Education and Career History:

I went to school at Foyle and Londonderry College in Co. Londonderry, N.Ireland (yes-it was the same school as Mrs Kitson) and from there, studied joint honours PE and English at Loughborough University. I joined Cranleigh Prep School in September 2000 having taught KS3, GCSE and A Level English at Ravenswood School for Boys in Bromley, Kent. I became Head of Department in 2004.

Interests:

I love sport: playing it; watching it; coaching it; shouting on the side lines. My claim to fame has to be playing for the Irish Women's Rugby team during my time at university. I also played on the hallowed turf at Twickenham on four occasions. 

I enjoy music and played the cello and sang at school. I come from a very musical family and have been known to enjoy a good sing-song.

With two young boys of my own, I often fall asleep with a book rather than read it but I do love reading.

Favourite book:

Changes all the time and is quite often the last thing I have read. I really enjoy anything by Kate Atkinson. From my schooldays, it has to be 'To Kill a Mockingbird' by Harper Lee. Just read 'Engleby' by Sebastian Faulks and loved it.

Forms 5D and 5A English, Forms 6.2H and 6.2K English to Common Entrance. I also organise both the girls' and boys' golfing activities.

Education and Career History:

Attended Londonderry High School and then Queen's University, Belfast, studying English and Drama. Having taught in Middlesborough for a few years, I headed overseas to Dubai and just kept going! Also lived and worked in Bahrain, Bermuda, Hong Kong and Malaysia. Returning to England, I joined Cranleigh Prep School as a Learning Support teacher in 2003, and the Northern Irish, sorry, English Department in September 2004.

Interests:

To say I am interested in golf is possibly a bit of an understatement. I also have been known to waterski, snow ski, play tennis and do a spot of gardening. I went through a phase of writing and directing pantomimes but I think I'm cured now.

Favourite books:

I like most types of writing - notable recent reads would be "One Day" and "The Hunger Games" trilogy. I particularly enjoy reading the recommendations of the children and have recently finished "I am Number 4".  Fave schooldays' book has to be "A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man" by James Joyce and I'm partial to the poetry of W.B. Yeats and Seamus Heaney.