Charlotte Knight-Benjafield
Charlotte Knight-Benjafield
Executive Head of Early Years ｜Designated Safeguarding Lead
Charlotte is an experienced Early Years teacher and Head of Early Years. She holds a BA(Hons) degree in Geography from the University of Oxford. She completed her PGCE(with QTS) specialising in Early Years at Oxford Brookes University and went on to gain vast experience in outstanding schools in Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire, UK. During her time in the UK she was actively involved in Oxfordshire Moderation teams in addition to mentoring a number of successful PGCE students.
Charlotte has been teaching internationally for a number of years. She began her international journey as Head of Early Years, at a leading international school in Beijing where she led the Early Years to produce outstanding academic results. During this time, she also developed a successful Parent Partnership Program (PPP) which has gone from strength to strength. It was on this journey that Charlotte discovered her passion for growing effective teaching teams.
Charlotte says ‘Creating the right culture and environment for our talented teachers to thrive is ultimately the best way to support our young learners. If our teachers are well supported and informed then their genuine passion for learning will shine through. This passion serves to inspire our children to be curious, independent thinkers and learners.’
Charlotte says her most important role is being a mother. She has four children; three children join her and her husband in Shanghai, whilst her oldest daughter studies at University of Bristol, UK. Charlotte says ‘I think being a mother allows me to connect with our Hiba parents in a meaningful way. I understand their concerns, worries and questions. I am here to understand and support our families on this most important educational journey.’
With a large family, Charlotte does not have much spare time on her hands! When she has a moment free, she loves to walk her two little dogs, Echo and Bagel. She also enjoys reading biographies.
