VALETE Leaving Staff

STEVE BLOUNT Expeditions and Activities

Mr Blount first worked for the RGS in October 2011 when we had a team of boys wishing to do their Gold DofE on bikes and we needed a subject matter expert to assist. His planning, delivery of training and management of the pupils was second to none and a few years later, our paths crossed at a CCF conference creating an opportunity to work together again. We needed someone to temporarily cover the SSI post and Mr Blount’s 22 years’ experience serving with the Royal Engineers and more recent CCF experience with a nearby school meant that he more than fitted the bill.

Since that time, Mr Blount assisted with the setup of the EXAD programme in 2013 and looked after the daily running for many years and took on the logistics for all DofE Expeditions, as well as working within the CCF running numerous range days, fieldcraft exercises and summer camps and managing our climbing and AT equipment stores. He has an organised mind and high standards and a generation of DofE expeditioners will themselves have high expectations of how to clean a Trangia!

During Covid we had to create new expeditions which fitted the guidance at the time and on each occasion Mr Blount forged a plan that allowed the boys to complete the Award. In his final year he staffed 7 expeditions creating over 400 participant places.

We thank him for his hard work and dedication to ensure the delivery of our programmes was at the highest level. The time spent planning and preparing, with a keen eye for the detail and recognising what was important, set up the boys to succeed on all occasions whether it was a DofE expedition or a CCF camp. The staff too, were grateful for his experience, wisdom and sometimes dry humour!

We wish him well on his retirement.

Mr SJH Yetman

TONY DUBOIS Biology Teacher Head of Integrated Science

You cannot replace a teacher like Tony Dubois: he has over 30 years’ worth of teaching experience and an absolute goldmine of biological information. Prior to teaching at the RGS, Tony worked at Whitgift, and international schools in both Singapore and the Seychelles. Alas, the golden beaches of the Seychelles were no match for the Surrey hills and Tony joined the RGS in 1994. It is incredible to think about the numbers of doctors, dentists, natural scientists, and biologists that he would have taught over the course of 28 years, and I have no doubt that they will remember his engaging lessons, the stories he uses to bring the subject to life, and of course, those absolutely marvellous drawings he produces on the whiteboards. In addition to all his teaching responsibilities, he was also Housemaster of Austen for 20 years, and thoroughly enjoyed being a part of RGS life beyond the classroom. After many years of missing out on the Cock House Cup, Tony was absolutely delighted to win it for 3 consecutive years, including in his final year running the House. Whilst Tony has given much of his time and energy to ensuring that the boys’ experience is varied and exciting, he leaves us now for a well-deserved and well-earned retirement where he can spend more time with his grandchildren. We wish you well, Mr Dubois!

Mr S Burns

MARY BUYLLA PA to Headmaster

It is with a real sense of sadness that I said farewell to Mary Buylla, my extraordinary PA, in December 2021. Mary and I enjoyed 15 years of working as a closely knit team.

Before I started at RGS, I had a chat with my predecessor, Tim Young who had appointed her and worked with her for three years. I remember that he described her as ‘a gem’, a description which I can only but echo.

Mary was exceptional in every possible way, not just in her extraordinary efficiency and attention to detail, but also in the manner in which she looked out for people. She truly was the ‘mother’ of the staff here and so many have benefitted from her kind words of support and advice.

I cannot begin to tell you what a support she was for me over the past 15 years. She supported, reminded, reminded again, cajoled, comforted and organised in equal measure. Mary shared some of my best times at the RGS and she was there for me during some of the worst times, and she was always a friendly face, an encouragement and an absolute rock.

I can say, quite honestly, that in fifteen years Mary and I never had a cross word, an argument, or a falling out, which, when you consider that I spent more time with Mary during term time than I did my with my wife, is remarkable.

I have valued our professional lives together but also Mary’s friendship - and it is this which I miss most. I am delighted, however, that Mary will continue to be an important cog in the RGS machine as our new Archivist, so we will continue to see a lot of each other.

