring different cities, experiencing different cultures, meeting different people all round the world to inspire her along life’s journey.

Ng Sze Ni

Mandarin Teacher

Ms Sze Ni has been at SKIS for more than 5 years. Holding a Master’s in Teaching French as a Foreign Language from Université de Poitiers, France,

Ms Sze Ni has worked as an intern in a language centre in Paris and in a language school in Granada, Spain. She has been teaching since 2013 and has experience teaching French and Mandarin across KS1, KS2 and KS3.

Ms Sze Ni has a real love for languages and travel and she uses these interests to inspire and motivate her students

Katie Victoria Jones

Primary Teacher

BA Hons Primary Education (5-11) at Sheffield Hallam University, Sheffield, UK

Kate always enjoyed being at school because of the great teachers she had who inspired a love for learning and created an environment where she felt important and cared for. As we remember those teachers who have a lasting impact on us- Kate wants to have that impact on the children she teaches.

She has taught across all ages in various schools around South Yorkshire before taking up her first teaching post as a Y3 teacher in Cheshire. She believes that a key component of successful learning is trusted and valued relationships between the student and the teacher where a child is made to feel safe, supported and valued.

She is passionate about reading for pleasure and encouraging children to find books they enjoy becoming the best readers. She believes that it is essential to ensure learner growth through collaborating with other teachers, senior leadership, parents and the children. Kate intends to raise standards of achievement through formative and summative assessments to identify gaps in learning and address these accordingly.

Kate enjoys travelling and can’t wait to explore new places, enjoy new experiences and swim. She looks forward to becoming involved in drama productions - her experience of having lead character roles when she was younger will be useful with any school production.

Olivia Mary Hoar

Primary Teacher

First Class (Hons) BSc International Spa Management, University of Derby, Buxton, England
PGCE (QTS) - University of Winchester, England
MSc Mental Health and Wellbeing in Education - University of New Buckinghamshire, England

Liv Hoar is passionate about the mental health and emotional wellbeing of children and young people, leading her to begin her Master’s (MSc) in these areas within education. She strongly believes that children learn best when they feel safe. Whether that safety comes from their physical space or their mental space, Liv strives to provide a reflective and supportive environment to facilitate this through her teaching, and at the same time, considers herself to be a creative and active person. She also has an interest in being outdoors including other hobbies such as cycling, swimming, boxing, hiking, crochet, knitting, drawing, and reading.

Matthew Steadman

Primary Teacher

BA Hons - The University of Sydney - Science and Advanced Studies (Wildlife Conservation & Environmental Studies)
PDHPE - Australian College of Physical Education (ACPE) - Bachelor of Education

Matthew is an enthusiastic and hard-working professional who always endeavours to achieve the highest outcomes for his students. Professionally, he has flourished in a range of educational settings both internationally and in his home country, Australia.

Matthew prides himself as a lifelong learner, constantly seeking new opportunities to further develop his skills as a teacher and further his studies in the environmental sciences. He has a passion for travel and immersing himself in new cultures. Since 2011

Matthew has developed a polished and well-rounded philosophy to teaching, working hard to implement evidence-based teaching strategies in his practice. He always endeavours to connect with his students and make each learning experience meaningful and memorable.

Afzal Sadikali

Primary Teacher

BA Hons – University of Hertfordshire – Business School
PGCE – University of Greenwich – School of Education

Afzal Sadikali is a hands-on and practical teacher who uses his surroundings and his own personal experience where he sees fit to take teaching and learning to the next level. He aims to allow pupils to become independent learners, taking themselves on their learning journey to achieve their full potential.

With a vast experience in training and development in the Computing and Mathematics areas of the curriculum, he is also an experienced primary teacher that oversees the Key Stage 1 and 2 learners. A keen traveller, he is also Interested in music, karate, snooker, swimming, and fitness training.

See Shin Yee (Joyce)

Mandarin Teacher

Bachelor’s Degree of Business (Honours) in Banking and Finance.
Master’s Degree in Business Administration at University of Malaya (UM) (on-going)

Ms Joyce was born in Gerik, Perak, Malaysia.

She has been teaching for over 4 years in SRJK(C) Kuala Rui, SRJK(C) Klian Intan, and Hua Lian High School (independence) in Perak. Her past experience in teaching, managing students, handling student problems and identifying solutions have prepared her well for this position.

Although she graduated from business school, she likes teaching because she hopes that she can inspire and encourage children in the future. Teaching is a meaningful career for her.

Teaching Philosophy: Joyce aims to bring a positive attitude and high expectations to the classroom every day. She believes that she owes it to her students, as well as the community, to bring consistency, diligence, and warmth to her job in the hope that she can ultimately inspire and encourages such traits in the children as well.

Ms. Joyce listens to Asian and Western music. She wishes to travel around the world and make new friends. She is an animal lover and she always feeds and helps stray animals in her free time.

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