New Staff Arrivals in the Common Room Mr Junaid Qasim joins the Religious Studies and Philosophy department. With a degree in Theology, Religion, and Philosophy of Religion from the University of Cambridge, he is looking forward to seeing progress in students, and experiencing the School from a different faith background. Previously he taught at King Henry VIII’s School in Coventry, and chose to teach at St Albans School based on its reputation as an independent school. His first impression of the School is that, while there’s a lot to get his head around, the good behaviour and eagerness of students impresses him. Outside School he enjoys football and cricket, and will also be contributing to them inside School. Ms Rebecca Olaleye, the latest addition to the Drama department, joins us from Bucks New University where she studied Drama. Being the first school at which she has taught, the high levels of achievement and diverse culture at St Albans School have struck her most significantly. She is very enthusiastic about joining the community and teaching her subject, of which her favourite aspect is the large amount of fun involved in learning and developing the broad number of skills involved in Drama. Outside the School she enjoys poetry, box set dramas, going to the theatre and allocating time for family.
Dr Donovan Young joins the Mathematics department. He studied Physics at McGull University in Canada and graduated with honours, and joins St Albans School for his first year of teaching. However, he previously lectured at Queen Mary University in London. His first impression is that the School has a lovely setting with kind people, which is also why he chose to join the School. He looks forward to inspiring students. Outside School, he enjoys walking and cycling. Mr Lee Robinson is a new member of the Mathematics teaching staff. He studied Natural Sciences at Durham University, specialising in Physics and Maths, and has been teaching for ten years, first in St Albans Girls School and then the Priory in Lincoln. Mr Robinson enjoys singing – being part of the School choir – playing sports, and is an avid Arsenal supporter. He likes all parts of Maths, but especially the way that completely different sections of Maths can be interconnected. So far he likes the ambiance of the School due to the fact that the pupils are so genuinely interested in what they are learning. Dr Lesley Grey has joined the Science department this year as a Chemistry and Biology teacher. She studied Medical Biochemistry at Surrey, and then went on to do a PhD at the National Institute for Medical Research in Physical Biochemistry. She has previously taught at Queen Elizabeth School in Barnet. Dr Grey enjoys singing in the choir and baking (incredible cookies). Her favourite part of teaching is doing practicals, and she once managed to set fire to a classroom, though no damage was caused. So far at St Albans Dr Grey has enjoyed meeting the students, but is still finding it hard to find her way around the School. Ms Eilis Crowe joins the English department. She studied English Literature at University College Dublin and completed her Masters in Early Modern English at Oxford University. With St Albans School being her first teaching job, she has been impressed by the friendly attitude of pupils and is enjoying the amiable atmosphere. Ms Crowe loves having the opportunity to get pupils interested and involved in new texts and seeing students’ abilities in English develop. Aside from her love for teaching English, she is also involved in the Drama department. Her hobbies include going to the theatre, watching the latest TV series and she is also fond of rugby. Ms Rebecca D’Cruz has taken over the role of Head of Computing. She has taught at various previous schools and lectured at Hertfordshire University. She studied Computer Science at Hertfordshire University and particularly enjoys the programming aspect of the subject. In the little free time she has, she enjoys robotics and programming, as well as going on walks and swimming. Joining St Albans School, she has noticed the incredible work ethic and impressive behaviour of the students. She is thrilled to bring Computer Science to the School, and is looking forward to challenging the pupils and watching them progress.
Ms Emma Russell is a new member of the Maths department. She studied Maths at the University of Cambridge, and is joining us for her first year of teaching. Her first impressions of the School were already formed before teaching here because she studied here as a student, so as an Old Albanian she already has a strong understanding of the School. Her favourite pastime is netball, and she looks forward to getting involved and helping out in the future.
The Albanian 2016
Ins & Outs
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