New Staff Members September 2017

Mrs Hilary Jones – Teacher of Chemistry

Tell us a bit about yourself

I am an experienced teacher of Chemistry, Physics and Biology and I have a BSc from Durham University. I previously worked at Francis Holland School in London before a career break to raise 3 children. Now they are at school I can return to my passion for sharing the fun of science in an interactive and practical way.

What are you most looking forward to working at Queen Anne’s? I am looking forward to working with your daughters at Queen Anne's to enable them to become the best they can be.

Mrs Sara Shuler – Teacher of PE

Tell us about yourself

Before deciding to do my PGCE at Loughborough University, I worked for the English

Lacrosse Association as the Kent Development Officer and worked at Haileybury running

their lacrosse programme. For the past three years, I have been teaching at St George’s

School, Harpenden and I will be ending on a high by taking a group of pupils to Botswana

and Zambia.

I am a keen traveller and after my undergraduate degree, I went away for 8 months where I

hiked the Inca Trail, swam with dolphins, sky dived, worked in a fish and chip shop and

snorkelled in the Great Barrier Reef. I recently drove across South Africa on my honeymoon!

What are you most looking forward to working at Queen Anne’s?

I am passionate about sport and I am hugely looking forward to working with talented

sportswomen and ensuring everyone has a positive experience with PE and sport whatever

their ability. I am also excited about working with new colleagues who share a similar

passion.

Tell us an interesting fact about yourself

I helped to plaster and paint Ethel’s cottage on Downton Abbey.

Miss Alice Tilbury – Graduate Assistant Wilkins

Tell us a bit about yourself

Last year I graduated from the University of Nottingham with a degree in music. I am a singer and a clarinetist and I have sung and played in many different choirs and ensembles including an opera chorus, A cappella group and concert band. I grew up in Hampshire on a little Island called Hayling, which many often call "a floating old people’s home”!

What are you most looking forward to working at Queen Anne’s? I am most looking forward to getting to know the girls in my boarding house and creating some really fun activities for them to do in the evenings and on the weekends.

Tell us one interesting fact about yourself For the past two summers I have worked at a summer camp in America for people with intellectual and physical disabilities. Last year I woke up and opened my door to a six-foot tall black bear who looked deep into my eyes for a few seconds and then casually turned around and wandered into the woods!

Ms Lily Glypti – Teacher of Mathematics

Tell us a bit about yourself

I have an MBA from the University of Nottingham, BSc in Electrical Engineering from the National Technical University of Athens and I have a PGCE Mathematics from the University of Oxford. I love mathematics, its elegance, precision and rigour – a mathematical truth is absolute and indisputable.

Tell us one interesting fact about yourself I always loved sports and in particular athletics. I have competed at national level in my country in various events but my best ranking was in long jump. I also play guitar or more accurately, I used to! Nowadays, I enjoy swimming and snorkelling in the gorgeous Greek sea.

Miss Ella Pelc – Teacher of Biology

Tell us a bit about yourself I was born and grew up in South- East Poland, where I also completed my MPhil in Natural Sciences and Philosophy and the PGCE in secondary Biology. A few months after securing my first full- time teaching post, I decided to take a year off and move to the UK to study English. Fourteen years later (during which I earned MSc in Wildlife Management and Conservation, and worked as a terrestrial and freshwater ecologist), I am still here! I have been teaching Biology for over five years now, and loving every single minute of it.

What are you most looking forward to working at Queen Anne’s? I am most looking forward to being challenged by the bright minds of Queen Anne’s and hope that I will help the girls to achieve their personal best.

Tell us one interesting fact about yourself Once, when on a short break in Rhossili Bay, I was so absorbed by the flora and fauna of the foreshore that I missed the signs of a high tide and became cut off. Wading in the fast rising tide waters to the safety of the shore is, to date, the scariest experience I’ve gone through.

Miss Joanne Clarke - Head of Geography

Tell us a bit about yourself I completed my MA at Reading University. I have taught geography for seventeen years, in East London, in East Africa and locally in Theale. Teaching in Uganda was a lot of fun, especially when the vervet monkeys used to sit in the trees outside my classroom window and listen to the lessons! I have spent the last four years teaching at Downe House and although I am sad to leave, I will take with me lots of experience of teaching girls to be the very best geographers they can.

