FAREWELLS

This year’s

Farewells

We've had some amazing staff come through the WGHS gates over the year, bringing a wealth of talent and experience as well as many happy memories.

Music Dept VIMS

The Music Department would like to take this opportunity to offer our thanks to our VIM staff, who have continued to deliver their lessons online and then back in Willows. This year Mr and Mrs Bacon are leaving us after 33 years of dedicated music making, teaching brass and flute in school. Mr and Mrs Bacon shared their thoughts on their time at WGHS and QEGS and said:

Wow! Where has 33 years gone? As we work across the Foundation we have had the privilege of teaching boys and girls from the age of 7 through to 18. Some have gone on a long musical journey achieving Grade 8 and others have gone on a shorter one. The highlights for us have been achieving a place in the National Festival for Youth and Music, performing in London and Birmingham and playing for the Queen but the most rewarding thing throughout our time here has been watching so many groups ” perform in the school concerts and thinking we teach all those children. And we are so very grateful that they did! Our talented singing teacher, Miss Johnson, is moving on to undertake primary school teacher training. Mrs Catherine Baker has also left us. Her work with the double reed instruments (oboe and bassoon) in her renowned Double Reed Club and Wind in the Willows ensembles was amazing and gained attention both around the country and abroad. Her work will always be remembered fondly in Willows. We wish Mr and Mrs Bacon, Miss Johnson and Mrs Baker all the best for the future.

Mrs Bentham and Mr Meredith

Mrs Bacon

Mr Bacon

Miss Johnson

Mrs Baker

Jen Yeomans

Biology

Jen joined the Biology Department in September 2008 and rapidly established herself as an outstanding Biology teacher. Blessed with immense scientific acumen and a rare depth of subject knowledge Jen was quickly producing a vast array of inspirational resources loved by students and staff alike. A true perfectionist, it was no surprise that Jen revolutionised the departmental schemes of work when appointed as the Key Stage Coordinator, from which all of our students have benefitted.

Jen has always put her students at the centre of everything she does, leaving no stone unturned to help them reach their potential. Her gentle demeanour and sense of fun as a Year 7 Form Tutor has made the transition to senior school a much less daunting prospect for countless individuals who hold her in the highest regard. Accompanying Duke of Edinburgh and Biology residential field trips, Jen’s contribution to the wider school community is greatly appreciated. Her potential to successfully turn her hand to new ventures was rightly recognised by her new school where I am confident she will prove to be just as much of an asset as she has done here. We wish her every success in her new ventures, enjoying more precious family time.

Dr Korosi

Terrie Leo

ICT

After 4 years of service within the ICT Department, Mrs Leo left the Foundation at the end of April 2021. We wish her well in her future endeavours and would like to thank her for all she has done for Wakefield Girls'.

Easing down into semi-retirement

Dr Jonathan Korosi Head of Biology

To say that Dr Jonathan Korosi has been a passionate and dedicated teacher and Head of Biology is an understatement. His time at Wakefield Girls’ High School began in 2003 but his connections with Wakefield Grammar School Foundation go much further back, having been a former QEGS student himself and his father, George Korosi, being Head of Biology at QEGS. When Jonathan left QEGS he studied Medicine and Biochemistry in London. He then decided to have a career change and moved into teaching. After spells as a teacher in York and Head of Biology in Norwich, the pull of Wakey was too much to resist and he moved back home to our beautiful city.

Inspiring and nurturing the curiosity of many students that have gone on to study Biology related degrees or to enter the medical, dental and veterinary professions, his own elation was never more apparent than when covering topics that involved classes being ‘hooked up’ to ECGs, spirometers, sphygmometers and peak flow meters; a stark contrast to the classical Biology experiments before his arrival. Although Jonathan’s passion for all things physiology could scarcely be hidden, he was equally at home across all fields of experimental Biology and had a knack of turning even the dullest of experiments into lively enjoyable lessons! (The secret seemed to be the addition of cake, or replacing the organism being studied with sweets). Since his arrival, the experimental provision of the Biology equipment continued progressing under his stead to become the superbly resourced department befitting of WGHS. Although embracing technology and change (with a nudge!), it took no more than a scalpel, rat, frog, heart or eyeball to expose Jonathan’s animated teaching style. Adorned with his tie dyed technicolor lab coat and a copy of 1953 Dissection Guide by H.G.Q. Rowett, no part of said specimen was left unexplored!

The countless dedicated hours spent pondering every topic to squeeze as much enthusiasm and entertainment as possible from even the most benign subject matter is no better illustrated than in his worksheets; embellished with his own style of cartoon-like illustrations and referencing countless 80’s rock bands (Unfortunately many of these have now been rejigged due to resulting in a resounding “eh, who?!!?” from pupils, at the allusion to these archaic bands). Never one to be shy about getting involved in extracurricular activities, especially ones that involved physical activity, meant that he has been involved in, and led many trips. Ones of particular note included: the ‘Coast to Coast’ bike rides and 24 hour “gymathons” (which between them raised hundreds of pounds for charity); the watersports holiday to Embrun (where Dr DuerdenBrown was accidentally catapulted from her canoe due to Jonathan’s competitiveness); the Year 8 French Trips and a Sixth Form Science conference trip to Disneyland, Paris (which included rollercoasters and Peter Pan outfit, complete with tights). Jonathan must have also clocked up hundreds of miles riding his dependable old bicycle around the Peak District, whilst on Duke of Edinburgh Trips, with his first aid kit at the ready to treat a plethora of walking induced injuries including the inevitable blisters that result from pupils’ brand new walking boots. The Biology field trips to Dale Fort, Blencathra, Malham and then later Filey and Scarborough became the stuff of legend with so many students benefiting from his extensive knowledge of various shoreline species such as Patella vulgata and Fucus spiralis and enjoying the comfortable surroundings, gym and pool of the Crown Spa Hotel.

You could not omit the gym from an article celebrating Jonathan's time as Head of Biology at Wakefield Girls’ High School. In fact his delight for all things ‘gym’ related often spilled over into the classroom where he could be found pacing the laboratory, dumbbell in hand whilst dictating notes to his classes. Even after the most demanding of days, when most people would be fantasising of their sofa and an early night, Jonathan yearned for nothing more than a solid workout in the school gym.

STC will really miss having him around full time. He is the most supportive colleague we could ever wish for, and Jonathan will be taking time handing over the Biology Department reins whilst enjoying all the benefits of semiretirement. He hopes to be back for EDGE Anatomy sessions on Thursdays and he ultimately plans to spend a well deserved retirement travelling with his wife, drinking plenty of Belgian beer and putting in more hours at the gym.

From left to right: Dr Jonathan Korosi, Mr Collett and Mrs Lindley

Mrs Lindley and Mr Lindley