I want to take this opportunity to say thank you to Mary from us all; from the staff, from the Governors, from the parents, but especially from me, for all that Mary has done over the past 15 years for me personally.

Mary is a one-off and I feel very fortunate and privileged to have worked alongside her for so long!

DEWI EBURNE Chemistry

Dewi has two distinguished periods in the RGS, with the first as a pupil from 2007 to 2014. It was immediately obvious to all his teachers that he was someone with exceptional potential. He was outstanding academically and won every major prize that the school has to offer. I had the enormous privilege of teaching him both GCSE and A level and can remember Dewi achieving the top exam mark every year. The Biology Department’s first, second and third choices for the Robins Prize was Eburne, Eburne and Eburne! He was also a talented musician and performed in numerous concerts. Dewi achieved the ATCL diploma in the clarinet, won the Bentall Music Prize and sang in the choir. For the sake of completeness, he was also a member of the rugby and hockey teams and played Nicely Nicely Johnson in Guys and Dolls. Dewi was appointed School Captain and served with true dedication. However, it was his personal qualities that earned him scholarship papers and running the RSC Challenge. He is a fantastic Form Tutor, and it was astonishing that 26 boys have asked for him to be their personal tutor. It is remarkable that he even found time to achieve the two targets which eluded him as a pupil: getting a Duke of Edinburgh Gold Award and passing Grade 8 for the piano.

Dewi is a committed Christian and his faith is a cornerstone of his life. He was the leader of the Christian Union as a pupil and took charge of the society when he came back as a teacher. Dewi is a section leader with Urban Saints and spends his Friday evenings helping teenagers explore Christianity. He has also organised numerous Christian camps during the school holidays.

I must thank Dewi on the behalf of the school for the tremendous contributions he has made both as a pupil and as a teacher. I also owe him a huge personal debt of gratitude for helping me on so many occasions. Dewi leaves us to join Westminster School to broaden his horizons and will be sorely missed by the boys and colleagues. There is no doubt he will be promoted very soon, and he should become a Headmaster one day. We wish him every happiness in the bright lights of London and look forward to seeing him again in OG events.

such high regard with the boys and teachers. Dewi shows great empathy towards others and is one of the kindest people I know.

He went on to Cambridge University as a Choral Scholar and read Natural Sciences. Dewi was subsequently elected to an academic scholarship, won a prize as the top student in the System Biology course, and was awarded first class Batchelor’s and Master’s degrees. He made just a single job application after graduation and got his first job as a Forensic Services Associate at PwC. However, Dewi soon realised that a career in the city does not lead to the fulfilment he was looking for, and he decided to return to the RGS to train as a teacher. His second period in the school started in 2019.

The RGS was naturally delighted to welcome back one of its finest lieutenants. Dewi is indeed a natural born teacher, and it is an honour to work with him. His infectious enthusiasm for chemistry and his capacity for hard work are greatly admired by the boys. He has fully involved himself in all areas of school life and is Master i/c of both the U12C Rugby and U14D Hockey in addition to being Assistant Housemaster of Austen. Dewi is also keen to take on responsibilities in the department which included the teaching of Oxbridge lessons, writing the 13+

Mr WS Lau

HENRY GRAY Chemistry

Henry first joined the RGS as a pupil in 2012 and enjoyed a very successful school career. He was the chief editor of the Guildfordian, played in the rugby 2nd XV (player of the season) and was a keen rower. Henry was also strong academically and held a scholarship. During the summer holiday of the Lower Sixth, he carried out a CREST Gold project in Surrey University which confirmed his decision to read Chemistry. We were delighted that he subsequently went on to win a place at Oxford. Henry continued to row and was a member of the Oxford University crew.

