Teaching Staff

Lesley studied History at Hull and Sheffield Universities and gained her PGCE from Manchester University. She has taught History in both 11-16 and 11-18 schools in the state sector for over thirty years. She has been Head of Department for over 20 years and is currently in charge of History at Brookfield Community School in Chesterfield. Her department regularly achieves results that are above the national average both at GCSE and A Level and the 2004 Ofsted report on the History department referred to very good leadership and management.

Elizabeth was educated at South Wilts Grammar School in Salisbury and Southampton University where she studied Archaeology and History. After becoming a teacher she developed an interest in modern world history. She is currently the Head of History at Parkstone Grammar School in Poole and also holds the post of Educational Visits Co-ordinator, having gained a Certificate in Advanced Educational Studies – Offsite Management. A combined love of travel, archaeology and history has led to a specialisation in field work and trips in history and she regularly takes students to visit First World War battlefields and Russia. Parkstone Grammar School was this year described as “outstanding” by Ofsted, while the History department regularly achieves results above the school average and last year recruited 82% of Year Nine to study GCSE History. As well as acting as a teacher leader Elizabeth ran regional conferences for the Prince’s Training Institute in 2006 and 2007.

Barbara studied History at Leeds University and has been Head of History at Harrogate Grammar School since 1989.  She recently completed a PhD on the transition from studying History at A level to studying the subject at university and, as a result, has strong contacts with History in Higher Education.  This includes being a member of Oxfrord University History Faculty Schools' Liaison Committee and having been a School Teacher Fellow Commoner at Sidney Sussex College, Cambridge in 2003. She has been an elected member of the General Teaching Council since 2004. 

Martin has taught History in four schools, the first grammar the others comprehensive, including the Cherwell School, Oxford, of which he was headteacher from 1981 to 2002. A member of the Historical Association, of whose governing Council he is a member, he writes history books for schools e.g. the Italian Renaissance for KS3, South Africa since 1945 for GCSE and Britain 1846-1964 for AS/A2. Presently he is writing a history course for English-medium schools in Pakistan, working for the Nuffield Review of 14-19 Education and Training and is a governor of Oxford Community School.