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Mark Paterson

Teacher of Environmental Systems and Societies & Geography

Teacher of Environmental Systems and Society and Geography; CAS Coordinator

Mark is originally from Hahei Beach in New Zealand. He gained his BSc and Secondary Teaching Diploma from the University of Auckland. In his 20 years of teaching, he has taught a wide variety of subjects including Biology, Chemistry, Physics, Maths, PE, History, Social Studies, Geography and Environmental Science. Growing up near several marine reserves in New Zealand developed his strong interest in conservation and ecology. He has a passion for the marine environment and travels to coastal areas as often as possible to participate in water activities and observe the flora and fauna. He has played and coached rugby for over three decades and follows rugby league and union closely.

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Dr. Harprit Athwal

Head of Science; Chemistry, Science

Harprit is from central England and has always had a passion for science. He graduated with a Master’s degree in Chemistry in 2006 and went on to complete a PhD in Supramolecular Chemistry in 2011. During his time as a postgraduate he was involved in a wide variety of teaching and science outreach activities and decided to pursue a full time career in teaching. He completed his teaching qualification in 2014 and taught Chemistry at Manchester High School for Girls before moving to Prague. In his spare time, Harprit enjoys travelling and playing sports, having spent over a decade regularly playing Ultimate Frisbee.

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Samuel Bale

Head of Physics

Originally from Essex in the UK, Sam completed his Masters in Mechanical Engineering at the University of Sheffield. After spending time working as a Manufacturing Engineer in Oxford he moved into teaching and completed his PGCE in partnership with Teach First and Birmingham City University. However, after three years teaching in Birmingham he became reminiscent of his time hitchhiking around Europe during University for charity, and so decided to move to Central Europe. Outside of his work Sam enjoys running, swimming, and exploring more of Central and Eastern Europe.

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PhDr. Milena Brůhová

Examinations Administrator

Milena graduated with a degree in Informatics and was awarded the academic title PhDr from the Faculty of Philosophy at Charles University in Prague. Her career started at the Water Research Institute and she continued her studies in Information Science at the University of Economics, then becoming Head of the Branch Information Centre of the Czech Water Management organisation. After marrying a teacher from the USA, she organised English courses and a language school for international companies.

Her return to her original profession began with the Institute of Computer Science of the Czech Academy of Sciences and then at the Czech National Library. She went on to work for the Centre of Information and Library Services at the University of Economics. Because she wanted her daughters to speak equally well in both their native languages, she gave them the opportunity to study at the English College in Prague and followed them there, working in the library for five years and since 2013, her work has concentrated on the preparation of all ECP’s examinations and school reports.

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Monika Kopová

Accounts Coordinator

Monika acquired her Master´s degree in Economics and Management at The Private University College of Economics Studies. Monika joined the English College in Prague as a receptionist in September 2008 and at the start of 2017 she joined the Bursary team as an Accounts Coordinator. In her spare time she enjoys spending time with her children, as well as running, volleyball, reading.

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Eva Smith

PA to Deputy Heads, Tutor & Czech Universities (Student Support)

After graduating from the Zlín gymnázium, Eva spent two and a half years in Kent learning English. She came back with the Cambridge Proficiency in English certificate and during the following nine years, worked for Reuters, Vodafone, the Via Foundation and Mondelez International in administrative positions. While on maternity leave she completed a Bachelor’s degree in the History and Literature of English speaking countries.

In 2016 she completed her Master’s degree in the same subjects as well as her teaching qualification. In 2015 she joined the English College in Prague as an assistant to the Deputy Heads. During the summer, she works as an English teacher to young children at a summer camp in the Krkonoše. In her spare time she enjoys reading and jogging.

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Karolína Santander

Marketing and Publicity Manager

Karolína is a supporter of the British style of education as she completed her MBA at the Open University Business School in the UK. She specialises in marketing, communications and public relations. She has worked for various companies in the services sectors – in the legal, education, banking, fashion and insurance industries. In the education sector she managed the marketing activities of a UK-based university and a local language school. She speaks fluent Czech and English and also has knowledge of Russian, Spanish and French. Her interests are architecture, design, culture, art, history, skiing, power yoga, surfing, cycling and travelling.

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Markéta Mašovská

School Office Manager, Marketing Support, Teacher of Czech Humanities & Tutor

Headmaster’s PA Markéta obtained her Bachelor’s degree in English and Applied Economics at Palacky University in Olomouc and completed her Master’s degree in American Studies at the Faculty of Social Sciences of the Charles University in Prague. Markéta is enthusiastic about international education, as she was an exchange student at a high school in the USA and this experience of studying in the English language and following the English style of learning has affected her greatly.

She is happy to be working in an environment providing a similar education here in Prague. It also inspired her to complete a teaching qualification at Charles University in Prague and take on teaching. Markéta joined the ECP in 2014. Before that, she worked as a translator in the media industry for many years and then also as a translator/coordinator for a coaching consultancy. In her spare time, she enjoys family trips, board games, table tennis and dancing.

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John Fleck

Director of Information Systems

John, from Belfast in Northern Ireland, graduated from the University of Ulster in 2007 with a BSc In Computer Science. He also holds several professional qualifications from both Microsoft and ITIL. Prior to moving to Prague, John worked in London for a tier 1 investment bank, providing infrastructure support to their Trading Floor environment.

He joined the ECP at the start of 2015 in order to ensure the development and implementation of cost-effective systems and efficient computer operations to meet both current and future decision making requirements. He provides school-wide direction in areas of policy and planning for data processing and related functions. Away from the College, John enjoys spending time with his children, as well as reading and snowboarding.

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Gina Hearn OBE

Director of External Relations & Clerk to the Governors

Gina is the ECP’s main contact with outside organisations such as the British Embassy, British Council and the British Chamber of Commerce. She also works with ECP alumni to develop the English College in Prague Network – ECP’s extended alumni association. As Clerk to the Governors, she organises their meetings and ensures our compliance with Czech o.p.s. legislation.

Before moving to Prague in 2006 with her partner, ECP’s Senior Deputy Head, Tony Emmerson, Gina worked in UK politics in various roles: planning and organising regional tours for the Conservative Shadow Cabinet, Political Adviser to the Opposition Chief Whip in the House of Commons and, for over ten years, she was Constituency Secretary to John Major, including six years at 10 Downing Street when he was Prime Minister.

Gina’s father was Rudolf Poledník, a butcher from Třinec, who escaped Czechoslovakia in 1939 to fight with the RAF and then settled in Manchester after the war where she was born. She attended Manchester High School for Girls and Liverpool University where she studied Political Theory & Institutions. Away from the ECP, she is a keen fan of English cricket and enjoys cooking, gardening, travelling and progressive rock.