After finishing a stint of four years in Oxford, Henry returned to the RGS as a replacement for Ed Batchelar, his former chemistry teacher, who has been promoted to Deputy Head in Oxford High School. Henry was an excellent appointment for us, and I felt a real sense of pride that a former student has developed into such a fine chemist.

Henry has changed remarkably little since leaving the RGS as a student and is a confident individual with a good sense of humour. The boys really like his straightforward approach, his relaxed manner in class and his enthusiasm for chemistry. He is keen to be involved in activities and is Master i/c U12D Rugby. Henry has almost unlimited youthful energy and can lighten the mood in any situation. In one Development Day (aka staff INSET), Henry’s interpretation of 'smart casual' is to wear a sports jacket in combination with his cycling shorts!

Old Guildfordians returning to the RGS (quite rightly) never stay for very long as they need to move on to gain new experience. Henry will be embarking on a career of ICT and will be starting his training in machine learning. Although his time as a teacher in the RGS will be brief, Henry has made a real impact on the boys and will be missed. We wish him every success in his chosen career and hope to see him in future OG events.

Mr WS Lau

GRAHAM OLIVER Geography

Graham Oliver joined us in September 2019, making the long journey south from his home in Edinburgh. Fortunately Graham recovered quickly from the initial shock of being categorised as a Chemistry teacher in the 2019 edition of The Guildfordian, and he was quick to get stuck into teaching Geography in the classroom and out in the field. Thanks to Graham, many RGS students now know that a 'jotter' is a term used to describe an exercise book in Scotland and his book Beautiful Scotland was a prominent feature on his shelf in the department base that didn’t attract any attention whatsoever from Mr Witts and his post it notes. With Mr Cowx supporting Wales, the Six Nations tournament became a rich source of benign discussion in the base.

Confusion did arise on occasion. One evening he arranged to meet Mr Fishpool for a drink in The Kings Head but they both had to make do with nursing a pint on their own at the opposite end of the High Street. Fortunately Mr Oliver’s knowledge of Guildford’s Geography improved over time despite lockdown sending him back to Scotland where he watched from afar over Teams as his hair grew longer and longer.

Aside from the Geography Department, Graham made many contributions to the wider life of the School. From the Environment Committee to partnerships with University of Surrey and the games department where he oversaw many rugby and cricket fixtures. Graham was a force full of energy and we will miss him, but wish him all the very best for his position at Dollar Academy.

Mrs RG Waters

KAREN POON Front Office Lead

Karen has made a hugely valuable contribution to the smooth running of the school office in recent years, and her warm approachability meant that boys, staff, parents, and visitors were always met with a friendly smile and a willingness to help. Karen was compassionate, understanding, and fair, and her caring presence will be much missed. Her kind nature served to relax and reassure, and, for many staff members, passing Karen’s desk was a bright moment in the day where words of friendly conversation were exchanged, and photocopying favours sought. She was the queen of printing booklets and exam papers, could laminate in seconds, and guarded the stationery cupboard with all necessary resolve! Her upbeat spirit and wonderful sense of humour made for engaging company; she had a great relationship with the boys, and the office was often full of laughter. Karen had very good leadership skills too: allocating and explaining tasks in a way that made those around her feel they had ownership but could ask for help if needs be. Karen was equally committed to streamlining the office’s practical operation and she oversaw a refurbishment that has made our administrative support fully fit for purpose. This new look has refreshed and repurposed arrangements to great effect. Karen leaves behind a team that is in great shape, and an office that runs very efficiently, but her guidance and companionship will be missed, and we are naturally sad to see her leave us. Her concern for the wellbeing of her colleagues meant that they felt understood and appreciated by someone who was a manager but also a friend. We all wish Karen every success for the future and thank her for all she has done for the boys and staff at the RGS.

Mr NE Wild

JOSH POWELL Geography

We were hugely relieved when Josh answered our call in summer 2021 to come and join the Geography department the following September. Fresh from his degree course in Durham, it was brilliant to have a new member of the department who could enthuse the boys with his passion for the subject. New to the teaching profession, Josh took to it like a duck to water and he was quick to make his presence felt in the department despite having to work so closely with so many of his former teachers.

