Meet the Team
Ms Zoe
Founder
Ms Zoe is a pioneer of Mandarin education in the UK. She runs a reputable Chinese school, Real Chinese Academy (瑞雅中⽂学校), and is the author of several books on education. She is the proud grandma of two grandchildren who have both attended Pony & Panda @ Petts Wood.
Ms Jing
Founder
An Oxford graduate fluent in Chinese, Japanese, and English, Ms Jing has a unique role as the mum of a child who attends Pony & Panda while also being part of the team. Running the nursery and seeing her son grow up in it has been a touching journey for her. She looks at her son and Pony & Panda as if they are both her children, and she is immensely proud of both.
Ms Bobo
Headteacher
Pony & Panda @ Petts Wood
Ms Bobo, the Headteacher of Pony & Panda @ Petts Wood, has been instrumental in nurturing our nursery from its infancy. Her unique approach, passion, and efforts have created an extraordinary learning experience for our children. As an art graduate, she has introduced a range of non-typical nursery activities, such as monthly art stations featuring Monet, Van Gogh, and other renowned artists, to our curriculum. We salute Ms Bobo for her innovative mindset, which has set a tone of excellence for our entire team.
Ms Alicia
Headteacher
Pony & Panda @ Wimbledon
Ms. Alicia began her journey as a nursery practitioner 20 years ago and has since taken on leadership roles in nurseries across South and West London. As Manager of our Wimbledon Nursery, she has played a key role in creating a warm, stimulating, and inclusive environment for all children. She leads our English language sessions, and the progress made by our children — including those who have recently moved to the UK from China with limited English — has been truly inspiring. Under her leadership, the team delivers a wide range of engaging activities, from woodwork and science experiments to sports sessions, all of which have received outstanding feedback from parents.
Ms Cecilia
Deputy Headteacher
Pony & Panda @ Petts Wood
Miss Cecilia is the lead of our English curriculum and an experienced SENCO. Born in Hong Kong and educated in Australia, she left her corporate career behind when she had discovered Montessori after the birth of her daughter. Seeing the benefit of the Montessori pedagogy in her daughter and the hundreds of children she has taught in the last decade, she is a firm believer in children’s learning through concrete experience and building confidence through their development of physical, emotional and social independence. Miss Cecilia has introduced Montessori’s phonic system to our classroom and is dedicated to developing a holistic curriculum for our children.
All our children enjoyed dancing and singing with her.
Miss Peipei
Third in Charge
Pony & Panda @ Petts Wood
Miss Peipei has a degree in Art and a keen interest in animals and nutrition for children. She keeps cats, snakes, and fish at home, and our children have benefitted from her knowledge and experience with animals and from meeting them. Children also enjoy her cooking sessions, which involve a lot of knowledge about healthy eating and food combinations.
Mr Ziyang
Teacher
Pony & Panda @ Petts Wood
Specialised in Early Childhood Studies with a PGCert from Roehampton University, he has brought many years of experience working with children at nurseries and secondary schools into daily activities in Reasoning and Maths, to nurture children’s intellectual development at the nursery. He leads our ONE ZERO ONE project to develop children’s logical thinking and digital skills with AI tools from an early age.
Ms Jing
Teacher
Pony & Panda @ Petts Wood
With a bachelor’s degree in early music education, Jing has been dedicated to the field of education for over ten years, guided by the philosophy: “See children with appreciative eyes, and view the world through their perspective.” Jing plays traditional Chinese instruments such as the Erhu (二胡), Hulusi (葫芦丝), and bamboo flute(竹笛) to a professional level, and excels in classical Chinese dance as well as various forms of Chinese ethnic and folk dance. Her diverse talents also include proficiency in Bel Canto (美声), traditional Chinese vocal techniques (中国民族唱法), and popular singing styles, enriching our children’s learning through music and culture.
Miss Megi
Teacher
Pony & Panda @ Petts Wood
An Early Childhood Studies graduate, and passionate about supporting young children’s development through play, exploration, and positive relationships, Miss Megi strives to create a warm, inclusive, and stimulating environment where every child feels safe, confident, and encouraged to reach their full potential.
Miss Anna
Teacher
Pony & Panda @ Wimbledon
Miss Anna worked as a secondary school teacher in China before moving to business and completing a master’s in the UK. She then decided to pursue her interest in teaching again and really enjoys applying various childhood pedagogies when she works with our children.
Miss Tina
Teacher
Pony & Panda @ Wimbledon
A music graduate with a growing passion for working with children, Miss Tina leads our music curriculum at Wimbledon nursery. During music circle time, she has helped even our youngest children develop a sense of routine and joy through music. It’s heartwarming to see one-year-olds eagerly grab a cushion, gather around the piano, and tap along with instruments as Miss Tina plays their favorite songs.
Ms Jenny
Chef
Ms Jenny has been a chef for many years, and our children like her excellent food, her personality, and her enthusiasm. When not cooking, Ms Jenny loves spending time with our children and sharing her culinary knowledge. We look forward to our children starting to cook early on at home!
Ms Lili
Chef
Ms Lili loves cooking for young children and sees her role as a chef as an opportunity to combine her passion as a Chinese language teacher and provide nutritious food for children. Children love observing her work in the kitchen. Ms Lili is very organised, and we are hopeful that children also observe that trait when they see her cook.