Earlier this month, Hiba Academy Nantong held a five-day induction for new staff, followed by a seven-day academic team training programme to prepare for the new academic year. These sessions helped our new teachers settle in, get to know our school’s values and approach, and feel at home in the Hiba Academy Nantong community.
Outstanding Faculty Team
We are delighted to welcome two new members to our senior leadership team:
Daniel Gibbons
Head of Secondary
Daniel Gibbons joins us from Oxford, where he served as Head of Our Lady's, an independent school for 7–18-year-olds, for the past four years. Previously, he was Deputy Head (Academic) at Downside, a leading boarding school, and Head of Faculty at The Redmaids' School, another independent school. Daniel has extensive experience in schools with outstanding academic records, with pupils progressing to top universities such as Oxford, Cambridge and Imperial in the UK, as well as Wharton Business School in the US. Earlier in his career, Daniel also worked at the British International School Jakarta.
Daniel read Geography at the University of Leeds and completed his PGCE in Manchester. He also holds an MBA from Coventry University, specialising in global education. Daniel has taught Geography and Economics and has successfully supported many pupils through the admissions process at Oxford and Cambridge. He has also managed football, athletics and cross-country teams at various age levels.
Melissa Meikle
Head of Primary
Melissa grew up in Zimbabwe and has spent the past five years at Wellington College International Tianjin, where she held roles including English Lead, Assistant Head of Junior School and, most recently, Deputy Head of Junior School. She also holds the National Professional Qualification in Senior Leadership.
Melissa completed her teacher training at Midlands Christian Training Centre and holds a Bachelor of Arts from the University of South Africa, majoring in English and Psychology. After graduating, she moved to the UK to begin her teaching career as a primary teacher and Special Educational Needs Coordinator at a prep school in Suffolk, during which she achieved her QTS and PGCE.
In addition to our two new Heads of School, we are delighted to welcome 22 new teachers to Hiba Academy Nantong this year. They bring a wealth of professional expertise and a global outlook to our classrooms. Over 70% hold a master’s degree, more than 80% have studied or taught overseas and 70% of our international teachers are from native English-speaking countries. On average, our new teachers have over twelve years’ teaching experience. This diverse and internationally minded team is set to offer pupils rich cross-cultural learning, further enhancing our unique blend of Eastern and Western education.
Supporting Every New Arrival
All new staff took part in a 12-day programme introducing our core values, curriculum, and teaching standards. The training also covered pastoral care, holistic education, classroom practices, learning technology, staff wellbeing and team building, helping everyone settle in and feel part of our community.
Celia Cao
Assistant HR Manager
Our aim in designing this induction is to help teachers quickly familiarise themselves with our policies, embrace our values and embed them in daily practice. Through interactive activities and workshops, we ensure that new colleagues gain a deep understanding of the Group’s ethos, academic standards and team spirit from the outset.
Bringing Top Talent to
Our Team
Supported by Wellington College Education (China)’s global network, Hiba Academy Nantong attracts outstanding educators from around the world. Last year, we received more than 3,500 applications, with only 8% moving past the initial screening. Those who joined us went through several rounds of interviews and rigorous background checks and have proven their expertise, passion, and alignment with our values. This careful selection process helps us build a diverse, high-quality faculty dedicated to delivering a world-class education.
Ongoing Professional
Development
Joining Hiba Academy Nantong is just the beginning. Our teachers benefit from a wealth of professional development opportunities, including UK National Professional Qualification (NPQ) courses, the International Postgraduate Certificate in Education (iPGCE) in partnership with TES Institute, as well as a range of leadership programmes such as the High Potential Programme and Middle Leadership Programme. These initiatives support our educators’ professional growth whilst driving the school’s ongoing development and innovation.
As we begin the new academic year, Hiba Academy Nantong will continue to work with all staff to explore, innovate and inspire. With a strong faculty, a rigorous academic framework and rich educational resources, we are confident that every pupil will be empowered to achieve academic excellence, develop core competencies and thrive in a rapidly changing world as the next generation of leaders.
