A Fond Farewell

With an excellent academic year now behind us, we look to those teachers who have come to the end of their time at Shiplake. Though they are leaving the School, we celebrate all they have achieved, and helped our pupils to achieve, in the time they have been here at Shiplake.

Dr Gareth Hughes joined Shiplake in 2016 as Deputy Head, Academic. In his time with the School, he has coached U16 and U13 rugby, U13 cricket, U15 football, mountain-biking, basketball and the Harriers cross-country. He was also lead guitarist in the much loved staff band Overdue and his best memories are of performing alongside his bandmates at various School concerts. In September, Gareth will start a new adventure on the Island of Jersey as Deputy Headmaster at Victoria College.

Mr Duncan Miller joined in 2013 and has taught English ever since. His roles have included Head of Cricket, Assistant Housemaster of Welsh and second in charge of English. He also spent five years coaching the U14B football team. In his time, Duncan has enjoyed performing Othello on the Skipwith Terrace with last year’s ‘excellent’ A-Level English group. He also apologises to the Year 7 class (now Year 10) that he subjected to, what he calls, ‘dreadful guitar playing’. Now Duncan is moving to Abingdon School as Second in Charge of English.

Mr James Arney has been at Shiplake for two years as Teacher of English. He has been Deputy Housemaster of Orchard, has coached rugby and managed the Harriers. He also played a role in the Outdoor Education programme, accompanying Duke of Edinburgh expeditions to the Brecon Beacons. Mr Arney has also enjoyed playing staff touch rugby, quoting The Office with Mr Miller, and his favourite moment was speaking at Shiplake College’s Remembrance Service in 2017. James is now taking a step away from education, and will become a Sales Manager of the European, Middle-Eastern and African team for a company called Rapiscan | AS&E. In this role he will work with various Government and Military officials to provide Cargo and Vehicle scanning solutions to counter threats, contraband and trade fraud at ports, military bases, borders and security checkpoints.

Mr Pete Muhley joined Shiplake in September 2013 as Teacher of Maths. Since then he climbed the ladder to achieve the role of Head of Mathematics and Deputy Housemaster of Skipwith House. He most enjoys the summer term at Shiplake and says ‘What a glorious place to work at this time of year!’. He will Join the John Lyon School in London this September as Head of Mathematics.

Mr Duncan Traynor has only been with us for two years, but has undoubtedly made an impact in that time. He joined as Director of Sport and Head of PE, a role which he has now entrusted to Mr Tom Walter. Mr Traynor’s favourite memories of  Shiplake are watching his pupils’ successes in the sports we offer at Shiplake and following the hard work they put into achieving what he knew all along, they could. Now he moves on to the Harrow School to work with his uncle on a new line of sports technology: the scanning and 3D printing of gum shields!

Miss Lizzie Morgan came to Shiplake in 2015 as Head of Theology and Philosophy. A year after joining she was made Head of Year 10 Enrichment week and year after that, Lizzie was appointed to the role of Assistant Head of Academic Extension/PULSE. Her favourite memories include laughing and joking with Mr Bluck, Mr Armstrong, Mr Howarth, Mrs Nunes and Mr Traynor, in particular. She has also enjoyed the company of her pupils and her Year 11 Skipwith House tutees. She will now move to Warwick School to further her role of Head of Religion and Philosophy.

We also say goodbye to Head of Economics and Assistant Housemaster of Everett, Mr Darius Bluck, who will spend the next year traveling the world, including India. Chris Lehane-Kendrick, Teacher of Maths, is traveling to El Salvador to continue to teach Mathematics; and Orchard Housemaster Adam Moffatt, who will become Head of Rowing at St. Edward’s School in Oxford.

We wish the best of luck to all of our departing members of staff and say an enormous thank you for all you have done for Shiplake College and our pupils.