What are you most looking forward to working at Queen Anne’s? I am most looking forward to meeting all the students at Queen Anne's, and to leading the geography department. I know we will have some great geography lessons, complete some brilliant fieldwork, and obtain results that reflect the very best possible outcomes for each one of you.

Tell us one interesting fact about yourself As a geographer, I love travelling. Recently, I visited Pakistan, and found the house my grandmother lived in, in 1920. I stood in the very same place as she did in a photo aged 5, although it looked very different today.

Miss Anna Rossi - Teacher of Classics, Latin and Greek

Tell us a bit about yourself I have studied Classical Philology at the National and Kapodestrian University of Athens and then I did my Masters in Classics at Swansea University in Wales. I have been teaching Latin, Ancient Greek, Modern Greek and History since 2007.

What are you most looking forward to working at Queen Anne’s? I am looking forward to helping the girls to see the classical civilisation and Latin language through the eyes of a Greek who loves the ancient culture. I would love to show them how vivid Latin is as a language through their own colourful language.

Tell us one interesting fact about yourself I deeply believe in what the Greeks used to say "Healthy body, healthy mind". With that in mind, I play basketball and I do CrossFit, Pilates and kick boxing."

Mr Adam Denman – Visiting Music Tutor (Brass)

Tell us a bit about yourself

I am a freelance musician and educator based in Maidenhead (Berkshire). I graduated from the Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama and perform regularly in many different styles of music, including Orchestral, Solo, Chamber, Jazz, Pop, Function Band/Shows and more. Through my brass quintet Scherzo Brass, I have been involved in many outreach concerts in schools and the community.

What are you most looking forward to working at Queen Anne’s? Inspiring more female students into the world of Brass music.

Tell us one interesting fact about yourself I have performed on television and radio several times as well as having been recorded as part of the orchestra for BBC series, Doctor Who.

Mrs Trina Noyes - Careers Advisor

Tell us a bit about yourself I am married to David and we have 2 children aged 22 and 20, and a dog called Cadbury. After obtaining my BA from Cambridge University, I spent 10 years working for a large, multinational company before leaving to concentrate on being a mum and trailing spouse (our daughter was born in Switzerland and we also lived in America). I have always been interested in education and people development so a few years ago; I decided to retrain as a careers adviser. Since qualifying, I have worked in both state and independent schools. Hockey was my school sport. Having played into my 20's, I returned to playing about 6 years ago and absolutely love it, though it has to be said I am quicker in my mind than in reality! I am also a passionate Scottish rugby fan and live in hope that our day will come again.

What are you most looking forward to working at Queen Anne’s? I'm really looking forward to being part of the QAS team and working with the girls to help them make informed choices about their next steps.

Tell us one interesting fact about yourself I shot full-bore target rifle for Great Britain.

Ms Flora Benson – Teacher of Music (Michaelmas Term)

Tell us a bit about yourself I am an Australian music teacher spending a year travelling and working in Europe/UK. I graduated from Sydney Conservatorium of Music and my main instrument is violin but I also love to sing. I have a particular interest in different types of world music like salsa and klezmer, and enjoy improvised music making. In my spare time, I love reading, learning and drinking tea.

What are you most looking forward to working at Queen Anne’s? I am looking forward to working at Queen Anne's because I am curious as to how it will compare to Frensham, my Australian school that was based on Queen Anne's. I am keen to work in a busy, thriving music department and to experience the demands of UK syllabus requirements.

Tell us one interesting fact about yourself I love mindfulness meditation- in fact, I meditate for 40 minutes a day.

Dr John Brooke – Teacher of English

Tell us a bit about yourself I have a PhD and MA from Birkbeck College, London. In Literature, I enjoy Shakespeare and Milton and the short stories of Chekov and Maupassant. In terms of film, among my list of favourite directors are Paolo Sorrentino, Francesco Rosi and Yasujiiro Ozu. My musical tastes are very broad and range from Indian Classical music to The Stooges, to Late Beethoven string quartets. I speak Italian reasonably well.

What are you most looking forward to working at Queen Anne’s? I am looking forward to having meaningful discussions with my pupils about Literature and the human condition. I also have high expectations that there will be a lot of good natured laughter and humour in class.

