House Team

MR LYNCH-FRAHILL - HOUSEMASTER

This is Mr Lynch-Frahill’s second year in Ampleforth, he is the head of Psychology and coached Rugby, Hockey and Cricket. Before becoming a teacher, he served as a Naval Officer for 5 years. He is a graduate of St. Edmund’s College, University of Cambridge and University College Cork. He is currently reading a PhD in University College London. He loves all sport and has sailed internationally. His new love since moving to England is cricket, where much to Mrs Lynch-Frahill’s chagrin, he enjoys spending his evenings practicing his batting.

MR PHILIPS - ASSISTANT HOUSEMASTER

Seb joined the Ampleforth staff in 2020 having previously attended the College as a student. An experienced sports teacher, he has been charged with guiding the school’s cricket programme at

an extremely exciting time for the sport as it is played across all year groups by both the boys and girls. Alongside Sports Department commitments, Seb is a tutor to Year 9 and assistant housemaster to the House; roles he fulfilled most capably in St Dunstan’s and St Oswald’s throughout last year.

Seb previously worked at Cranmore School where he held various posts from 2008, including Head of PE, Head of Rugby and Senior Housemaster. Having coached rugby and cricket in both the UK and Australia since 2000, Seb gained a PGCE along with a BA from Durham University, where he met his wife, Victoria. They will live in the House with their son, Willoughby, and puppy, Burty.

KATE DUREE - MATRON

Kate has been matron for the boys of St Thomas’s House for almost five years. Having been a parent of three children in St Martin’s and Ampleforth, she has had more than ten years’ experience in the valley. Her role as matron is very much focussed on the pastoral care of the boys. Kate describes herself as being “like a mum at school” for the boys and it being “the most rewarding and the most exhausting job” that she’s ever had!

FR ALEXANDER- HOUSE CHAPLAIN

Fr Alexander has been chaplain to St Thomas’ since 2008. He says House prayers each evening, celebrates Mass in the House every Thursday and runs the St Thomas’ Philosophy Club on a Friday evening, involving members of the Sixth Form. He organizes the House Retreat in October each year which includes a House service activity (e.g. picking apples in the Orchard) and concludes with Mass in the crypt or Village church. He also teaches an Elective Course on Spirituality to the Sixth Form each year. A former teacher of foreign languages (Spanish and Italian), he puts on a Russian Orthodox Liturgy in Russian and English twice a year in the abbey church.

Mr Townend joined St Thomas’ House in 2017 having been at the College since 2012. He is a tutor to GCSE years and in the coming year he will be looking after our Year 11 students having also had them in Year 10. Mr Townsend is also the Head of Physics and is involved with the CCF Army Section running the Year 10

programme.

MR DAVISON - TUTOR

Mr Davison is a former student of the College, who has previously been an Assistant Housemaster in St Thomas’s and a sixth form tutor since returning in 2009. An enthusiastic reader and teacher of Shakespeare, Irish literature and poetry, he also oversees the half-termly publication of ‘Ampleforth News’ and other student publications. He also coordinates the College’s live streaming of outside theatre productions. Mr Davison also coaches the 3rd XV Senior Rugby Team.

MR JAMES - TUTOR

Mr James joined Ampleforth after retiring from professional rugby, playing his final game for Gloucester in front of a packed Kingsholm after 187 appearances. Mr James was also part of the 2007 Welsh World Cup squad playing four games. He leads the 1st XV and has had an immediate impact on the forwards. Mr James also heads up the Sports Development programme. This very important area of Ampleforth Sport ties in all the most promising sportsmen and women with lectures on nutrition to practical sessions on SAQ, strength and conditioning and swim fit.

Ms Tomasi hails from Yorkshire and has been a tutor in St. Thomas’

for 1 year and has attended to the needs of our year 9 students with great empathy and compassion. She is a teacher of Dance and has over the past few months created some excellent videos on eAmpleforth challenging the students to develop their movement skills

as a Year 11 tutor. MR HIGGS

Mr Higgs arrived four years ago as a subject specialist Teacher of Computer Science with a background in Cyber Security. Over the past two years Mr Higgs has been a tutor and Assistant Housemaster of St Hugh’s House but has recently stepped down to develop Computer Science activities at Ampleforth College. Mr Higgs is excited to join St Thomas’ House at the top of the valley

MRS LYNCH-FRAHILL

Mrs Lynch-Frahill also lives in St. Thomas’ with Mr Lynch-Frahill and is keen to get to know the boys. She is a graduate of Mary Immaculate College, Limerick and has been a Prep School teacher for 9 years. She has previously taught in St Bridget’s School in County Cork, The Marist School in Ascot, and Pennthorp School in West Sussex. She is a keen badminton player and enjoys travel. She is currently on study leave completing her Masters in Catholic Educational Leadership in St. Mary’s University, Twickenham.

Dougal is a Labrador Retriever puppy who was born in March 2020. He loves belly rubs and pig’s ears, and really likes being taken for walks by the boys. He is normally found in his bed in Mr Lynch-Frahill’s Study or barking at delivery drivers.

ELLA- HOUSE CAT

Ella is an English Shorthaired Domestic Cat, who was rescued by the Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals. Little is known about her before she was adopted but she is very happy in her new home. She is very shy and does not like being picked up, but if a boy in the house is able to get her to rest on his lap a takeaway shall be his prize.

HOUSE MONITORS

Alongside the House staff the House monitors in the Upper 6th, led by the Head and Deputy Head of House, help to run the House on a day-to-day level.

Monitors help with the practical running of the House; supervising prep, organising teams for House competitions, helping to run House socials etc. Just as importantly they are also there more generally as boys to whom other members of the House, particularly juniors, feel they can turn if they have any problems. Their rule is crucial in setting the tone for the rest of the House and they are very important in the influence that they have over the rest of the House. It is expected that they set a good example in their approach in all aspects of life at Ampleforth –academic, sporting, spiritual and social.

Monitors are given training and guidance in their roles, and are rewarded for their extra responsibility with, among other things, a special dinner each term.