Sally Gray Sally joined St Peter's from King Edward VI Girls' High School, Birmingham five years ago, moving to York with her husband and young daughter. At once she made her presence felt in her new school and her love of learning was immediately effective in the classroom.
Sally
is
invigorating of mind and
purpose
and
pupils quickly came to enjoy her lessons for the style with which she taught, for the variety
which
she
employed and for the enthusiasm
with
classes and with working in a busy and demanding school and department. It is rather odd to think that Ben was only with us for three years as he had such an impact in the school as a whole. Ben contributed widely to life in the school, be it Duke of Edinburgh, Mountain Biking, Running, Debating, Assistant in School House (and the list goes on.) Personally, I feel he had the biggest impact in the classroom where he taught with great skill, knowledge and enthusiasm. I am sure that all who have been taught by Mr Wall would agree that he was an inspirational, charismatic teacher who always had time for each student and who gave his best in everything he did. Some may go slightly further... In fact, he was certainly a popular member of staff with a number of our female students. It is certainly common knowledge (as she announced it in chapel) that Mr Wall has 'the voice of an angel' and I once had the pleasure of overhearing a group of fifth year girls gushing wistfully 'I wish Mr Wall would read me poetry'! Thus, there is a Mr Wall shaped hole left in the hearts of many!
which she conveyed her subject matter. Of "S.--"-.''' course, the
famous
I feel truly grateful to have worked alongside Ben and to have got to know him over the last few years; he is a super young man
biscuit breaks were warmly welcomed, especially in the dark and
(I must be old if I feel ok calling him a young man!) who has
gloomy months of winter timetable; but it was Sally's passion for
brought a great deal of humour and enthusiasm into the depart-
her subject that drew the pupils to her. They were lucky to be
ment, and has been able to inspire both colleagues and pupils
taught by someone of Sally's calibre, they knew it themselves and
alike. He will certainly be missed. We wish him all the very best in
were grateful for the opportunities she gave them.
his new role and thank him for the past three years.
Within the department Sally's presence brought an air of pos-
E. Mallard
itive energy and generosity of spirit. Among the staff she rapidly established firm friendships and voluntarily undertook the essential task of helping to proof-read the Peterite. For five years Sally has been supportive with her time, advice and resources. She has been a superb friend and colleague, great company on trips and
Claire Fletcher
will be sorely missed. She leaves to teach at the school where her
Claire joined the
daughter, Flora, will be joining as a pupil. We wish Sally all the best
school from Barnard
in her move to Bootham and hope that she will return to see us
Castle in 2005 and
often.
immediately made an impact upon all areas
MJ Adams
of St Peter's life, where she was not only an
Ben Wall
English
teacher,
but
Resident Assistant in
Ben joined the school in September 2007 as a Newly
Dronfield and an expe-
Qualified Teacher and leaves us to take on the role of Second in
rienced and very popu-
Department at his new
lar rowing coach.
school, St Albans. Claire had an immediate impact on the department where her Ben quickly estab-
'no nonsense' approach to students and lessons was always to be
lished himself in the
feared and revered. I am certainly in awe of the way that she could
school and in his role
crush a student with a mere look and I really miss the days of over-
as Teacher of English,
hearing a great Fletch telling off! Yet she also brought endless fun
yet unlike other NQT's
and enthusiasm into her teaching and so was liked and respected
he did so with great
by all who were taught by her. She was also a superb colleague
confidence
and
who was always there to listen to and to assist all members of the
authority. In fact, I
department, and was always the person you approached if you
rarely thought of him
needed innovative teaching ideas or schemes of work (or to bor-
as an inexperienced
row a video from the vast, and rather eclectic, collection in her
teacher as he got to
classroom.)
grips so deftly with the syllabus, teaching all
It is not only those who she taught who will miss Claire, but
The Peterite 2009-2010
