mechanism. It’s a family – and it requires all of your attention.” For a good while, Olga was
managing several components of the school. “I was the director of the school, the manager, the local partner – we were all growing this school together and growing with it.” Starting with 60 children in
1997 by the end of the same year BISU had more than 120 students and keeps growing today. In 2001, a smaller sister school in Dnipro was opened. A school that now sits just 60-70 kilometers from the front line of the war and which runs as an offline and online school taught by international teachers alongside Ukrainian teachers. “This year we managed to
appoint three more international teachers to teach offline. Frankly, I don’t know how we managed to do that,” she added. A testament to what BISU has become and the loyalty and draw it has for both Ukrainian and international educators. “We’re very proud that we’re
the first international school who has brought British education to Ukraine. We’re the only school who have been operating from day one of this big war.” The school has a history of
facing hard periods. “We have gone through a couple of difficult pages of our history. We overcame the Orange Revolution in 2004, a period that was not so severe as now but very challenging – a difficult revolutionary period. In 2014, we had another challenge, and the biggest one which we are still fighting now since 2022. On top of this, we’ve just had the hardest winter. Through it all, we are the only international education institution who has not closed. We’re still here and I’m extremely proud of my staff and the team.” Both BISU’s schools in Kyiv and
Dnipro now currently have their largest number of international teachers from across the world. “We have teachers from the
UK to Australia, US and Canada. Working face to face and shoulder to shoulder with Ukrainian teachers. This gives me so much
motivation as a leader because it shows they believe in the school and they believe in the children. They know they’re coming here not just for a job but a mission – one that we all share.”
COURAGEOUS LEADERSHIP Leading an education organisation through wartime takes spirit. For Olga it’s not just about delivering education, she has built a sanctuary too. A place that offers safety, support, security and hope. So much so that parents often tell her they feel their children are so much safer when they are learning at school. “When the war started none
of us had the experience of how to cope or proceed. The first few days were the most difficult ones when we needed to organise an evacuation process. My leadership team demonstrated great resilience and courage and unbelievable organisation.” She thinks back to when her team
had to evacuate all the international teachers who were far from home. Not an easy undertaking. “We prioritised evacuating
international teachers alongside their cats and dogs and everything that was important to them and managed to do it successfully and professionally. I think that’s why – as soon as it was possible – many of them decided to come back to BISU because of the belief and trust they have for management, the school and our children. I think that’s the most important thing. The belief we all share is what motivates me to keep going.” Pausing to reflect what her team
have been through, she recalls her teachers giving lessons in shelters on the eve of exam week to ensure students were fully prepared for their tests. “Hope in our situation is not
only about confidence. You have to believe at the back of your mind that you will be able to cope and that the future of tomorrow is going to happen. If you deeply believe it, you demonstrate it. As a role model for your staff you have to show up – stay
focused, organised and committed.” Olga is a believer of behavior
modelling. “When you demonstrate that belief, people around you automatically get motivated. They pick up on it and feel it.”
EDUCATING TO INSPIRE In times of war, you’d expect standards to be lowered but Olga was determined that the quality of education remain high and consistent to give all students the best start possible. BISU offers a comprehensive Cambridge Pathway for all age groups starting from early years and advancing through Cambridge IGCSE, A Level and the IB Diploma Programme. Additionally, local students have the option to follow the Ukrainian curriculum. “Our students need the Cambridge Pathway delivered with the same rigour, the same expectations, the same belief in their potential that we would offer in peacetime.” Under her leadership, BISU has
continued to invest in SEND learners and areas such as personalised education. Student wellbeing and care is another major aspect of BISU which stems from a place of empathy and openness. The schools also offer students everything from grounding to art therapy to help relieve anxiety and voice emotions as well as SEND rooms. “Children don’t just need
education. They need evidence that we’re still planning for tomorrow, still believing in their future.” When asked what motivates
her in these times of uncertainty, she says: “I think it’s very simple. You have to be in love with what you’re doing.”
“ Children don't just need education. They need evidence that we’re still planning for tomorrow, still believing in their future.”
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