The team is made up of Allison, Ruth, Rachel, Rosaria and Gillian. Allison, Ruth, Rachel and Gillian are mother tongue teachers with a vast array of academic qualifications in the field of teaching and pedagogy. Rosaria is the school lunchtime supervisor and caretaker.

Allison was born and grew up in Dublin, Ireland and has been teaching for over 25 years. She first qualified as a Montessori teacher in 1998. In 2000, she specialised as a Specific Learning Difficulties/ Dyslexia Teacher (SDLP). Following this, she received a BA (Hons) in Early Childhood Education from Birmingham University. She was then one of only 20 candidates chosen for the Graduate Teacher Training Programme (GTP) from Warwick University.
Allison has taught in Primary, Secondary and Special Needs schools in the UK and abroad. She moved to Italy in 2001 to start a family. She taught at the International school in Florence and the Westminister school in Pisa. While teaching at Westminister, she completed the International Baccalaureato Programme in Primary/ Early Years (IB PYP) in 2009. In 2010, she set up Happy Days Preschool & Language Centre with Ruth Breen.
Since living in Italy Allison has also trained as a Cambridge Oral examiner for KEY, PET and FCE exams. She has prepared students for Cambridge exams from level A2 to C2.
Allison believes in the Montessori philosophy of nurturing each child’s natural desire for knowledge, understanding and respect. She is very passionate about the inclusion of all children, and strives to create a learning environment where each child feels that their contribution is valued.
Ruth was born in Wales and moved to Stafford, England when she was 2 years old. She completed her school education there and then went on to Edge Hill University where she was awarded her Joint BA Hons in English/ Art and Design.
After leaving University, Ruth worked as a teaching assistant at a Special needs school in Liverpool and this rewarding experience led her to return to University to obtain her Primary PGCE in 2004.
Following the completion of her PGCE course, Ruth worked in a variety of Primary school settings in north west England, before being awarded a teaching post at an outstanding Primary School in Southport as a Reception Teacher for 2 years.
Ruth moved to Italy in 2007 to work as the Early Years teacher at Westminster International School. During her time there, she completed training for the International Baccalaureate programme. During this period she met Allison Power and together they decided to create Happy Days English School in 2010.
She lives with her son and partner in Pisa.
Rachel Inman was born in England in 1963 where she completed school and university doing a degree and masters in Fine Art (Sculpture) at Central St Martins School of Art and then The Slade at University College London. She worked for many years in theatre and arts administration to fund her own art practice in London before receiving a research and study grant at the British School in Rome in 2000.
She married in Italy in 2002 and moved to Tuscany where she still lives in the countryside with her family and animals. In 2005 after her two children had started nursery school, she began teaching English as a foreign language to other children in the local area, doing both private lessons at home and visiting schools as an external teacher. Over the last 20 years she has worked in a number of schools in and around Pisa, Pontedera and Livorno, mostly with young children of infants and junior school age. She has developed her own multi sensory and play based teaching practice where she integrates her long experience and training in art and creative skills with learning English, using stories, songs, objects, drawing and painting, games and role play. Rachel has also collaborated with a number of local libraries to produce creative workshops and animated reading projects for children in English.

Rosaria was born in the province of Naples, where she lived until she got married. She raised three daughters and when they grew up she worked as a babysitter, until she met Allison and Ruth and started her role at Happy Days.

Rosaria’s role is to take care of the children’s lunches and keep the school clean.

She has attended a HACCP course She also completed an online training course for food intolerance. Committed to social issues, she is part of the “Team Deri S.L.A aps” association

Gillian was born in Northern Ireland where she went to school and then university gaining a BA (Hons) in Business studies. She moved to London after university where she worked in marketing. After working in London for several years Gillian returned to Northern Ireland. In 2003 she got married in Pisa where her love of Tuscany began. Having three children (a girl and two boys) she chose a change in her career path and founded ‘Little Hands Little Feet’, a day care facility in Belfast caring for children from 4 months to eight years of age in a day nursery, pre-school  and after schools club. In 2012 the family moved to Tuscany where the children attended the elementary and nursery schools in Palaia Since living in Italy Gillian qualified as a TEFL/TESOL trained teacher teaching English as a foreign language in several pre-schools and elementary in the Valdera area.

Gillian is committed to enriching children’s learning experiences through play, creativity and music in a safe and secure environment.