Valete

Tonbridge teachers will see a fair few boys through their time at the school, but for twenty years Anna Rogers has seen every single one: guiding over 3,500 boys (and their parents) towards the most appropriate post-Tonbridge pathway.

Not a single boy goes through their Tonbridge career without coming within her orbit and she advises each one knowledgeably, patiently and confidently.

It was a moment of serendipity that brought Anna Rogers to Tonbridge School. Having just relocated to Kent and looking for a career change she happened to speculatively hand deliver her CV on the very day that it had been decided that the School needed a higher education advisor. Over the ensuing twenty years she developed and moulded that role and attuned her skills to the point where she became an oracle of all things relating to student life beyond Tonbridge. Essentially self-taught, Anna has visited, at least once, every institution that a Tonbridge boy has ever advanced to – including fifteen US universities. She has built close relationships with admissions tutors, knowing what each is looking for, what grades they are likely to ask for, and what grades they are likely to accept. She spent eleven years on the UCAS secondary education advisory group and more recently has served on the Qualifications Advisory Group gaining yet more valuable contact with providers.

Anna moved from rather austere premises in the CCF building to a far more comfortable and accessible office in 2018; however, she has never hidden away there. A littleknown fact is that in her early months here she helped then Headmaster, Martin Hammond, with his writing of a book on Marcus Aurelius – such is the diversity of her skills! She then went on to write stories and collate photos for, as well as to edit, ‘News From Tonbridge’. Anna has also been fully involved in the broader pastoral life of the School, spending six years as a tutor in Parkside, eleven years in Whitworth and two years as Senior Student master of Beech Lawn. She has been on the History battlefields trip twice and has accompanied boys on trips to the USA on three occasions. I was lucky enough to accompany her on one of those US trips and was struck by the way in which she exerted calm authority over the boys: never flustered, she always exhibited the kind of ‘can do’ attitude that has been a hallmark of her career at Tonbridge. She was also proud to address the Old Tonbridgian Society of New York at the Harvard Yacht Club.

Tonbridge teachers will miss Anna for the highlight of the meeting at the start of every academic year: Anna’s UCAS update. This invariably began with “results day was carnage... but by the end of the day all but a tiny number of boys had secured places they were happy with”. This would be followed by a witty run down of the top universities that year, the top courses and ‘most surprising placement’. Anna has been a master tactician when it comes to placing pegs in suitable further education or career holes: her departure will leave a big hole in so many aspects of Tonbridge life.

K E Moxon