What is a Winchester person?

One of the best parts of being at the school is exploring the surrounding area, running up St Catherine's Hill or walking in the watermeadows.

As well as teaching English and being a Div Don, my role at Winchester involves helping those in the Sixth Form flourish and ensuring the school’s academic offering is as good as it can be. It’s exciting to work with colleagues and boys who value genuine intellectual endeavour and independence, and to teach in such historic surroundings: there aren’t many places where pupils can set their eyes on a Shakespeare first folio or follow in Keats’s footsteps while reading his poetry.

Following a doctorate in medieval art history at Oxford and a research post looking at the use of digital tools in museums, I am fascinated by the powerful potential of object-based learning. To observe this with a collection as diverse and remarkable as Winchester’s is really exciting.

I am excited to be working in a school that really embraces change and is promoting the use of modern technology in education. The school leadership team has continued to invest in our IT and infrastructure to create a modern learning environment within the backdrop of a beautiful, historic campus.

Life at Winchester is defined by the overwhelming feeling of being able to give back to the community.

We are lucky to have really well-equipped labs and, as well as our great practicals, we lay on fabulous (and indeed famous) demonstrations. I believe that those boys who go on to study chemistry at university really appreciate what we do for them.  

There are many different facets to boarding life, which means that dons have diverse responsibilities and environments in which they can get to know the boys.

In my time at Winchester College, I have seen lots of changes but the one thing that has not changed is that the boys love their food, appreciate trying different recipes and will soon let you know if it’s a thumbs down.

In addition to teaching Physics, Maths and Div, I also run Faith Circles, a weekly meeting of all the boys from non-Christian traditions. I’m also Master in Charge of all martial arts.  

The busy nature of life at Winchester is reflected in the music department, where each week may see several different concerts.

As Director of Studies, I monitor the progress that boys are making using their intermediate grades and exam performance (both internal and external). This analysis is then shared with the Second Master, Deputy Head Academic, Housemasters and Heads of Department so that they can best support the boys in both the pastoral and academic aspects of school life.

Historically a porter is a gatekeeper and we can normally be found at the main entrance to the school in The Porters' Lodge.  

Community Service is a journey of self-discovery.  Our boys are encouraged to work out of their comfort zone. They learn to become self-reliant in challenging situations, to engage and empathise with others, and to give unreservedly and wholeheartedly of their time and talents. 

I have found that the academic curiosity among staff and boys at Winchester is hard to replicate elsewhere, with boys actively seeking out opportunities to learn long after their working day is done.

As assistant housemaster in Du Boulay’s (Cook’s), I tend to eat most of my evening meals with the boys as well as several lunches during the week. It gives me the opportunity to catch up with them on their day, talk about things that are coming up or general conversations on unexpected topics!

I wanted to come to Winchester because I loved the range of sports - I spend most of my free time either out playing football or Fives, or socialising with friends around the house.  

Our Design Technology centre, known as Mill, is the best aspect of the entire school for me. Mill’s facilities include two 3D printers, a metalworks and welding section, a carpentry area with sanders and cutters. Not forgetting my personal favourite, the laser cutter.  

In my boarding house, the first year boys start in rooms of four. This made it easy to get to know people quickly. They swap roommates every term, so that by the end of the first year, you will have shared a room with most people in your house year.