Members Of The Department
Academic > Departments > Geography > Members Of The Department
Chris Battarbee (CMB)
 | | CMB on his travels in Africa |
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Chris joined the Geography Department in September 2000 as a newly qualified teacher from the London Institute of Education and, before that, from stockbroking with Redmayne Bentley. A graduate of Keble College Oxford and a cricket blue, he has continued as a cricket coach and as master in charge of squash whilst taking over the reins of the geography department from CMH in 2005. Since then he has taken sixth form students to Costa Rica, and 1st year Geographers to the Ardèche for a geography and outward bound trip. As a keen hill walker and experienced skier, he also helps supervise Duke of Edinburgh expeditions and has run ski trips.
Chris Henshall (CMH)
 | | CMH mapping the ice margin of an outlet glacier on a recent field trip to S.E. Iceland |
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Educated at Manchester Grammar School and St. Peter's, Oxford, Chris came to Tonbridge in 1996 from King's College Taunton, though he has also taught in Kashmir and worked as a mountaineering instructor in the Alps. An experienced teacher and examiner at both GCSE and A Level, Chris particularly enjoys physical geography; he has been quick to utilise the department's new computing facilities to help him share his enthusiasm for this subject with his pupils on the occasions when it is not possible for them to experience a landscape at first hand.
After a very successful nine years in charge of the department, he became Housemaster of Smythe day house. Nevertheless, he still finds time to run trips, and coaches a range of sports across the school - notably rock climbing, of which he is master in charge, and rugby.
Mike Rowan (MGR)
 | | Mike Rowan finding the local wildlife quite a handfull while travelling in South America |
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With enormous experience of travelling, notably pan Pacific, MGR has enthused generations of Tonbridgians since arriving in 1983, having read Geography at Pembroke, Oxford; in recent years he has taught mainly human geography. Enlargements of his photos cover every available inch of wall space in the department and have caused more than one boy to be late for his next lesson when leaving the department!
Before Tonbridge Mike worked as a restaurant manager in central London whilst writing academic articles and freelance journalism, and since being here he has been a boarding housemaster and was master in charge of rowing for 18 years. Now he is master in charge of Terriers (a non military alternative to the CCF), organises the mixed sports programme, and has pastoral responsibility for boys who join the school in the 6th form. However, Mike will never stop studying and being passionate about geography, and passing this enthusiasm on to whoever enters his classroom.
Graeme Gales (GPG)
 | | GPG eating croc in South Africa |
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Despite becoming Housemaster of Judde boarding house in 2003 and continuing in his role as Head of Physical Education, Graeme remains first and foremost a geographer. He specialises on the physical side of the subject and always brings the best out of the pupils he teaches. 'Galesy' is also an outstanding sports coach, presiding over numerous unbeaten seasons as master in charge of athletics and judo. Although no longer master in charge of rugby since entering Judde, he has still dedicated huge amounts of time to coaching the 1st XV through their recent unbeaten seasons.
Jonathan Perriss (JEP)
 | | JEP about to ascend the Franz-Joseph glacier in New Zealand |
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Jon joined the Geography Department in September 2000 from Norwich School. A graduate of Swansea University, he completed his PGCE at Southampton and gained valuable experience teaching in New Zealand. He is heavily involved in pastoral care in the school, as Lower Master and Assistant Housemaster in Parkside boarding house, and his rapport with his pupils helps to inspire many of them to study geography into the 6th form and beyond.
As a former National League Division One hockey player, Jon has thrown himself into sporting life at Tonbridge, having been master in charge of hockey, 2nd XI cricket coach and coached A team players in rugby. He is also a keen squash player and does a convincing impression of a left handed Michael Atherton!
David Tennant (DHT)
 | | DHT piloting his craft through the Sydney harbour bridge |
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David was educated at London University and, with geological experience from Consolidated Gold Fields and as a Biology teacher, he contributes to the physical side of the subject as well as teaching to GCSE. His knowledge was put to good use in the Cloud Forests of Costa Rica, and few other geography teachers will have exemplified a talk on tectonics with an actual volcanic eruption on cue! He has also run sailing in the school, the Navy section of the Cadet Force and is the chairman of the Parents' Arts Society.