STAFF PROFILES

Dr Mike C. Craddock, B.A., D.Phil ( York), QTS.

I came to King's in 1992 as Head of English and Drama after a brief spell teaching at university whilst doing my research, coaching EFL students, and working at Rendcomb College for 7 years as Head of Drama and Assistant Housemaster. Apart from having directing 26 productions at King's and being a Sixth Form tutor, I chair the Festival Committee, am a member of the Curriculum and Magazine Committees and run Lit. Soc. and House Debating. I write and review occasionally for the English Association, and have had studies of Robert Frost ,War Poetry, ‘Hamlet’and ‘The Remains of the Day’ published. My special interests include the novel and adapting Shakespeare for school productions including the recent ‘King Lear’. Outside school, I love walking, swimming, travel, writing, reading, gardening, golf, eating out, and music, especially opera and playing the piano.

Mrs. Lorraine Harrison, BA (Hons.), PGCE (University of Leicester) Assistant Head of English.

I began my teaching career in 1977 and have taught in a range of schools, both here and abroad. I came to King's in January 1994. I am the Key Stage Three English Co-ordinator and I usually teach in every year group in the senior school. I am Head of Laud and although I am not at all sporty, I enjoy supporting my house and encouraging its members to have a go at all the inter-house activities. This usually means that I wear a lot of red on those occasions! I am a member of the Open Morning and Marketing Committees, Senior School Chorister Liaison Tutor; Year 7 Assistant Tutor and Speech Day Administrator. I have also acted as Stage Manager for most of the excellent dramatic productions which have been staged at King’s from 1994 onwards. My special interests include Pre-1300 Literature, Post 1945 Drama and American Literature.

Outside school, I enjoy lots of reading, travel and visiting National Trust properties.

Mrs Philippa Blair, BA (Hons.), PGCE (Cantab)

Although comparatively new to the profession I have been associated with a variety of schools, teaching Drama and directing productions for many years. I teach English to all ages in the Senior School, as well as teaching A Level Theatre Studies. I have recently taken on directing the Summer Musical (2008), the running of House Drama, and have co-directed several productions. I am also a first form tutor.

The areas of literature I specialise in belong to the Seventeenth century, particularly the works of Milton and Bacon; Tolkien and Lewis; Utopian novels and Old English language. My dramatic interests lie in the works of Rattigan, Wilde, Marlowe, Shakespeare and Sheridan, and I teach text into performance focusing on dramatic interpretations.

A little known (although not for long if posted here) fact about me is that I read Egyptian hieroglyphs and my other interests include playing tennis, charcoal sketching, ceramics and church architecture. I read voraciously and am rarely happier than when digesting pages of a good thriller or detective novel, although if asked for Desert Island Discs I would always take some P.G Wodehouse and Milton’s Paradise Lost.

Miss Laura Gibbs, B.A., PGCE

As a teacher of Drama and English I am fascinated by the way that students respond to texts both in a practical and analytical way and their development of their own ideas. I teach Drama and English throughout the school and enjoy taking extra-curricular Drama.

In a previous incarnation I was the Curriculum Coordinator for Drama and was responsible for the introduction and implementation of Drama throughout the school curriculum. I have also worked as a technician in a Theatre Studies department and have developed a keen interest in creating a total theatre experience where performance and design elements combine to create a cohesive whole.

Outside the school I am interested in broadening my experience and knowledge and to that end am studying at the Open University towards a BSc in Marine Biology and Oceanography. I also have a wide range of interests including music, reading, running and long distance cycling.

Mr Alistair Macnaughton, Headmaster and Assistant English Teacher

Although my ‘other job’ does not allow me to do a great deal of teaching, I do teach- or, rather, learn from- a year 7 class.

My background is simply that I have been a teacher of English and Drama for twenty year. I have a particular interest in creative writing and have seen again and again how young writers can shine if their work is valued and they are given constructive advice. It is, for me, a watershed moment when a pupil discovers that fine writing is often found outside the exclusive domain of the ‘great’ writers themselves.

Mrs. Alison Stafford, Cert.Ed. (Oxon), B.Ed (Oxon.), B.Ed.(S.E.N.) (Bristol)

I have taught in an assortment of schools, both independent and maintained and including mainstream and special schools. I settled at King's ten years ago and now work part-time. I mostly take small groups and individuals from the Fourth Form upwards concentrating on study skills but some years I also teach English to full classes. I have just taken on the editing of the school year book and I am looking forward to developing this over time. I organise 'front of house' for concerts and plays, which can mean that although I go to every performance I never actually see the show! I read more poetry as I get older, perhaps because I bring more life experiences to it! Overall, I am increasingly selective in all my reading; I feel less pressure to do battle with books I don't enjoy (with apologies to Amis, McEwan, Conrad and Wordsworth).

Mrs Ruth E. Stickland, Certificate of Education (Teacher's Certificate).

I qualified as a teacher in 1967 after following a 3-year course at Cardiff Teacher-Training College. For many years I taught mainly French in secondary schools (full-time, part-time and supply). I have also been employed in other fields of work including home-tutoring, residential courses and the travel industry. I eventually returned to teaching when I came to The King's School in 1993. Initially I taught small groups of boarders from overseas, preparing them for University Entrance English Language Examinations. Since boarding has ceased, I am now usefully employed in the School Library (five mornings per week). I have also organised a number of extra-curricular activities including Hand-bell Club, Bell-ringing Club and Girls' Computer Club and I am a keen supporter of school music and drama. Outside school my interests include long-distance cycling, church bell-ringing and singing. I run the church music-group besides arranging various social functions, trips and fund-raising activities for our church members. I enjoy gardening when I have time, interior-decorating, foreign travel and Su Doku!

Mrs Hilary Youldon, BSc Environmental Science, Postgraduate Diploma Information Science.

With a history of employment in private sector, government and public libraries I was invited to take up the part time position of Assistant Librarian in September 2006. In addition to assisting with the day to day running of the library, my role includes: The introduction of an information service to aid staff in delivering the curriculum, honing pupil information retrieval skills combining the use of traditional printed material with focused internet searching and organising careers events and information. With a view to the future, I am keen to develop the library as the information hub for the whole King’s community.