Valete

Mrs Williams is married to Mr Williams, Head of Boys PE.

She says that the best part of her life was becoming a mother to their two sons, Jack, 12 and Ben, 9; both of whom now attend St Olave's.

Away from coaching the 1st and 2nd girls hockey teams - who she describes as very enthusiastic and always giving 100% in matches - she enjoys skiing, shopping and cooking, with her favourite dish being risotto.

When asked about her favourite part of St. Peter's, she immediately commented on the manners and discipline of the pupils that contrast drastically to a previous school she taught at and where she was spat at by a pupil.

So far, Mrs Williams has been a great asset to the School, in particular to Senior Girls Hockey and as a tutor in School House.

We wish her all the best for her time here and hope that she has a long, enjoyable and successful career.

By Harriet Scott and Louise Cammish UVI

M i s sC Wright

Miss Wright, who is a former pupil of Bradford Girls Grammar, has a flair for languages. These include French, Spanish and Russian amongst others. Miss Wright was an Undergraduate at Durham and a Post-Graduate at Leeds.

She believes her interest in languages and travel is inherited from her mum and Miss Wright's favourite place in which to live is La Rochelle.

Miss Wright never believed that she would become a teacher and at one stage she began a course in Dance; one of her many loves that she continues to practise today. However, whilst at university Miss Wright, made her decision to because she likes the fact that when talking to young people, they listen "because they have no agenda to fill."

Before taking up her position at St Peter's Miss Wright worked as a temp and it was during this time that she managed to work in a high security prison as well as at Leeds City Council in the post room where the older people who worked there she says "scared her slightly with their 50's music". Her musical preference is for bands such as 'Pink Martini', especially when they sing in French.

When asked about her dislikes she said she hates "people who walk really slowly, animals dressed as humans and adverts on TV with grammatical mistakes, Oh and, round pieces of meat!" Miss Wright states that she has to cut it before she is able to eat it!

Miss Wright's aspirations are to travel, facing the hot climates and diverse cultures of Asia. "Ce qui ne me tue pas me rend plus forte".

We wish Miss Wright a long and happy association with St Peter's.

By LipmunnTang and Sophie Manning V Form

Mr J Tan

The majority of girls quickly spotted Jochen, our new German Assistant, upon his arrival at the school at the start of the year.

Jochen chose to teach at St Peters seeing it as a great opportunity to spend a year abroad, take part in a variety of different sports, and to improve his English. However, working for a year whilst abroad does come with negatives. When asked what he missed most about home his response was "his friends". Never mind! We are sure he will have made many new friends and admirers before the end of his time here.

Upon his arrival Jochen noticed a few differences between Peters and schools back in Germany. For him seeing us all in uniform was the biggest shock. However, he did say that everyone looks smart and the school community is strong. He also was of the opinion that the pupils here were much more disciplined and better motivated, not only in lessons but also in their sports and extra curricular activities.

Unlike most teachers who are new to St Peter's, Jochen did not find Saturday school a shock, as the same system operates in Germany. However, getting used to cars being on the other side of the road was not so easy.

We hope Jochen will enjoy his short time at St Peters, one year only, and wish him the best of luck for the future. He will be missed, particularly by the girls. When asked if he found this admiration flattering he replied yes but appeared rather afraid!

Mr R Huysamen

Born in Durbanville, Capetown, Rudi attended Stellenbosch University, taking a B.Sc in Sports Science, Engineering and Psychology. So far, he has had a varied career ranging from working on a champagne farm in the sunny South African vineyards, to teaching on the frosty hockey pitches of North Yorkshire. He has always been a keen sports player and some of his sporting achievements include playing hockey for his University and Regional side, and goalie for the National 2nd team. His other hobbies include computers and ornithology (although we're not sure that he means the feathered variety).

When asked about his favourite part of the UK, he mentioned the snow, the squirrels in Hyde Park, WISPAs and the smell of the chocolate factory.

