New Appointments | Meet the Educators Shaping the Next Chapter at Harrow Shenzhen

Mr Benbow joined Harrow Shenzhen in 2023 and brings a wealth of experience after more than a decade of teaching and leading in primary education.

Before joining Harrow, Mr Benbow spent over 10 years teaching at Merchant Taylors’ Stanfield Preparatory School, an independent prep school in north-west England. During that time, he also held a range of leadership positions. Most recently, he served as Deputy Head of Lower School at Harrow Shenzhen. From August 2026, he will take up the role of Head of Lower School.

After graduating from the University of Leeds, Mr Benbow continued his studies at the University of Buckingham and Liverpool John Moores University, where he completed his MA in Education, Globalisation and Social Change. He is a keen advocate for lifelong learning and has been awarded a National Professional Qualification for Senior Leadership (NPQSL). 

Outside of teaching, he enjoys spending time with his wife, Emma, and his two young boys. He is a passionate sports fan, having played rugby for many years, and enjoys spending his free time enjoying the outdoors.

Miss Dirkze has a Bachelor of Teaching and Learning with Honours and nearly 20 years teaching experience. She has taught students from New Entrances up to Year 8 at various primary schools in Christchurch and London.

During her teaching career Miss Dirkze has held various leadership roles including Team Leader and Assistant Principal. She has spent the past 5 and a half years working as a Deputy Principal at a Year 7 and 8 intermediate school.

Mrs Hawkins graduated from St. Mary’s University in 2015 with a joint B.A Honours in English Literature, English Language and Creative Writing. Her studies included a period of time in New York City, with a specialism in journalism. Following some time travelling and working as teaching assistant, she completed her PGCE with QTS in Primary Education with specialist studies in EYFS and Leadership from Kingston University, London. She has been a teacher for 8 years and she has a wide array of experience in EYFS, KS1 and KS2 in the UK and Cairo, Egypt.

As a class teacher, Mrs Hawkins creates an immersive, engaging and fair learning environment. Her student’s voices are valued and individuals’ needs and strengths are cared for and nurtured. Personal growth is of the utmost importance to her. Mrs Hawkins believes;

“Everyone in the world should get a standing ovation once in their life.” Wonder by R.J Palaccio. She will work alongside her team and students to create opportunities for all to shine throughout the school year.

Mr Samuel Conway graduated with a BA (Hons) from the University of East Anglia in the United Kingdom. He later obtained Qualified Teacher Status (QTS) and a Postgraduate Certificate in Education (PGCE) from Oxford Brookes University. Most recently, Mr Conway was awarded the National Professional Qualification for Senior Leadership (NPQSL) through a Department for Education-accredited provider. Mr Conway has over ten years teaching experience across Key Stage 1 and Key Stage 2.

Alongside his classroom roles, Mr Conway has held several Senior Leadership positions, including English Lead, Head of Year and School Curriculum Lead. He has also been an Educational Consultant for the BBC (British Broadcasting Cooperation), and collaborated with UK publishers to develop content for primary-aged children, with some of his work being published nationally. In addition, Mr Conway has been invited to speak as a keynote presenter at a number of educational events, sharing his expertise on children’s writing and the transitions pupils experience between key phases of education.

Mr Conway draws upon the determination and resilience developed through a range of sporting achievements. He has cycled the full length of the United Kingdom, completed the London to Paris cycle challenge and competed in local sprint triathlons. These experiences reflect the commitment, perseverance and ambition that he encourages in all learners.

Jessica Stewart graduated from Cardiff University with a degree in English Language before continuing her studies at Canterbury Christ Church University, where she completed her Postgraduate Diploma in Education (PGDE) with Qualified Teacher Status (QTS) and later her Master of Arts (MA) in Transformational Leadership. Since then, she has been awarded the National Award for Special Educational Needs Coordination (NASENCo) and the National Professional Qualification for Leading Teaching (NPQLT).

Miss Stewart has now spent over nine years teaching across the English National Curriculum and blended English/Chinese curricula, primarily within Upper Key Stage 1 and Lower Key Stage 2.

