Experienced educator Akilah Thompson has been appointed to the position of deputy principal at Vivien Vanterpool Primary School.
She joined the Island Harbour school’s leadership team on 2 January, where she supports administration, staff management and the implementation of school-wide initiatives.
“It is my hope that Vivien Vanterpool Primary School continues to grow and evolve. I will do whatever I can to contribute positively to that progress,” Thompson said in a press release on 3 February.
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“In particular, I look forward to mentoring our newest teachers, supporting my colleagues, assisting the principal in sustaining the school’s upward trajectory, and leading special projects, especially the strengthening of our special educational needs programme.
“I believe in differentiation and inclusion. Every child deserves a fighting chance.”
With 20 years as a teacher, Thompson’s journey in education was not one she initially planned.
“I entered teaching in 2005, straight from sixth form,” she recalled. “I am originally from Sandy Hill and began my career close to home at Morris Vanterpool Primary School (MVPS) with a grade six class.
“Some of the students were bigger and taller than I was at the time. Fortunately, I was not easily intimidated and things evolved.”
After one year at MVPS, she was deployed to Orealia Kelly Primary School (OKPS) – then known as Stoney Ground Primary School – where she served from 2006 to 2020.
During her 14 years there, she taught grades two, four and five, gaining broad experience with the primary curriculum and the management of students across multiple grade levels.
She also served the school in several leadership capacities, including sports representative, disaster management representative, and, in her final two years, in special educational needs support.
While at OKPS, Thompson earned her teacher certification through the Joint Board of Teacher Education, University of the West Indies.
Reflecting on her career choice, she said: “I didn’t choose education. Education chose me”, adding that she came to recognise how fulfilling it was to help children learn.
Thompson’s next posting brought her to Vivien Vanterpool Primary School, where she worked for five years in the dual role of special educational needs coordinator and class teacher.
During this time, she also served as disaster preparedness representative and as a member of the school management team.
Thompson went on to complete a BA in educational leadership through the UWI Open Campus, graduating in 2022.
Following her undergraduate degree, she applied for and won the prestigious Chevening Scholarship which enabled her to pursue study at the University of Birmingham in the United Kingdom.
She graduated in 2025 with an MEd in comparative and international perspectives, a comprehensive programme encompassing leadership, policy management and special educational needs.
Upon her return to Anguilla, Thompson was deployed to the pupil referral unit at Albena Lake-Hodge Comprehensive School from October to December 2025, teaching science and social studies.
This marked her first experience teaching at the secondary level, describing it as both “challenging and rewarding”.
“Throughout my career, I have learnt a great deal from my colleagues and from my students, but the experience there was special. I cultivated even more patience, empathy and discipline,” she said.