The best moment of his life so far has been when his little sister was born, although overall, he says 'it's been a good life' and we're sure there will be many more highlights to come.

During the Christmas Term, Rudi coached the senior girls' hockey and said he thoroughly enjoyed it, especially the confused looks on the faces due to his accent.

In 10 years time, Rudi hopes to be ruling the world. Failing that, not getting up too early, playing hockey and teaching kids hockey are top of his list.

We wish Rudi all the luck with his ambitions for the future and for his time at St Peter's and hope he has an enjoyable stay here in England.

By Harriet Scott and Louise Cammish UVI

Mr A Upton

Adrian joined us this year as Finance Officer.

Adrian was born and grew up in Nottingham where he played cricket and rugby at school, club and county levels.

He also had the privilege of watching Nottingham Forest during the Brian Clough era.

His career in the Independent School sector began in 1989 at Ackworth School where he was Assistant Bursar.

After Ackworth came Abbotsholme School where Adrian studied for an MBA in Educational Management and Leadership. Moving to York Adrian joined the staff at Bootham.

He confesses to being a member of York Round Table, which is a Charitable organisation that focuses on raising money mainly for local charities and which carries out community service in York. Adrian states "our main aim is to have a good time whilst doing this. For instance our next fund raising event is a beer festival".

Adrian's hobbies include mountain biking and road cycling and he recently competed in some 100 mile challenge rides in the UK and France.

We hope that Adrian and his family have a long and happy association with St Peter's.

J Da

I Mr D Paterson

If the past is a foreign country, 1979 was a strange and distant place where the President of the USA (Jimmy Carter) was attacked by a swamp rabbit while fishing in his hometown of Plains, Georgia and when the first British nudist beach was established in Brighton. Whilst history does not record if Derek danced to Michael Jackson's first breakthrough album Off The Wall that was released that year, we do know that in 1979 he was appointed to teach Geography at St Peter's School. Thirty years and two terms later, Derek is leaving the School a better place for his professionalism, humour and caring nature. This short piece sets out to celebrate his contribution to the School and to tell part of the story behind the legend that is Mr Paterson.

Whilst Derek has been 'Mr Geography' for over 3 decades, he started his academic career as a linguist being proficient in French, Latin, German and Spanish. His language skills and Scottish origins have proved useful in the small dining-room at break times, acting as Mike Duffy's interpreter!

Derek's passion for Geography and commitment to the School led to him becoming Head of the Geography Department in September 1990. Doing a fairly good impression of Pickford's Removals, Mr Paterson later moved the Department from rooms B, C and D next to the Memorial Hall to the palatial quarters in the Queens block. He continues to deny the rumours that this move was motivated by a desire to avoid the stairs to the attic, which allegedly had started to play havoc with his knees, hence affecting his performance at Beverley!

Anyone who has been taught by Mr Paterson or observed him teach knows that his emphasis is on learning HOW rather than WHAT. Derek's career has been built on enabling pupils to think for themselves, where his goal has been to develop and nurture independent minds. Whilst ensuring his pupils had the facts, his priority has always been to help them analyse, interpret and think critically.

Although a Geographer first and foremost, he was always a teacher and therefore fully committed to the pastoral side of St Peter's. He assisted in both Rise and Manor one night a week, and was Assistant to Dick Hubbard in Queens before he moved on to School House. Liz Paterson at times wondered if Derek should be paying rent at his own house during the week, as she saw little of her husband!

over 1,000 miles in mini-buses with the 1st XI hockey team, as well as coaching the 2nd XI team to an unbeaten season in 2007 and introducing girls' hockey. He is also a very useful tennis player; frequently winning staff tennis matches along with his partner Margaret Whitehead. Derek has also coached U15 and 2nd 6 tennis teams. Monday and Friday Crosso sessions will never be the same without Mr Paterson's 'Saturday night at the Gallery' input during the warm-ups, and his unrelenting dedication to the Beverley 10k races in which he always managed to better his previous year's performance, will be remembered. Either he has some top-secret training tips we need to get hold of, or senile dementia has set in!

