Catriona Woodward is an international education leader with over a decade of experience in the UK, Hong Kong, Hungary, and the Netherlands. Driven by creativity, she has consistently worked to integrate innovation into education, holding senior leadership roles in start-up schools where new approaches were both possible and expected.
In these roles, she contributed to curriculum design, culture building, team leadership, parental engagement, branding, and student achievement. Her work is guided by the belief that education is most effective when it embraces bold, innovative approaches.
After completing master's level research on outdoor learning, Catriona supported the development and operation of two forest-beach schools in Hong Kong, establishing herself as a leader in nature-based pedagogy in Asia. She also helped develop Makerspaces in Hong Kong and Hungary, enabling learners to build and develop their ideas.
Before founding Ikuei Education, Catriona served as Principal of REAL School Budapest, a sister school of Green School Bali. Since 2019, she has consulted with schools, universities, and private companies on innovative practices, outdoor learning, and project-based learning. She is now focused on sharing this expertise across the Netherlands and is committed to helping schools and leadership teams prepare students for a rapidly changing world.
Recognising the need to future-proof education, she has engaged with thought leaders in project-based learning and continues to support schools across Asia and Europe in developing meaningful, inquiry-driven learning experiences.
Throughout her leadership career, Catriona has remained actively involved in the classroom. She believes effective leaders must understand learning from the student perspective to drive lasting, meaningful change. Her tutoring approach is highly individualised, responsive, and tailored to each learner's strengths and needs.