S TAFF NEWS 157
Ben Hollis
Ben joined QEH six years ago as the first Head of Psychology. As with everything he does, Ben tackled the job in a quiet, unassuming and modest manner but with a great deal of originality and creativity. For instance, how many teachers would conduct a lesson in a Darth Vader mask? Ben did, to emphasise the importance of facial expressions in interpersonal communication.
As well as teaching psychology, Ben has been extremely versatile and has taught Years 7 and 8 Science, Years 9-11 GCSE Biology, the Biology component of AS/A2 Sports Studies and Year 7 ICT. In all subject areas he liked to think laterally and was prepared to push his students to think for themselves. His lessons were always lively, employing a variety of techniques and were just as likely to feature his guitar, the use of role play such as ‘Come Dine With Me’ when discussing diet, or making models of molecules or organisms from whatever materials came to hand.
Ben fully immersed himself in extra- curricular activities: he ran the school Amnesty International Group, sending Christmas cards to political detainees in many areas of the world; he led a Rock Pop and Soul group; he took teams to the Bristol Schools Climbing Competition; and he coached the school 3rd X1 football team - though by his own admission his refereeing abilities have sometimes been questioned. As ever, he remained calm and unperturbed during heated moments on the field, with the result that his matches were always entertaining!
In addition, Ben played bass for the staff band, was a scorer for Sports Day, presented several challenging school assemblies and went on the Ardeche and Holland football tours, where he witnessed a riot at a professional football match. This gave him much material to follow up in psychology lessons.
In his time at QEH, Ben has been the most willing, caring and helpful teacher and he has usually been the first person to volunteer to cover for absent colleagues in a range of situations, from taking games to registration.
Ben arrived at QEH as a single man but he is now happily married to Kate and is a doting father to Sam and Elliot, who have just turned one. He faces a new challenge as he moves north to lead a larger department in Hymers College in Hull. We wish him and his family every success and happiness as they start a new life in Yorkshire and would like to thank him for all he has done in his teaching capacity at QEH.
JB
Kathryn Webb
Kathryn leaves QEH after three years of teaching Latin and Greek. In that time she has made a great impression on the boys whom she has taught and she formed a seamless partnership with Chris Hamlett in their shared timetable. In her first year, Kathryn and Chris taught all the Year 9 Latinists and it is no coincidence that we have just had the biggest number of boys doing Latin GCSE for quite a few years. She has also generously taught Greek GCSE at lunchtime, again with four Year 11s having just taken the exam. However, it is with the Sixth Form that she will have left the most memories. Having taught four different year groups, she and the boys have consistently enjoyed the challenges of Ovid’s poetry and Caesar’s history and also indulged in much - often gender related - intellectual banter.
We wish her all best wishes as she embarks on her PhD at Swansea and hope that she will have time to visit us in the future.
PMJ
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