Tell us one interesting fact about yourself I like eating cannoli (a Sicilian sweet).

Miss Sophie Erkskine- Graduate Assistant Maddock

Tell us a bit about yourself

I have just graduated at the University of Exeter studying Psychology, which I really enjoyed. I live in Kent when I am home and I enjoy reading and baking.

What are you most looking forward to working at Queen Anne’s? I am looking forward to meeting all the girls in Maddock and organising some exciting things for them all to do!

Tell us one interesting fact about yourself One interesting fact about me is that I have an identical twin sister.

Mr Philip Jones - Teacher of History and Politics (Maternity Cover)

Tell us a bit about yourself

I grew up in Upper Basildon and attended Pangbourne College. I studied for my first degree at King Alfred’s College, Winchester and pursued my passion for Naval History by completing a Master’s degree at the University of Exeter. I have a passion for Naval and Military history as well as German history in the 1st half of the twentieth century, Russia c.1865-1964, the Cold War and American history in the twentieth century. I am an avid cricket fan and rugby fan and now keep fit with swimming, running and cycling - occasionally putting them all together to compete in triathlon.

What are you most looking forward to working at Queen Anne’s? I am looking forward to teaching bright, articulate, engaging and ambitious young women and to helping them onto the next stage in their lives. As a father of two girls, I am also keen to encourage them to think big - to believe in themselves and that they can achieve whatever they want to and never to think that they are second best to anyone.

Tell us one interesting fact about yourself I am one of five brothers, including being a twin, despite that, we have managed to produce seven girls between us and no boys!

Mrs Allison Valner – Elite Sports Coach

Tell us a bit about yourself I was born and raised in the US (Michigan) and moved to the UK to coach lacrosse 7 years ago. I have a BA in Sociology and Physical Education and I am a quailed Lacrosse Coach and Umpire. Since moving to the UK I have worked at Heathfield School and Wellington College. I enjoy playing lacrosse and competing as often as possible and have also started playing tennis and golf in the past few years. I also enjoy reading and travelling.

What are you most looking forward to working at Queen Anne’s? Queen Anne's has a strong reputation for lacrosse and I am looking forward to being able to build upon that tradition.

Tell us one interesting fact about yourself I have played lacrosse in 12 US states and 5 countries.

Miss Sarah Jones – Teacher of History (Maternity Cover)

Tell us a bit about yourself I am an Oxford (BA) and Reading (MSc) graduate and am currently completing my PhD at University of Reading, in Archaeology and Climate Change. This means that I branch both humanities and science subjects. I have excavated both in Britain and abroad, and have focussed on non-European prehistory and archaeology. During my time at the University, I have taken a number of Archaeology and Archaeological Science lectures and greatly enjoy teaching others in both a classroom and 1:1 context.

What are you most looking forward to working at Queen Anne’s? I have been lucky enough to have already been working at the school during the Trinity term as a 1:1 tutor and as an Invigilator for exams. This has given me a great opportunity to get to know a number of the girls already. I look forward to joining the History department in September as a part time Teacher.

Tell us an interesting fact about yourself My hobby is stained glass and glassblowing. I was stranded in Morocco with my leg in plaster in 2010, due to the ash cloud from Eyjafjallajökull (Iceland), following an archaeological excavation. ‘Running to catch ferries, trains and buses home was extremely difficult!’ I have a diploma in basic Arabic and have excavated in Pompeii.

Ms Elizabeth Munro– Teacher of Religion and Philosophy

Tell us a bit about yourself I am Elizabeth Munro and I have recently submitted my PhD, which I completed at SOAS (University of London). I am an animal lover and an avid reader. I have recently finished a beekeeping course and I am looking forward to spending time sorting out my garden (including planting bee friendly plants) and setting up my own hive.

What are you most looking forward to working at Queen Anne’s? When doing my PGCE I was told that you learn more from teaching a subject than studying it. With this in mind, I am looking forward to meeting my new pupils, and to hearing and debating their ideas and opinions on the topics we will explore together.

Tell us one interesting fact about yourself I have contributed a word to the Dictionary of Medieval Latin from British Sources; it was a hapax legomenon, I discovered whilst doing translations for my research.