We’re very grateful to Josh for his calm manner in the classroom and on the many fieldtrips that he helped us to run throughout the year, his patience steady even when mistaken for another pupil on more than one occasion. Perhaps inspired by Mr Cowx’s wild tales of travel and misadventure, Josh leaves us to spread his wings beyond the RGS bubble; we look forward to hearing his own stories in the future. It has already been good to receive messages from him at an altitude of 5100m upon a glacier in Peru!

Mrs RG Waters

JOSH RICHARDS Biology

Josh is going to be thoroughly missed by both the Biology staff and by the boys. He is an exemplary teacher and has worked incredibly hard to ensure that his students have a real love for the natural world. His lessons always flowed beautifully, were fun, and our inquisitive boys felt it was an open space to ask interesting questions about the weird and wonderful. Josh is an invaluable member of the department, and we cannot thank him enough for what he has put in to make Biology at the RGS an enjoyable experience for those who have been in his class; indeed, being a former RGS pupil himself, he knows exactly what brings RGS boys alive in lessons! We also admire Josh for the time he gave to participate in overnight school trips, such as the Duke of Edinburgh award and the Biology Field trip, and for the time he gave to taking sports teams on the weekend. One of the things Josh can be most proud of, is that he started the school’s basketball club, which is one of the fastest-growing sports clubs on-site. Josh leaves us to pursue a new adventure, and whilst this is a huge loss to the education profession, we wish him all the best for the future.

ALASTAIR ROZIER Head of Art

For most people, the year 1987 is synonymous with the country being hit by the Great Storm, but for the RGS it was a double-whammy with the arrival of Ali Rozier. The bearded, brooding, corduroy-clad 26yr old had driven his canary yellow Lada to school, with no inkling that he would still be there 35 years later. He actually drove for 3 hours to get into school after the storm, having been assured that even acts of God didn’t prevent RGS teachers from attending. The place was empty.

The RGS was a very different place then. Ali joined as part of a two-man team in the Art Department, being given an A4 piece of paper with 36 titles such as ‘Parthenon’ and having no idea what he was supposed to do with it. This was the first year of the new GCSE exams and Ali took around a year to write a modern curriculum with drawing at its core and more than a nod to Bauhaus educational principles. The department went from strength to strength with strong results a consistent feature of his career. When Andy Curtis came in as the new Head of Art, he sensibly left Ali in charge of preparing boys for A Level (and the new AS Level). The pair formed a productive and long-lasting partnership until Andy’s retirement, when ANR was appointed Head of Art just in time for the tricky Covid years. Ali enjoyed his time as HOD, creating a thriving creative and artistic environment where all staff had scope to express themselves in a happy spirit of cooperation.

Soon after his arrival, Ali initiated the annual Art Exhibition and Private View, which are still the way the School celebrates the fantastic achievements of our artists. Many of Ali’s students have gone on to use their artistic talents in their careers, some indeed as professional artists. He has always built a good rapport with his students, and many are still in touch decades after leaving the RGS. Ali has been a Sixth Form Tutor for over 30 years, enjoying the role and taking pleasure in helping to prepare these young men for life beyond School.

Ali was deeply touched when one of his former tutees contacted him to express his gratitude some 13 years after leaving the School and presenting him with two season tickets to watch his beloved Arsenal with his son William.

When the School celebrated its 500th Anniversary, staff and students were asked to contribute ideas, and Ali suggested having a new School Charter created. The original was barely legible, but using digital editing, Ali was able to take the result to the College of Heralds where they accepted the commission and produced the beautiful version on display in the foyer.

