“When you end up teaching the children of your former pupils, you know the time has come to leave. It’s also a reminder to hang up one’s boots (or in my case roll up one’s tape measure) when former pupils join the staff and become work colleagues! Besides, I’ve had three Headmistresses; and although the whole school photo is only produced every five years, I’ve appeared in it seven times which might be a record.

I have spent almost 36 years here at the wonderful Lady Eleanor Holles School: I started in January 1988 (yes, that was in the last century) which makes it 35 years and two terms if I must be exact.  I took one term off on maternity leave for each of my two children.

Within that time, I held a variety of teaching roles, combining Home Economics, Food & Nutrition and Textiles for the first 10 years, and then teaching solely Textiles for the remaining 25. Alongside that, 10 years as Wardrobe Mistress in the 90’s making costumes for a range of plays: Oh What a Lovely War and A Midsummers Night’s Dream are two that come to mind, as well as providing costumes from a variety of sources for many other productions.

I also spent another five years as internal examinations officer where I really enjoyed the exactness and accuracy required for timetabling and seating arrangements. Finally, I spent 20 years as Head of PSHE. I thoroughly enjoyed developing and updating the PSHE curriculum annually to keep it current and in line with societal changes. It was rewarding to source inspirational speakers to support the programme on a wide range of topics which were delivered to the students as well as to the parents of LEH, Hampton School and our local ISSP schools. When I stepped down from this role, Mrs Hanbury remarked that one gets less for life than that!

I trained in a specialist teacher training college for Home Economics in Dublin while studying for a Bachelor’s Degree in Education at Trinity College. In Ireland, the subject of Home Economics comprised Food & Nutrition and Textiles in equal measure. After teaching in Dublin for three years I moved to London and discovered that here I was considered to have not one but two subjects! I began my teaching career in England at St Maurs Convent School in Weybridge and after four years and one term, I got the opportunity to come to LEH.

I have countless treasured memories of my time at the school, but one of my favourites was developing the current school uniform shortly after Mrs Hanbury took over as Head Mistress. During her first term, she met staff individually, and sent out three questions to us all in advance of our meeting with her, and we were not to discuss them with others before meeting her.   One of the questions she asked was “What would you like to see change about the school?" This gave me the perfect opportunity to suggest developing our uniform to be one which meets the status of such a wonderful school, as the uniform up to that point had become very outdated and dull.

I thoroughly enjoyed being a Thirds Form tutor and I used to pick out possible girls over the course of the year who might make it to become Head Girl when they reached the Sixth Form and I had some successes! I will also treasure being able to help the NHS during the pandemic by making scrubs and headbands for the local hospitals. Thanks to Mrs Hanbury for allowing me to use the school facilities which gave me plenty of space and made it all of that so easy.

But as treasured memories go, the top of the list just has to be the seven years I shared at the school with my wonderful daughter Alice, Class of 2011, when she was a pupil at LEH. She, it can only be said soaked up all that was on offer. She seemed to do millions of clubs and it took her until almost the end of U4 to discover that not all students did clubs during every lunch break.

She had a very distinctive loud laugh which could be heard from my classroom, as far away as the atrium next to the dining room.  I was never worried that she was unhappy. Her time here was very special indeed and it gave me a much greater appreciation of the school and what it does for the students, the support the students are to one another, and the lasting friendships that are formed. Alice still has her besties from here and I know that is true of so many other alumnae too.  

A massive thank you to all my wonderful colleagues and friends: everyone here at LEH is so supportive, friendly, approachable, and kind. What a lovely place to work. I have benefitted from so much while here. A long and happy career, with so many opportunities to develop along the way.”