6 minute read
Valete - goodbye
Valete
MR MATT ALLEN
Teacher of Science, Acting Assistant Head, Head of Y7, Housemaster of Bunyan
Matt Allen joined Bedford Prep School after a successful rugby career, which included outings for the England Saxons, as well as a European Cup Trophy with Northampton Saints against Munster in 2000. He finished his rugby career playing for Bedford Blues, and we were lucky enough to sign him up as a teacher for the Prep School. He has made a lasting impact on the Prep School, as a Science Teacher, Head of Year 7, Bunyan Housemaster, Head of Rugby and, in his last term, acting Assistant Head. He moves on to a post at Dragon School, so I have no doubt that we will continue to see him on the rugby field, only this time leading the opposition team.
MISS PAULA BROWN
Headmaster’s Personal Assistant
Paula Brown moved on to pastures new at the end of May 2021, starting a new career as a driving instructor. Paula has been amazing in her seven years at the Prep School as Headmaster’s PA. She is a dedicated, thoroughly professional, very kind and thoughtful person, who has a keen eye for detail, very high expectations and is highly organised and efficient. She has also transformed many elements of Prep School office procedures. I will, personally, really miss her support.
MRS JO CHRISTIAN
Jo Christian has been appointed to the position as Head of Juniors at St Mary’s School in Cambridge. She took up her new post in September 2021. We will miss her enormously, and would like to thank her for her many years of dedicated service to the Prep School, most recently as Deputy Head, Assistant Head Teaching and Learning, but also as Head of Academic Support (SENDCo and ESL), Head of Enrichment and Head of Academic improvement. Her outstanding legacy will be the Future Skills Curriculum, which she worked tirelessly to embed in the Prep School.
MR JONATHAN EGAN
Deputy Headmaster
Jonathan Egan moved on in April 2021 to be Headmaster of Framlingham Prep School. Jonathan achieved an enormous amount in his time at the Prep School. He prepared the school for outstanding ISI inspections (is an inspector for ISI himself), and implemented a number of new systems which have significantly enhanced the experience for parents, staff and pupils. IT has been a particular strength and he oversaw a new reporting system, introduced a slick parents’ evening appointment system, greater rigour to our academic provision and a curriculum review which included a language reform which meant boys in Year 8 are able to pursue two languages of their choice. He was also responsible for timetabling and cover.
MR BEN GIBSON
Teacher of English
Many thanks to Ben Gibson who taught English at the school for one term before Miss Bamber took over. He proved an excellent colleague, who came to us from Harrow International School in Hong Kong, where he taught English to children from Y6-Y11. He was also Assistant Housemaster of a House of 60 boys. He was fully immersed in the school in his one term with us, and we will, no doubt, keep in touch with him because both of his sons remain at the school, and his wife, Gemma, is Headmistress at Bedford Girls School.
Valete
MR JONATHAN HOOLEY
Head of Drama and English Teacher
After 11 years teaching at the Prep School, Jonathan Hooley leaves us to work in the online education sector, where he will develop and teach schemes of work for home schooled learners, with a focus on English and Drama. A huge thank you to him for the legacy he leaves behind, and for all he has done in the school, especially in terms of English and drama. The House Drama is a permanent (and much loved) fixture in the calendar, and the many imaginative and creative plays he has directed are immortalised on the wall outside the Headmaster’s office. A very big thank you to him for all he has done in his time at the school, for his dedication and hard work, for the English and Drama depts, and for his time as Head of Enrichment. He will remain close to the school because his son, Jago, will continue to be with us.
MR DANIEL MAITLAND
Head of Year 3 & 4
Daniel Maitland, was appointed as Deputy Headmaster of St Hugh’s in Oxfordshire. This is a really good role for him, in an excellent standalone Prep School (obviously not as good as Bedford Prep School!). Whilst we will miss him enormously, congratulations are in order. We would like to thank him for all he has done for the Prep School, especially in his role as Head of Year 3 and Year 4, which has transformed under his leadership, but also for the many other areas he has contributed to in his five years at the school. We are also very grateful to him for filling in for Mrs Stratton during her maternity leave.
MR ED MCGREGOR
Head of Hockey, and Acting Head of Computer Science
Ed McGregor took up the role of Director of Sport and Clubs with SLT responsibility at The Perse Prep School in Cambridge in September. Thank you to him for all he has done at the Prep School, not least and especially, covering (with very little notice) as Head of Computer Science for the last academic year, and bringing on Hockey in the Prep School considerably as Head of Prep School Hockey. We shall, no doubt, see him on the fringes of Astroturfs in the forthcoming years.
MR PETER MILTON
Head of Computer Science
Mr Milton finished in summer 2020. Thank you to him for his many years of service to the school, for teaching ICT/Computer Science, CCF, Maths and Science. Also, for his work as Events and Visits Co-ordinator, guiding us all through the complexities of trip planning, and, in recent years for being the person who has navigated the mammoth task of Prep School timetabling. Finally, a thank you to him for his kind help to colleagues whenever called for.
MRS ANGELA TRAVIS
Assistant Housemaster, Maths and Games teacher
After 20 years of sterling service to the Prep School, Angela Travis decided that July 2021 was the time to move to the next exciting stage of her life. She has given a huge amount to the Prep School in her 20 years, and must be proud of all she has achieved as Maths teacher, Head of Maths, sports teacher, ski-trip leader, and, for the last six years, the Assistant Housemaster in Eagle House. She is the ultimate team-player. She is excited about the next stage, but we will miss her greatly.