Ali has always kept his own painting going, working alongside students in the Sixth Form Studio and is very much looking forward to creating a studio at home to keep him busy in retirement. A regular of Friday football for 25 years, Ali is still not able to recall Jimmy Pressley passing the ball. Ali coached the U14 Basketball team for 7 years, an approach based on discipline and teamwork rather than individual brilliance, brought 4 league titles and 3 near misses.

Ali contributed ideas for the design of the new Art School and after several designs were rejected, the brilliant new building opened in 2007. The Art Department staff gradually expanded to include a technician, relieving Ali of some of the work involved in framing and putting up exhibitions, a task which he has thoroughly enjoyed over the years, but is grateful to have Craig Davidge’s help with.

Ali has formed many friendships during his long career at the RGS and will very much miss the, often hilarious, morning chats and lunchtime jollity; the Bridge Club was a source of relaxation and education for many years, as was the Crossword Corner.

We therefore say farewell to Ali Rozier, whose caring, cajoling and captivating spirit has taught literally thousands of OG’s to master so many techniques in the Art Studios. His astounding Art Historical knowledge and fine attention to detail through observational drawing and painting is a legacy he will leave through the awe inspiring A Level and GCSE works of art in the RGS corridors. We wish Ali a restful and enjoyable retirement.

Mr RF Shepherd

CHARLOTTE SMITH French

AUDREY TOURNIER Head of MFL

Charlotte will claim that she first joined the RGS in 2005, but, as I constantly reminded her (in order to make me seem younger!), she actually started the year before as a Maternity Cover teacher in the MFL Department, kicking off an impressive 18 year stint at the RGS.

You will have to travel a long, long way to find as talented a linguist as Charlotte -in fact, her accent and knowledge of French are unequalled and better than most native speakers! It’s no surprise that Charlotte soon became an indispensable member of the MFL Department, teaching inspirational lessons with humour, flair and elan and even stepping up as a successful Head of French. Her warm and kind nature was evident in everything she did. Her students loved her lessons and her genuine care and willingness to always go above and beyond and to give up her time willingly.

In the MFL Department, Charlotte leaves a massive hole and we will all miss her hugely. Her genuine care for others and positive nature made the base a better place, and nothing was ever too much for her – always there with a kind word, an ear to listen or a ridiculously unnecessary amount of 70%+ dark chocolate and flapjacks!

Throughout the School and her years teaching here, it is impossible to find another staff member that doesn’t have glowing comments and memories of Charlotte. She has contributed so much to the life of the School, and not just through teaching, trips, sports teams and more…..but through the lasting positive impact and memories that she leaves with students and staff alike. We’ll all miss her here!

Mr AR Lowe

Audrey started at the RGS back in March 2009 as an NQT, and it was clear from the beginning that she would go on to leave a lasting impression on not only Modern Foreign Languages but also life at the School.

Audrey was a hugely talented linguist - a native French speaker with superb subject knowledge, a great knowledge of German and, although she was far too humble to admit it, she was even able to teach Spanish. She had a serenity and calmness that was unequalled and, with her ability to get on well with everyone, yet take tough decisions, and to never seem flustered, it came as no surprise that she quickly rose to Head of Department. In fact, Audrey had that unique quality to make everything seem easy and relaxed…..I can’t believe we let her leave without finding the secret!

Passionate about languages, yet an excellent listener and cool in every situation, she had an excellent eye for detail. Her dedication to her students was reflected in her superb lessons and willingness to always go above and beyond. She always had time for everyone – students, colleagues and even bees (yes – bees…..not many people have a bee hive!). It is safe to say that she will be missed in the School by the students and she leaves a big gap in the Modern Foreign Languages base, not only as 'The Boss', but more importantly, as a friend!