In addition to his dedication as a teacher; excellent leadership skills as Head of Department; and coach of many successful sports teams, Derek has had input in improving many aspects of St Peter's, including organising and running the Parent's Meetings, using a booking system; holding and promoting endless Sixth Form discussion groups; managing the set-up of his dear friend Peter Taylor's computer cluster for the Humanities block, organising USA and German choir tours; not to mention the Iceland trip and annual field trip to Arran. Derek also lays claim to being a member of the Pandas Hockey Club (and proud of it!), setting up a Students' Christian Union Group, and who can forget him dressed as a fairy in 2008's staff pantomime! Rumour has it he didn't hand the costume back in!

I could go on and on summing up Derek's contributions to St Peter's but thought it best to conclude using one of his favourite techniques known to all he's taught - the MNEMONIC!

Bangladesh - who could forget it!

Yes! Brains of Britain come in - always encouraging!

Educate first - teach second.

Draw it - then write it.

Electrical appliances are useful teaching props - take the washing machine!

Rubik Cubes solve all problems.

Exams get in the way of learning.

Know your case studies - I've got my qualifications!

Pat Pat or Mr P to you!

Arran - physical geography and midges in abundance!

Top of the box - is there anything deeper?

Elongated phalanges - useful!

Ran all 10 Beverley 10k's to date (or claims to have!)

Sustainability - I throw nothing out!

Overhead Projectors. Who needs ICT?

Nice person! Exceptionally!

So what else is there left for Derek to achieve? Well despite retiring from teaching at St Peter's Derek continues his role as Church warden at St Mark's Church, sits on the PCC, is embarking on a Readership course, is a member of the Parish Council/YAC, and would like to squeeze in the odd fishing expedition with Mike Dawson in addition to riding his new road bike!

My closing words are a quote from Derek himself:

"In many ways Geography has gone form description to prediction and from delivering content to exploring and seeking ways to act in the real world on processes and patterns discovered. However, at the heart of all teaching lies the need to care for, inspire and motivate those who sit where their fathers and mothers have sat in years past. The next generation of geographers will, we hope, have a real impact on the way they live their lives and on the life of the planet."

Derek will be truly missed by many - I for one will not only miss his compassion, kindness and endless encouragement and support, but his sense of humour and his ability to be laughed at as well as laugh at.

Angela Tooby-Smith

Mr A Severn

It was the year Abba was top of the charts with Waterloo and barcodes starting appearing on tins of beans for the first time. Muhammad Ali and George Foreman fight in Zaire and Richard Nixon resigns as US President. It was also the year Andrew started teaching.

Several years later and after a variety of teaching posts, he joined St Peter's; his first classroom being the ladies toilets in the main school building. Thankfully for Andy, it wasn't a toilet in those days although it was hot and terribly stuffy, unlike his inspiring teaching.

Andy is an amazing teacher, a great mentor and the best person I have ever had the pleasure of working with as there was never a dull moment and we always managed a chuckle. Especially when it was winter timetable and his rather old and politically incorrect videos came out, or when students complained about his handwriting, suggesting he should have been a doctor. There was also the time the BT engineer went in the White House loft and came through the ceiling, bringing with him 100 years of pigeon muck and covering everything, including Andy and his desk, in a nasty grey dust which took a long time to disperse. The other woman in his life deserves a mention too as it was well known he had a soft spot for Maggie Thatcher!

And we come to Andy's desk ... or the lack of desk because of the huge amount of 'stuff on it, although for Andy, it was an organized mess. To the rest of us, it was untidy chaos. But it never stopped him being highly efficient and incredibly focused on his various tasks. With his Duke of Edinburgh, he spent many nights