WELCOME TO THE LANGUAGES DEPARTMENT

Mr G Stephenson, B.A. Newcastle, P.G.C.E, M.A. Sheffield Hallam, F.C.C.T..

Head of Languages Faculty, Head of Spanish and Teacher of Spanish and French

They say no-one forgets a good teacher. My early inspiration to study Spanish at the age of twelve stemmed from the enthusiasm, subject knowledge and teaching approach of my Spanish teacher at school, and this early interest was then further fuelled by a school trip to Tarragona the following year. While studying my ‘O’ levels I joined an organised tour of Andalucía with a national tour operator and then spent further periods independently using or studying the language throughout the Sixth Form, as I studied it alongside my other A Levels. During my undergraduate degree at Newcastle University, which consisted of elements of Spanish language, literature and history related to Spain and Latin America, I opted to spend the summer term of my second year in Salamanca at an international language school and enjoyed the experience so much that I then took a further year abroad, during which I taught English at a school in Valencia.

F ollowing graduation in 1987 I worked in industry for three years managing the Spanish department of an international freight forwarding company. I returned to the classroom in September 1990 to train to teach which included a placement in Longcroft School in Beverley under the guidance of my original Spanish teacher. In January 1992 I was appointed to teach a combination of Spanish and Humanities at The Vale of Ancholme School in Brigg before becoming Head of Spanish at Franklin Sixth Form College in Grimsby, where I also taught A Level History. In September 2000 I started as Head of Languages at Hull High School, now Tranby.

During the subsequent twenty-two years I have held a number of responsibilities in addition to those related to languages, such as Coordinator for Newly Qualified Teachers, PGCE trainees and the school's 'Stretch and Challenge' programme. In addition, I have also worked as Principal Examiner for GCSE Spanish for a national Examination Board, PGCE tutor on the Open University’s ‘Flexible PGCE (MFL)’ and for a number of years supported Hull University's PGCE MFL programme as the Spanish specialist. In 2009 I completed a Masters degree in Teaching and Learning at Sheffield Hallam University focusing on MFL methodology, and I am a Fellow of the Chartered College of Teaching.

I have travelled extensively throughout Spain and have been lucky enough to travel to Ecuador in South America, the highlight being spending a week in the Galapagos Islands.

Mrs V Pick B.A. University of Wales, P.G.C.E., M.A. Warwick. Head of French and Teacher of French and Spanish

I distinctly remember my Year 8 French teacher being asked how long it takes to be fluent in a language. I admit I don't recall her answer but what I do know is that, from that moment on, I was hooked on the idea that I could reach that level. After GCSE and A Level, I read French and Sports Science at the University of Wales, Bangor. During my year abroad, I taught English in a high school near Le Mans (famous for its 24 hour racing) and then worked in the Sports Bar in Disneyland, Paris as a waitress. I remember being offered a position wherever I wanted in the park after they learnt that I spoke French. After finishing my degree, I was desperate to return to Disneyland to audition for the character and parade department. Following a successful audition process, I enjoyed two wonderful contracts helping with the characters in the park and dancing in the parade. Working with an international cast meant that I was often in demand as an English fluent French speaker. Looking back, I could probably have demanded more renumeration for my translation services!

At the end of my second contract, I received an offer from Oxford University to study for my PGCE; I couldn't quite believe that I would be attending Oxford. It was an amazing experience. I started my first teaching post in September 2003 in Scarborough. I moved to a large secondary school near Leeds three years later. My Tranby journey as Head of French started in September 2009. In my time here, I have taught French and Spanish throughout the Prep and Seniors as well as Year 9 English and Sixth Form games. It's been quite the journey...

Mrs N Carrizales M.A., Edinburgh. P.G.C.E. Head of Latin and Teacher of French

H aving finished school with A Levels in English Literature, French and Latin, I graduated with an MA Honours in French from Edinburgh in 1998 and went straight into industry. My Bloomberg years (2000-2005) were spent in French-speaking Switzerland and Monaco hence my accent being difficult for French people to place! I then spent two years living and working in France before returning to the UK to have my children. When they started school in 2011 I went to the University of Hull to study for my PGCE in Secondary MFL. Prior to starting my studies, I volunteered at Walkington Primary (Y6) and South Hunsley (MFL) and my two teaching placements were at Cottingham and Woldgate. I graduated with a First and came straight to Hull Collegiate as an NQT in September 2012. Over the years I have variously taught French, Spanish, German and Latin at every level from Reception to A Level.

