School Leadership

Ning Tian, Associate Professor, has extensive educational management theory and practical experience. Before serving as Chinese Founding Headmaster of Wycombe Abbey School Nanjing, Mr Tian was involved in teaching and educational management at XiaoZhuang University for 39 years. During that period, he also served as Headmaster of Nanjing Experimental International School, overseeing the successful running of all phases of the school from Kindergarten through to Lower School and Upper School. During his tenure as Headmaster, the school underwent tremendous growth and development. Mr Tian is well known among Nanjing society for his educational achievements. He is the Vice President and Executive Vice President of the Nanjing Private Education Association, a position he has held for 20 years.

Matthew holds a Bachelor's degree from the University of Birmingham and an Executive MBA from the University of East London. His distinguished career includes serving as Interim Headmaster at Sherborne School, Assistant Head at Brighton College, and Housemaster at Bedford School in the UK, where he has made outstanding achievements in boarding school management and holistic education practice. As an educational leader, he places special emphasis on balancing academic development with comprehensive student growth. An enthusiastic participant in extracurricular activities, he is closely interested in current affairs and business theory, and enjoys opera and classical music. He is a long-distance runner, a former junior international hockey player, and enjoys team activities, once leading a team of 50 on an expedition to Everest Base Camp. These diverse personal experiences and passions fully demonstrate his commitment to holistic education principles.

Mrs. Charlotte Allen holds a BA (Hons) from Royal Holloway, University of London and a PGCE from the Institute of Education, University of London. She has also completed the National Professional Qualification for Senior Leadership (NPQSL) at UCL, specializing in “Driving Academic Progress within a Boarding School Setting”. With over 23 years of teaching and leadership experience in top UK independent schools, she previously served as Academic Lead at Sherborne School. She is highly proficient in international curricula including iGCSE and A-Level, and has held various roles such as Head of Department, Assistant Head of House, Head of Sixth Form, EPQ/HPQ Programme Coordinator, and Assistant Head (Academic) in various respected UK schools, including all-through and state schools. Guided by the philosophy that "happy children learn," Mrs. Allen is committed to integrating academic excellence with holistic education. She actively promotes growth mindset and lifelong learning, and her leadership will significantly strengthen academic development and teaching quality at WAS Nanjing.

Mr Engelke holds a Master's degree in Educational Leadership and Management from Keele University, UK, with 5 years of experience in teaching and management in primary and secondary schools. He formerly taught at Hangzhou Foreign Language School and served as the Housemaster. He also has extensive experience in teaching extracurricular activities such as rugby.

Holding a degree in Business Management and a PGCE at Hull University, Mr. Pitchford has teaching experience in Business Studies GCSE, BTEC Level 2/3 and IGCSE, A Level, ICT KS3, BTEC Level 2/3, Computer Science KS3, Citizenship and IGCSE Travel and Tourism KS4. He had excellent classroom management skills and completed a TEFLs course. He is eager to learn new skills and meet new challenges in a dynamic educational working environment.

Before joining WASNJ, Mr Qiang Yuan was Executive Head for Upper School at Nanjing Experimental International School. He has undertaken various leadership roles in his 30 years of professional experience. Mr Yuan has been known for encouraging his students always to pursue down-to-earth activities as part of their learning process. Mr Yuan believes that education is the conversation between two souls. He expects to contribute at WASNJ and is ready to witness the growth of every student here.

Mr Smale holds a Bachelor's degree in Education Studies from the United Kingdom, with 18 years of international teaching and management experience in China, Kuwait, Malaysia, and other countries. He is an expert in theme-based learning, science, and English instruction in primary school. He also has rich management experience in pastoral care within the House System. Before joining WASNJ, Mr Smale was the Head of Department and Housemaster at a renowned international school in Beijing.

Ms Yu holds a Master's degree in Education Studies from the United Kingdom, with 9 years of teaching and management experience in international schools in China, Thailand, and Qatar. Before joining WASNJ, she served as Head of Section, homeroom teacher, and residential tutor at another well-known international school in Hangzhou. Outside of teaching, she is also passionate about swimming, badminton, cycling, and reading.

Mrs Li has been committed to education for 40 years, 22 years of which she has devoted to front-line teaching and 12 years to kindergarten management. Institutions under her leadership have earned high public and government praise. She enjoys her time with kids very much. As the founding Chinese Head of Kindergarten, Mrs Li aims to build a safe, happy, but challenging environment for every child there.