Jim Dunwell

Head of Science, Lead Teacher of Chemistry, Duke of Edinburgh Coordinator

I qualified as a Science teacher in the UK in 2005 and spent 8 years teaching there before deciding to expand my horizons and move to an international school in Nepal. Since then I have also worked at a school in Vietnam and am now the Chemistry teacher at Park Lane. I have always been excited by chemistry and I like to think I help my classes get as excited about it as I do. I do my best to get as many flashes and bangs into my lessons as possible and like to get my students actively involved in practical experiments whenever I can. I hope that students leave my classroom with an understanding of how science is involved in current events and their everyday lives.

Ever since I first started teaching, I have been heavily involved with the Duke of Edinburgh and International Awards. Before I left my home country, I was the Duke of Edinburgh coordinator for my school, and took my students on expeditions all over the UK. Since then, I have led International Award groups into the mountains of Nepal, and the jungles of Vietnam and led similar trips to Peru and Malawi. I believe it is one of the best things a young person can do to gain experiences of the world, develop their teamwork and leadership skills, and preparing them for life beyond school.

In my spare time, I enjoy rock climbing, mountaineering and travelling.