Our staff

SIAL.school is the only English/Italian bilingual and bi-curricular primary school with nursery in the UK.
Our people are passionate, energetic and committed to their work.

Headteacher

Ines Saltalamacchia

Ines Saltalamacchia

Ines has been involved in the project La Scuola Italiana a Londra since March 2006, first as Trustee and, once SIAL.school opened, in the management of the School. She graduated in Philosophy at the Università degli Studi in Milan, where she also took a MSc in Information and Communication Technology for Human Sciences. She worked as editor and website editor at the Einaudi Scuola Editorial office in Milan. From 2001 to 2004 she worked as a researcher at the Università degli Studi in Milan and at King’s College London, obtaining a PhD in Logic. For several years Ines was a Governor of Salusbury Primary School.

Deputy Headteacher

Katharine Whiteside

Katharine holds a BA Hons. degree in Linguistics and Phonetics from the University of Leeds, a PGCE in Primary Education and has completed the CELTA qualification. She has strong experience as a Primary teacher, working in various primary schools in the UK and Australia, including international and bilingual schools and a specialist SEN school. She has also taught English as a second language in schools across Italy.

Teachers

Alessandra Argenta

EYFS Teacher
Alessandra graduated as an Early Years and Primary school teacher in Cesena (Italy). She has also a diploma in Montessori 3-6 Assistants Certificate from the Association Montessori Internationale. She worked as a teacher of Nursery and Early Years schools in Cesena for ten years before moving to London where she worked as Senior nanny and tutor for children between 1 and 12 years old.

Linda Elfrey

EYFS Key Stage Coordinator
Linda has a Post Graduate Certificate in Education (EYFS and KS1). She graduated at Middlesex University in Business Information Systems with Combined Studies and has also an NVQ Level 3 in Children’s Care, Learning and Development and QTS (Qualified Teacher Status). She has worked for several years as a teacher in Nursery and Early Years schools in London.

Merlica Elfrey

EYFS Teacher
Merlica is fully qualified in Childcare Education. She taught in a Kindergarden in London from 2004 until July 2010, taking the role as deputy manager in 2009 and then came to us in 2010.

Ilaria Folli

EYFS Teacher
Ilaria has a BA degree in Nursery School Education from the University of Rome. She has several years worth of experience working in Nurseries in both London and Rome and specialises in working with children between 3 months and 3 years old.

Mariana Gregorio

Primary Teacher
Mariana possesses a BA in Italian from the University of Reading, a Certificate in teaching Italian as a foreign language and the CELTA qualification to teach English as a foreign language as well as QTS (Qualified Teacher Status).
She has experience in teaching both English and Italian as foreign languages.

Ayaz Mahmood

Primary Teacher
Ayaz has a BA in Physical and Sport Education from the University of St. Mary’s in London. He has also achieved the QTS status by completing his PGCE Primary from St. Mary’s University. After graduating, Ayaz worked as a sports coach for Sports Plus Scheme as well as PE teacher for SIAL school in 2020 and as Primary teacher in the academic year 2021-2022.

Serena Olmeda

KS2 Key Stage Coordinator
Serena has a degree in Primary Education and a degree in Modern Literature. Serena has worked for several years as a Primary teacher and as a SEN teacher in Italy and, since she moved to London in 2013, as an Italian teacher for the Department of Education at the Italian Consulate in London.

Alessia Sbicca

KS1 Key Stage Coordinator
Alessia has a BA in Oriental Languages and Cultures, an MA in Teaching Foreign Languages and a Ditals Certificate (to teach Italian as a foreign language). She has experience as a Nursery Teacher and an Italian and Chinese Teacher. Since 2014 she has been working as an Italian Teacher for the Department of Education at the Italian Consulate.

Cayne Schooley

Primary Teacher
Cayne has a Bachelor of Education from the Auckland University of Technology (Auckland, New Zealand), a Bachelor of Teaching (BTchg) from the Waikato University (Hamilton, New Zealand), and the QTS (Qualified Teacher Status). She has strong experience in teaching the UK curriculum and the IB (International Baccalaureate Primary Years Programme (IB PYP) having worked in various primary schools in New Zealand and UK since 2011.

Ursula Charles

Primary Teacher
Ursula has a Bachelor of Arts (Hons) in Music from the Brunel University, a PGCE in Music from the Institute of Education and the QTS (Qualified Teacher Status) gained in 2008. Since 2008 she has been working as Teacher in various schools in London in KS1, KS2 and KS3.

Teaching Assistants and Learning Support

Franca Boschi

Teaching Assistant
Franca graduated as a Nursery and Early Years school teacher in Bologna (Italy) and when she arrived in London she obtained the NVQ level 2 in Childcare Education at Westminster College. She worked as a teacher of Nursery and Early Years schools in Bologna and Rome. In London she was a teacher for Early Years and Nursery in the Little House Nursery and Lancefield Nursery. She also currently teaches Italian at Francis Holland School to GCSE and A-level students.

Rossana Bottino

Teaching Assistant
Rossana graduated in Lingue e Letterature Moderne at the Istituto Universitario di Lingue Moderne in Milan. She has a Higher Level Teaching Assistant Level 4 certificate, a Level 5 TEFL certificate and a certificate in Supporting Learners with Dyslexia and SpLD. She has experience in teaching Italian, English, French and Spanish as foreign languages.

