Andy was born and raised in Devon in England, but as a young adult moved to France where he trained to teach outdoor pursuits. He returned to London where he earned a BA (Hons) in French and Music at London University, Goldsmiths College. He began his teaching experience in boarding schools in the UK and in Gstaad, Switzerland, and he moved to Southbank International School in London, an early IB Diploma School, where he was head of the Modern Languages department for 9 years, a department which taught on average 14 languages (both Language A and B). True to IB cross-curricular pedagogy, he taught French, Drama, and Physical Education. He then took a year’s sabbatical to travel around the world, and that brought him to Hong Kong where for over 25 years now he taught IB French A and B and drama at the French International School, (Lycée Français International), a large IB World School where the British IGCSEs and the French curriculum are also offered. With over 30 years as an IB teacher Andy has benefitted over the years from many professional development opportunities including IB Language A training at Discovery College. Andy has had a life-long passion for theatre, and has taught drama and theatre arts at international secondary schools in Hong Kong and Europe, and has over 40 years of theatre experience in a wide range of capacities, as actor, director, conductor, composer and arranger, accompanist, playwright, lighting designer,workshop leader and stage manager, and is now an active participant in the Hong Kong English Language Theatre. He has received theatre training as a member of the International Schools Theatre Association since 1987 (an organisation that works closely with the IB Organisation), and has worked as a workshop leader at ISTA festivals. He founded an English-language theatre group at the French International School and has taken his students to perform in China, Australia, Thailand, India, Malaysia, Taiwan, and Indonesia.
Andy was decorated by the French Government with Chevalier dans L’Ordre des Palmes Académiques for his services to the expansion of French culture and education.