Mr AR Lowe

BETH-ANNA VARLEY Library Assistant

Beth-Anna joined us in January 2021 and could not have had a more challenging start to her time at the RGS. After only one day in school, the second lockdown began and we reverted to remote working. Not only that, but a few days later I was moved to 80% furlough, so Beth-Anna had to take on the bulk of the library service until we could return in March. She rose to the challenge with characteristic competence, not only supporting online English lessons, presenting reading suggestions and launching the Show Racism the Red Card competition, but also organising and managing virtual author visits for the Lower School and creating a video Assembly for World Book Day. Beth-Anna brought with her a great deal of knowledge and experience of public libraries, which she put to good use to expand our own service, by introducing the boys to Surrey Libraries’ e-books and audiobooks and to the Click and Collect and Ready Reads services during lockdown.

As we gradually returned to normal Library life, more of Beth-Anna’s skills became apparent. She is passionate about both diversity and wellbeing and worked hard to improve the range and visibility of our stock in those areas. She also ensured that boys were provided with trusted sources of information and support through the extensive LGBTQIA+ and Wellbeing focus boards that she created on the library management system. Library displays and documentation were greatly improved by her rapid adoption of online graphic design software, while she ably dealt with the day-to-day challenges of updating stock and displays and managing the use of the library. It was unfortunate for us that so soon after she joined us, Beth-Anna was offered the chance to work full-time for Surrey Libraries, closer to her home. Opportunities to advance in the library sector are rare and so we knew that she could not pass up this offer. I wish her all the very best for the future.

Mrs TF Farthing

DEBBIE WHITEHEAD Head of Lower School Teacher of Physics

Debbie joined the Physics department at the RGS in 1998 and has given 24 years of dedicated service to the School. Having spent a year in industry working on nuclear fusion, she decided to move into the education sector where she honed her craft in two state schools, leading a Physics Department in only her second post. Once at the RGS, Debbie sought to involve herself in as many facets of school life as possible and as one of a handful of female staff at the School, helped bring about some really positive and much needed change. She was an incredible advocate for the pastoral side of the School and was appointed the first Head of Lower School, having held positions as Head of First Form and Head of Admissions.

Debbie has a natural ability to connect with young people, partly through her commitment to working with them outside the classroom; supporting the Cross-Country team for years and leading it for a time, supporting the extra-curricular work of the Physics Department, Junior Science club or attending school trips in the UK and abroad. Trips really were a highlight of her career, whether it be on the NASA trip or helping the Cambodia trip on two occasions and seeing how transformational these experiences were for young people. This care and passion for the pastoral care of students enabled her to lead the Lower School Team with aplomb and be a very effective Deputy Designated Safeguarding Lead. Debbie had very high expectations of students and instilled her professional standards across the whole school body with positivity and kindness and was very well respected by her colleagues.

From her first foray in the classroom, she has embraced change throughout her distinguished career, moving from chalk and blackboard to the digital technology age. She was one of the first teachers to trial the BBC Microcomputer in a classroom and has seen widespread use of computers right through to Microsoft Teams and online learning!

Debbie has had such a positive impact and influence on the young people in her care. We wish her well in the next phase of her life and hope she keeps us informed of all her adventures around the UK and beyond in her beloved campervan. We thank her for all her service to the School and the incredible support she has given so many students and colleagues over the years.

Mr AU Woodman

FIONA WIMBLETT Mathematics

Fiona joined the RGS in 2015 from Lady Eleanor Hollis School, seeking a move to the countryside and a switch to teaching boys instead of girls – although as she correctly pointed out, she was still teaching Mathematics and it does not change so the gender of the pupil is largely unimportant. Nevertheless, it took a couple of months before she stopped reacting to proposed department tests with a comment about how “you can’t possibly ask the girls a question like that, they’ll get upset”.

A passionate academic Fiona was loved by her students for the commitment she showed to helping them achieve their very best. She was a teacher who was always at the forefront with innovation, and her background as a Head of Computing was evident as she used various software and technology to bring lessons to life. Pleasingly, though, it was always under careful planning to ensure that challenging and interesting Mathematics was at the heart of each activity.

