RGS Guildford courtyard with students

Archives: Staff

Mrs J Petersen

EYFS Coordinator

Mr N Williams

Head of Whole School ICT, Head of Communications and Head of Examinations

Mrs N Mendoza

Deputy Head (Academic), Head of Staff Development

Mrs S Besly-Quick

Classics Teacher & Teacher Training Mentor
Mrs S Besly-Quick
Classics Teacher & Teacher Training Mentor

When did you join the RGS? September 2014.

What’s the best thing about the RGS? My Teacher Training role means I get to go to loads of awesome lessons in lots of different subjects. That and the cakes in the staff room!

What excites you most about coming into work each day? Seeing my lovely, bonkers, wonderful Tutor group.

If you could change your name to anything, what would it be? My James Bond Secret Cinema alias was Juniper Binks, and I was rather fond of it.

If you were allowed one dream perk, what would it be? To have the main school holidays in January and February instead of summer.

What luxury would you have on a desert island? My knitting and a lifetime supply of cryptic crosswords.

What animal most reflects your personality? A quokka – sun-loving, a bit weird and constantly smiling.

man smiling

Mr A Poon

RGS Site Manager
Mr A Poon
RGS Site Manager

When did you join the RGS? January 2015

What’s the best thing about the RGS? It’s a really short commute and feels like home.

What excites you most about coming into work each day?  Not knowing what challenges the day will bring, but knowing I’m part of a team who’s ready for anything.

What’s your motto in life? Why leave it for tomorrow, when you can do it today.

If you were allowed one dream perk, what would it be? To have superman-like powers! It would sure made all the event set-ups much easier!

What luxury would you have on a desert island? Either an endless supply of crisps or a mobile air-con unit attached to my back! I hate the heat.

What’s your favourite film and why? Impossible to pick a favourite film, but give me any 90’s action film and a big bag of popcorn and I’ll be happy!

Mr S Orchard

Mr L Holland

Head of Electronics & Physics teacher
Mr L Holland
Head of Electronics & Physics teacher

When did you join the RGS? I joined the RGS in 1986!

What’s the best thing about the RGS? The quality of the teaching staff. I have been fortunate to have worked with some extremely bright and inspirational teachers over my many years at the school. I have also made some good friends.

What excites you most about coming into work each day? I love teaching Physics and Electronics; I am passionate about the subject and am lucky enough to be in a brilliant department in a school where Physics is still extremely popular.

What luxury would you have on a desert island? A golf course, golf clubs and an unlimited supply of golf balls!

If you were allowed one dream perk, what would it be? Five afternoons of games, playing golf!

Mr I Wilkes

Mr I Wilkes

Head of First Form
Mr I Wilkes
Head of First Form

When did you join the RGS? I dare not say but we still had chalk!

What’s the best thing about the RGS? The people.

What excites you most about coming into work each day? Everything… I am very excitable.

What luxury would you have on a desert island? A photograph of my wife, daughter and our two dogs… in no particular order!

What’s your motto in life? ‘Smile in the morning and the world smiles with you’; it was in a fortune cookie I had years ago.

If you were allowed one dream perk, what would it be? New knees.

What animal most reflects your personality? Spaniel (working cocker).

Ms N McClean

Dr E McEwan

Teacher of English
Dr E McEwan
Teacher of English

When did you join the RGS? September 2018

What’s the best thing about the RGS? The way that it makes you feel welcome straight away, nothing is too much trouble and everyone is ready with a friendly word or a helping hand.

What excites you most about coming into work each day? The prospect that, at some point, one of the boys I teach is going to say something hilarious. They have a great sense of humour and hearing what they come out with is definitely an incentive to turn up to work every morning.

What luxury would you have on a desert island? Soap and some kind of sand blasting machine, I can’t stand sand.

What’s your favourite film and why? The most recent film I really enjoyed was ‘Onward’. A great story that was both funny and pulled at the heartstrings, classic Pixar.

What food will you absolutely not, under any circumstances, eat? I had a meal once that consisted of moussaka followed by gooseberry tart, eating them both was awful.

If you could be any cartoon character who would you be? Flint Lockwood from ‘Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs’, I know the machine that made the sky rain food went wrong but how amazing would it be to have invented it!

man smiling

Mr J Lythgoe

Head of Academic Physical Education
Mr J Lythgoe
Head of Academic Physical Education

When did you join the RGS? January 2018

What’s the best thing about the RGS? How enjoyable it is to teach (and hopefully learn) here.

What excites you most about coming into work each day? During lockdown? Anything…just please get me out of the house!

If you could change your name to anything, what would it be? I did! It used to be Jaime Noorhaizamdin. Hence, JDNL.

What luxury would you have on a desert island? A Nespresso machine.

What animal most reflects your personality? A meerkat.

What’s your motto in life? Worrying is like a rocking chair. It gives you something to do but it doesn’t get you anywhere.