Giulia Colonnella

TA & Extended Hours Supervisor
Giulia has a MA in Modern Languages, Literature and Culture form the University of Turin. She has worked in the Tourism sector for several Charities before coming to London to work as private tutor. She joined our staff as a Teaching Assistant in September 2021 and now works in KS2.

Carla Astronomo

Teaching Assistant
Carla has a Degree in Italian Studies from the University of Florence. She has worked as Italian Language Teacher at the Centro Internazionale Giorgio La Pira of Florence from 2011 to 2014 before moving to London, where she worked as Italian Language Teacher and Tutor and as Teaching Assistant in an English Primary school.

Tatiana Ferlito

SEND Teaching Assistant
Tatiana has a Bachelor of Arts in Language Mediation Sciences from the University of Turin (Italy) and a Master Degree in TESOL (Teaching English to speaker of other languages) from the University of Westminster. She has several years of experience as Teaching Assistant in Primary schools in London.

Luisa Frascà

TA & Extended Hours Supervisor
Luisa holds a Degree in Biological Science from Università della Tuscia (Viterbo, Italy) and a Master’s degree in Neuroscience from Università di Trieste (Trieste, Italy). She has a varied background with experience as back office manager, pharmacy assistant and private tutor for children of different ages.

Rubie Hughes

Learning Support
Rubie has a Bachelor of Arts (Hons) in Fine Art from the University of the Arts London. She has experience as a Senior Social Representative at UAL, including being responsible for student wellbeing and managing events. She has also experience with Dementia patients and their careers as workshop creator and with primary children as an Online Art Workshop Creator.

Samantha Norte

Teaching Assistant
Samantha has a BA in Communication Studies and Film Studies (Middlesex University) and the CELTA qualification (Certificate in Teaching English to Speakers of other Languages). For the last 4 years Samantha has taught English as a second language at Cavendish House in Portugal, teaching groups of students at mixed levels and of different age groups.

Specialist Teachers

Paolo Bassi

Individual Music Lessons
Guitar
Paolo has a diploma in Bass and Music Theory from the CAM school of Florence and a BA Hons Degree in Jazz Music from the Middlesex University. He has been teaching bass and guitar as well as music theory and harmony to children (both individually and in groups) since 2000, first in Italy and from 2013 in London. His teaching experience covers a variety of different levels, from beginners to advanced learners.

Christabel

Christabel Forbes

Art
Christabel has a BA (Hons.) in Fine Art from Falmouth University and a Postgraduate Diploma in Drawing and Tutor Training both from the Royal Drawing School of London. Christabel has several years of experience as an Art Teacher in selected London Primary schools.

Anna Oggero

Music & Drama
Anna is a highly skilled Performing Arts teacher, Performer and Theatre Producer. After graduating with distinction from Law University of Turin, and in Performing Arts from the Academy of Performing Arts of Turin, Anna relocated to London where she graduated with distinction from Goldsmiths University of London, with an MA in Musical Theatre. Since graduating, Anna has worked as a professional performer, Theatre Producer and has taught at various Performing Arts Schools first in Italy and then around London, working with children from ages 3months-18yrs old.

Mr. R

P.E.
He qualified as Physical Education Teacher from the ISEF (Istituto Superiore di Educazione Fisica).
He has worked as P.E. teacher for more than twenty years first in Italy and then in Ethiopia and London.

Dawn Rault

Individual Music Lessons
Piano, Recorder and Singing
Dawn has been a primary music teacher for over 25 years. For many of these years she taught at Pembridge Hall School, whilst also setting up and running music departments in two other emerging London day schools. She is a keen singer and recorder player and regularly accompanies children on the piano in concerts and exams. In addition to teaching at the Italian School, she has a private practice, directs three children’s choirs and teaches part time in a local Catholic state school

T. Wanat

Individual Music Lessons
Violin
Wanat T. holds a diploma in Performance from the Royal Conservatory of Music in Toronto, a diploma in Advanced Instrumental Studies from Guildhall School of Music in London and a MA, Arts Management from City University in London. He has been teaching violin in schools for more than ten years. He works with students at all levels, from beginner to advanced. When needed he can also prepare students for external exams.

School Office

Giovanna Torrico

School Administrator
Giovanna has a degree in Architecture and a diploma in Interior Design. Before joining SIAL.school, she set up several companies linked to the world of catering, as well as publishing 3 cookery books and 2 books on healthy nutrition. She has gained useful experience in education with her role as Chair of two different Parents’ Associations in a primary and secondary school in London.

Kitchen Staff

Jenny Randazzo

Chef
Jenny has a Foundation certificate in food hygiene, Level 2 NVQ in professional cookery, HABC Level 3 award in Supervising Food safety in Catering and Level 4 Food Safety Management in the workplace. She also has a certificate of achievement in Nutrition for Children. Jenny worked as chef and Head chef in different 5-star restaurants. She earned the highest accolade for our kitchen from the hygiene inspector who, in the last 10 years, has awarded us the full 5 stars.

Paolo Solazzo

Assistant Chef
Paolo studied at the Istituto Albeghiero Paolo Borsellino in Palermo. In London he obtained his SIA (Security Industry Authority) door supervisor licence from Green Man Security and NVQ Level 3 in Food Safety for Catering. He has worked for six years at an Italian restaurant in Surrey before joining SIAL.school in 2013.