Mrs S Milner B.A., Newcastle, P.G.C.E. Teacher of German

I studied German and French at Newcastle University and as part of my degree, I spent a year in Germany teaching English in two schools. I completed my PGCE in Newcastle and then went straight to Wetherby High School where I taught German across the whole age and ability range and French in KS3. I set up and coordinated Key Skills for the Sixth Form and was Assistant Head of Year 8 for several years. I welcomed the opportunity to travel and ran several trips and exchanges to France, Germany and Spain, including a music tour with the school band. It was a privilege to oversee the German language assistants at these schools and to offer the same welcome and hospitality I had received in Germany. I was very involved in mentoring the MFL PGCE students each year and became an examiner for AQA speaking tests in German. I then moved to Ashville College in Harrogate to be in charge of German and was a house mistress in the girls’ boarding house. I had a break from teaching when I moved to Hull and stayed at home to look after my children, but then was lucky enough to start at Tranby in 2015.

Mrs H Wilson B.A. Newcastle, P.G.C.E. University of Leeds Teacher of Spanish and French

After completing A Levels in Spanish, Latin and Religious Studies in 2007 at Wakefield Girls’ High school, I moved onto Newcastle University to study for my undergraduate degree in Combined Honours: Spanish and Latin American Studies and Classical World Culture. One of the reasons why I chose to study a language at university was the opportunity to spend a year living abroad and immersing myself in the culture and to have the opportunity to improve my linguistic skills. I worked for a year as a language assistant in a secondary school and it was this experience that made me keen to work with secondary school age children in the future. I was living in Tarragona in Catalonia and working in the nearby tourist town, Salou. It was a challenge to practise and improve my Spanish, though, as the vast majority of communication both in the school and on the region in general was in Catalan! Nevertheless it was, without doubt, the best year of my studies and it made such a difference to both my written Spanish and the fluency of my spoken Spanish.

Once I had finished my undergraduate degree I decided to complete teacher training at Leeds University completing placements in schools in Pontefract and Wakefield. I managed to get a teaching job as soon as I finished my training and started working at Woldgate College in Pocklington. After a couple of years I then moved to Bridlington School where I worked until December 2019. I then decided to have a short break from teaching in order to spend more time with my son, Benjamin, before joining the languages department at Tranby in September 2020.

Mr C Lleches-Parra, B.Sc, Catholic University of Valencia, M.A. Teacher of Sport and Spanish Language Assistant with Sixth Form

Nacido en España, y criado en Oliva (Valencia), cursé mi educación primaria y secundaria en currículos valencianos y españoles, en diferentes centros educativos públicos y privados, disfrutando el internado y la convivencia con alumnos internacionales. Pasé mi Licenciatura en Educación Física y del Deporte con Matrícula de Honor y mi Máster en Magisterio de Educación Secundaria y Primaria, además de Idiomas, todo ello en la Universidad Católica de Valencia. Mientras estudiaba, trabajé en Valencia dando clases de Educación Física y ofreciendo entrenamiento personalizado de fútbol, por el cual tengo una gran pasión después de jugar profesionalmente en el Real Madrid, Vila-real, Ross County y otros clubes de fútbol.

Cuando me mudé al Reino Unido en septiembre de 2011 después de conocer a mi esposa, nacida en East Yorkshire criada y orgullosa, comencé a trabajar en Hull Collegiate School (Tranby) enseñando fútbol a los niños y me ofrecí como voluntario el resto del tiempo, ayudando con los idiomas. En 2012 fui nombrado asistente de profesor y la escuela aumentó gradualmente mi tiempo de enseñanza para convertirme en profesor de educación física a tiempo completo, además de ayudar a los alumnos de Bachillerato a prepararse para sus exámenes de español.

Me encanta la cultura británica de hablar directo, la mentalidad trabajadora y el sentido de patriotismo compartido en todo el país. Debo admitir que, a pesar de apreciar los diferentes climas estacionales, todavía extraño el clima más cálido de mi patria.

Translation at end of publication