Staff Departures
David Robbins
Most people, most of the time don’t refer to schools as multi-million pound businesses, but that is what they are, albeit we rightly steer away from words like, ‘conveyor belt’ or ‘product’. As the second biggest employer in the Petersfield area after Whitman Laboratories, managing Churcher’s as a business is no mean feat and the ‘Chief Operating Officer’ keeping the juggernaut running true, for a prodigious quarter of a century has been David Robbins. During this time, the school has undergone some remarkable changes, not least in growth both in the number of people and acreage. When David arrived there were 700 pupils in the school, 137 in the Junior School and 563 in the Senior School; as he leaves it will be 1,226, of which 233 will be on the extra 14 acres of land and buildings in Liphook which David has to manage; acquired in 2004 and housing the Junior School. With almost one thousand children in the Senior School, the extra playing fields at Penns Place and the consequential substantial increase in staff, David’s job has just got tougher and tougher.
determined, but there is none of the single-mindedness or pursuit of glory, nor the “you’re fired” fire and brimstone of Alan Sugar when he wears his business hat either. David has achieved so much by a collaborative approach; investing his heart and soul in Churcher’s and with his wife Linda as Junior School Librarian, and children Emily, Andrew and Michael all enjoying hugely impressive school careers here, there is no doubt that David has lived and breathed Churcher’s. Its success is a consequence of his tremendous financial acumen, his patience with all and his quiet persistence to encourage the juggernaut in the right direction. David understands people as much as he does spreadsheets. If success is simply measured by numbers then David comes out on top, but in a school success is measured in more diverse and subtle ways, not least in the smiles of children, their parents and staff faces. Over 25 years David has been the cause of many an excuse to smile; so much that has been achieved, so many opportunities and experiences enjoyed are a consequence of David’s brilliant touch as Bursar.
But David has never been afraid of a challenge, including wearing Lycra in public. David is also an international triathlete and has the GB triathlete kit to prove it. Most triathletes are renowned for a single-minded determination to battle through the pain of the event in pursuit of ultimate glory. David certainly is
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The Churcherian 2021
Linda Robbins
Linda Robbins has been a vital component of Churcher’s Library since 1999, when she joined the Senior School, subsequently moving to the Junior School in 2007. The Library at the Junior School has had many forms under Linda, the first version of the Liphook site library was a hall with room dividers, the library was then moved to the “bungalow” and then most recently our purpose-built beautiful library facility. During this time, she has worked for two Senior School and three Junior School Headteachers and she has lived through all the changes and improvements to the buildings, the new Junior School, the new Nursery and many staff changes. Linda describes Churcher’s as her life and family since 1996 when her husband David joined the staff, with all three of Linda’s children having been through the school.
We are grateful for Linda’s work over the recent years with her help and leading Accelerated Reading as well as her invaluable energy in joining in and working on Book Week and Book Days. She will be long remembered for her Book Week appearance as Gangsta Granny, complete with wetsuit, goggles and a handbag wrapped in clingfilm! Linda will start her retirement competing with Team GB (Triathlons) in September - the Valencia European Triathlon Championships - and hopes to visit Australia (Covid permitting) to see daughter Emily. We wish Linda every happiness.