Fiona was highly respected by colleagues who would seek her advice and she would always ask the most pertinent questions about schemes of work and mark schemes, her keen eye for detail proving a real asset to the department. The wider school community admired her enthusiasm for throwing herself into all aspects of school life: she was an officer in the RAF section of the CCF, an active musician who sang and played in a number of school productions, and an outstanding Head of Lower Sixth for a time. I think, though, that her development of the Swimming Team was perhaps the most impressive achievement: she took on the role knowing nothing of the sport but her hard work managed to get a school that does not even have a swimming pool to become regular national finalists.

Fiona is retiring to spend more time with her family enjoying her garden and trips around the country. We wish her all the very best and hope to still see her and her husband David helping with school activities on occasion.

Mr SG Black

DAVID WOOLCOTT Classics

David joined the RGS in 1984 and worked tirelessly for the next thirty seven years in a multitude of roles. Throughout his teaching career his love of Classics has been clear to all and he is a passionate defender of the subject. Indeed in his leaving speech he was true to his beliefs and warned about the ill effects any reduction in the teaching of Classics might cause. In the classroom David always wanted his students to enjoy the subject and to have the same passion for Latin and Greek as he did. His lessons were vibrant and always memorable, and many an Old Guildfordian on revisiting the school fondly remembered David’s lessons. David has always been very generous with his time and he staffed and organised many Classics trips both in the UK and abroad. His knowledge of the Classical sites of Italy and Greece is encyclopaedic and I witnessed at first hand David bringing to life archaeological sites and holding the boys spell-bound with his stories and explanations. David is an outstanding linguistic and for many years taught the most challenging parts of the curriculum, in particular Sixth Form Latin and Greek language. Many a Classics teacher, both those new to the profession as well as the most experienced, have approached David for him to explain a particularly challenging grammatical construction. David’s approachability and affable nature made it a real pleasure to work with him. He really did make the Classics base a brighter place! David was also the go-to member of staff on matters concerning Latin and Greek pronunciation, and for many years he prepared boys for the local Classical reading competitions. David’s love of performing also came to the fore in his memorable performances in the staff Christmas pantomimes. On several occasions he really did steal the show! It is now common for RGS departments to work with local state schools, but David was a trail-blazer in this respect and several years ago taught a beginners’ Classics class at Boxgrove Primary School once a week. Several boys from this school went on to the RGS and remembered David’s passion for Classics in these Boxgrove Primary lessons. David is an accomplished sportsman and he has coached cricket A Teams, he has been Master in Charge of Hockey, he has coached many rugby teams as well as refereeing football to a high level. However possibly his greatest sporting contribution at the RGS is in shooting. David was Master in Charge of Shooting for twenty one years and in that time RGS helped establish its reputation as one of the best schools at shooting in the country. Indeed under David’s management the shooting team has won every major national competition and a number of boys have gone on to represent Great Britain at shooting. David spent many a lunch break, after school session or Saturday to ensure that the shooting team could perform at the very highest level. For his whole teaching career David was an Army Officer in the CCF and for a number of years he was Contingent Commander. David even passed his HGV licence with the Army in order to drive military vehicles to school camps. This is typical of David going above and beyond what is expected! However, despite all the above achievements and accolades, what David will be most remembered for is his camaraderie, his good humour, his friendship, his occasional eccentricity, his love of Classics and his loyalty to the RGS. For this David, you will be truly missed. It has been a real pleasure knowing you and your family and I wish you a very happy retirement!

Mr EKD Bush

HENRY XUAN Economics

Email from dsjw@rgsg.co.uk to Henry Xuan, 28 March 2019, 9.43pm.

“Hi Henry – long time no speak. Hope your time at Oxford is going well and you’re on your way to nailing your PPE. Just wondered what your plans were, following graduation…?”

And so it started. The Economics Department was struggling (again) to hire high-calibre candidates and as we looked through the list of excellent former OGs who were due to graduate, Henry was an obvious former student to contact.