Mark Douglas has been teaching English for 30 years, holding a degree in English Literature from the University of Newcastle-upon-Tyne, and an MA in English Literary Studies from the University of Durham.  

Mark has taught at schools in England, Peru, and, most recently, Rio de Janeiro in Brazil. He comes to Harrow with a wealth of knowledge and experience, having consistently shown the ability to innovate and develop the departments he has led. Mark’s main interests outside of work are art, music and football.

Tom is an experienced Physics educator who qualified as a teacher in 2017 and holds a Bachelor’s degree in Theoretical Physics from the University of Sussex. His particular interests within Physics include astronomy and space flight, and he enjoys sharing his enthusiasm for these topics with students.

Prior to moving to Shenzhen, Tom taught at a private grammar school in Leicestershire, and at a British international school in Vietnam. Tom has experience teaching a range of curricula and believes in creating a supportive and engaging classroom environment that encourages curiosity, critical thinking, and academic success.

Outside of teaching, he enjoys history, photography, and travel, which help him bring a broader global perspective to his lessons.

A biologist by training, Didem Er has built her career in international and bilingual schools across Türkiye and China, inspiring students to develop curiosity, confidence and a lifelong appreciation for science. As an experienced Upper School Science teacher with a specialism in Biology, she has taught the IBDP Biology and ESS, IGCSE Biology and the Cambridge Lower Secondary Science programme. Alongside her teaching, she serves as an IB Biology Examiner, bringing valuable expertise in assessment and academic excellence.

Didem believes that every student can succeed when learning is carefully scaffolded, highly engaging and built through a spiral approach that develops deep understanding over time. She is passionate about creating a calm, purposeful classroom where students feel supported, challenged and empowered to think critically, ask questions and achieve their personal best. She takes great pride in guiding students to reach their full potential through personalised support, meaningful coaching and a genuine passion for learning.

Outside the classroom, Didem enjoys exploring new destinations, discovering different cultures through food, and is an avid reader with a curiosity that extends well beyond science. She is delighted to join the Harrow Shenzhen community and looks forward to contributing to its vibrant learning community.

Samuel is a passionate music educator and active performer who is committed to inspiring young musicians and nurturing a lifelong appreciation for music. He specialises in Music Education at the University of Sydney of Conservatorium of Music and holds both Qualified Teacher Status (QTS) and Qualified Teacher Learning and Skills (QTLS). He teaches music across a range of examination boards including Cambridge International, Pearson Edexcel, and Eduqas Music.

 As an accomplished violinist and violist, Samuel has had the privilege of performing alongside internationally renowned musicians and ensembles, including Joshua Bell, the King’s Singers, Trey Lee, Twoset Violin, Eric Whitacre, and Vassily Sinaisky. As an active performer, Samuel enjoys sharing his musical experiences with students, encouraging them to grow in confidence, curiosity and musicianship.

Samuel holds a Licentiate of Trinity College London (LTCL) in Viola, as well as Associate of Trinity College London (ATCL) in Violin, and Associate in Music of Trinity College London (AMusTCL) in Music Theory. Outside the classroom, Samuel enjoys composing music for church worship and is currently pursuing further studies in AI in Education, where his research explores teachers’ AI competency through the UNESCO’s AI Competency Framework.

Ms Kemp joins Harrow Shenzhen as Upper School Head of Art, bringing over a decade of experience in art education across the UK, China and Portugal. Originally from Portugal, Ms Kemp began her teaching career in London before developing her international experience as an art educator.

Ms Kemp graduated from Manchester Metropolitan University with a BA (Hons) in Illustration and Animation, before completing an MA at Kingston University and her PGCE at the Institute of Education, UCL. She has taught and led Art departments in international schools, most recently as Head of Art in Porto, where she led curriculum development and oversaw IGCSE and A Level Art.

Alongside teaching, Ms Kemp has worked as a freelance children’s book illustrator, with several published titles. She is passionate about concept-based and inquiry-driven learning, encouraging students to explore ideas deeply, think critically and develop their creativity and confidence.