Staff Spotlight – Meet Ilja

As Brighton’s new Head of Campus, Ilja van Weringh brings intellectual depth and a strong sense of community to the role. With a background in history, humanities and philosophy, and a year and a half at MMC, she is passionate about giving young people genuine choice alongside clear expectations, helping them develop independence, accountability and pride in their work. Respect, agency and belonging sit at the centre of her approach.

We spent 5 minutes chatting with Ilja…

Full Name:  Ilja van Weringh

Position: Head of Campus – Brighton

How long have you been at MMC? A year and a half

Where were you beforehand? Wesley College, St Kilda Road

What do you love about working at MMC?

I love the sense of community, the students, the staff, the respect that we show each other and the dynamic between us all.

What inspires you as a Montessori educator/team member?

When young people are given genuine choice, along with clear expectations, they grow into it. They learn to manage their time, own their mistakes and take pride in their work. That sense of agency and respect, combined with accountability, is powerful. That is what I like most about a Montessori education.

What is your most memorable teaching moment?

My background is in history, humanities and philosophy. Last year I loved teaching Humanities in Cycle 4, especially when we created our Museum of Ancient Civilisations. The students were so creative. This year I’m continuing with Theory of Knowledge in Cycle 6. It’s essentially a critical thinking course and no two lessons are the same. We talk about a wide range of big questions and ideas, which keeps it fun, unpredictable and always interesting. When done well, TOK can be really challenging, and I like that. Hopefully the students do too.

What’s your most memorable moment as a school student?

I went to high school in the Netherlands. Near my school, archaeologists were digging up Roman remains. My class visited the site and I was hooked. Seeing walls, objects and foundations that were nearly 2,000 years old, right there in front of me, was surreal. I was fascinated by how normal those ancient people suddenly felt. That experience stretched my sense of time and gave me that long perspective. It is definitely the reason I studied history.

What are five interesting things about you we may not know? 

1. I love outrigger canoeing and participate in national and international races.
2. I often commute to work on my bike. Riding along the bay is relaxing
3. I am a surf life saver and see my surf life saving club as my beach house
4. I like eating liquorice (but not the super salty ones; there are so many nice and sweeter kinds)
5. I don’t like moths.

What does your weekend look like?

On a good weekend, I’ll be swimming, kayaking, canoeing or bike riding. Hanging out with friends for dinner is my favourite way to spend a weekend evening.