Those of you who have had the pleasure of meeting Henry will probably be surprised the response came back at 9.56pm. Henry doesn’t normally take 13 minutes to do anything. An e-chat led to a coffee in Starbucks, an interview, an offer and an acceptance. Henry seemed quite pleased, the department was delighted and so a career in teaching was born.

Henry immediately established a great rapport with the team, no more so than with Matthew Cornwell, a fellow OG and the Mitch Buchannon to Henry’s Matt Brody. Henry has gone on to become a highly-respected member of the staff body and is similarly popular with his students.

As a colleague, Henry impressed from the outset. A deep thinker, he demonstrated maturity beyond his years and was never afraid to challenge the status quo. He has made a significant impact on what and how we teach Economics, in particular his impact on promoting diversity not only within the department but to the whole school. His own experiences in life have shaped his thinking and sharing his experience as a student of RGS made a significant contribution to the school community.

Of course, there is more to Henry than an excellent Economics teacher. Mr Black commented that “Henry is one of a very select group of Economists that the precious Maths department actually trust to teach Mathematics at the school”. I had to ask if I was included in this list (I taught GCSE maths for them in 2014), but Mr Black seems to have forgotten to reply.

Anyhow, Henry established similarly strong links to the Maths Department, which were impressed by his legendary work rate. As a pupil at the school he typically asked for extra morning Maths lessons just to complete a supplementary Further Maths qualification; as such it amused the team each time he prepared to teach a new topic to the Fourth Form. “I’m sure they will have seen this before so I

RICHARD YARDLEY French, German, International Links Coordinator

Richard, who joined the RGS in 2018, has international travel and Modern Languages running through his bones: he is one of a small club who can teach both French and German to A Level, has taught in the Bahamas and Dulwich College Shanghai, and is more than a little proficient in Mandarin, thereby running an exciting General Studies course on China. Thus, he was an obvious choice to become International Links Coordinator in 2020, a role he strived to develop despite the untimely Covid limitations. The Race Across the World charity event with our international schools was a particular highlight. Richard was also a caring Third Form tutor, a keen supporter of tennis fixtures, a hands-on staff member on trips abroad and a creative contributor to the Great RGS Bake-Off (his anti-Brexit cake was as ingenious as it was tasty).

Greatly respected by the boys for his top-notch linguistic skills, high standards just thought I’d throw a few of these really hard problems at them and see how they go”. After a few entertaining scenes Henry quickly realised that not all students are as gifted as he is and so he worked out how to scaffold and structure topics while still maintaining that impeccably high standard as the goal for all of his students.

Henry has shown great commitment beyond the classroom, no more so than RGS Hockey. As a student he was a brick wall in goal for the U15A team, alongside several RGS legends. Mr Mullon commented that he “…would love to know how many times Henry let the likes of Burrage, Sweet and Sturridge hide behind his goal during fitness sessions... Henry was a member of a team that made my time as a young teacher so enjoyable”.

We are so very sorry to see Henry leave us, but at the same time so proud that he has found a career in teaching and that he will be sharing his enthusiasm, dedication and talent with others. Obviously we would not have been able to forgive him had he moved to a local competitor school, but he is off to teach Economics in Singapore, so that’s OK. There is a rumour that Mr Mullon is arranging the 2023 Hockey and Football tour there, just to be reunited with ‘The Wall’.

Henry has made an indelible mark in the Economics Department and the School, and we wish him the very best for the future.

Mr DSJ Wright

and engaging language games, Richard got the very best out of his students at all levels, and inspired many to continue their study of German and/or French at A Level and university. Within the MFL Department Richard was known and loved for his professional, calm and grounded manner as well as his excellent sense of humour. He was a good friend to us all and the announcement of his departure was met with much dismay and more than a few tears. Richard leaves us to take up a post at Shrewsbury School in order to raise his daughters closer to extended family. We wish him the greatest happiness in this new life chapter.