Houses and Housemasters

Boarding Houses

School House

Housemaster:

Richard Burnett (rb@tonbridge-school.org)

Telephone:

01732 304255

Richard Burnett studied Modern Languages at Cambridge where, after a year in Mexico and Paris, he graduated with first class honours before starting his career in the business world, firstly as a marketeer at Unilever and then as Director of media consultancy Human Capital. Having joined Tonbridge in 2002 he became Housemaster of School House in 2006 and currently teaches Spanish and Divinity. Richard recently completed an MA in Buddhist Studies and is co-founder of Mindfulness in Schools, exploring secular mindfulness as a well-being ‘skill’ for children to learn at school. He is married to Zoë and they have three children.

Judde House

Housemaster:

Graeme Gales (gpg@tonbridge-school.org)

Telephone:

01732 353435

Graeme Gales has been at Tonbridge since 1987, after five years teaching at The King's School, Canterbury and at the Grey High School, Port Elizabeth, South Africa in 1996. In his time as Head of Physical Education, Graeme has been Master in charge of Athletics, Judo and Rugby, where he has been coaching the 1st XV since 1994. He teaches Geography and has a special interest in geomorphology. Graeme has been a pastoral tutor in both a day and a boarding house, and was appointed to Clare House (1998 - 2003), one of school's Senior Student houses, before moving into Judde House with his wife Debbie, who teaches at Hilden Grange Prep School, and his two teenage children.

Park House

Housemaster:

Andrew Leale (ajl@tonbridge-school.org)

Telephone:

01732 502979

Andrew Leale was educated at Charterhouse before studying Politics, Philosophy and Economics at Balliol College, Oxford. He joined Tonbridge in 1993 and teaches both Economics and Business Studies. He has held a number of different posts prior to becoming Housemaster of Park House. These have included Master in Charge of Football, Head of Business Studies, Senior Student Housemaster and House Tutor in Park House. Andrew moved into Park House in September 2004 with his wife Melanie. They have three young children - Jessica, Katie and Isabel. Melanie also teaches part time at Tonbridge, in the History Department.

Hill Side

Housemaster:

Paul Parker (pwgp@tonbridge-school.org)

Telephone:

01732 502982

After going to Collyer's G.S. in Horsham, Paul Parker studied Classics at St. Catharine's College, Cambridge. At Tonbridge he teaches Classics and Spanish. Sport has also figured much in his life and before settling down to teach at Tonbridge in 1992 he played professional cricket for many years (Sussex and Durham), as well as working in the city during the winter months. His wife, Tressa, teaches at Russell House School in Otford and their two children, Jamie and Jocelyn, have both graduated.

Parkside

Housemaster:

Jon Perriss (jep@tonbridge-school.org)

Telephone:

01732 502973

Jon has taught at Tonbridge since 2000, having previously worked at Norwich School and in New Zealand. He has played National League hockey for East Grinstead, coached the school first XI and ran the club in his first 5 years at the school. For the past four years Jon has been the Lower Master, coordinating the pastoral provision for the first two years of the school. He has kept up his involvement in sport, and is still coaching the U14 A rugby team ( since 2004) and the U15 A hockey team.  Geography is his academic passion and has been lucky enough to take part in fieldtrips to the Ardeche, Morocco and Borneo in recent years. He is married to Charlotte, who is a Renal Nurse Specialist in London. They have 2 daughters, Ella and Imogen.

Ferox Hall

Housemaster:

Andrew Whittall (arw@tonbridge-school.org)

Telephone:

01732 304249

Andrew Whittall was educated at Falcon College in Zimbabwe and Trinity College, Cambridge, where he read Engineering and won four cricket blues. After graduating he spent four years playing International cricket and retired soon after participating in the Cricket World Cup in England in 1999. He then worked as a director of a Sports Marketing firm in London and commentating on Channel 4's cricket coverage. At Tonbridge, he teaches Maths and is Director of Sport. He is married to Amy, who is also a teacher, and they have three children.

Manor House

Housemaster:

James Hodgson (jsh@tonbridge-school.org)

Telephone:

01732 502972

James Hodgson joined Tonbridge School in 2000 from Trinity Grammar School, Sydney, Australia where he spent six happy years and was Housemaster of one of their day Houses and Master in Charge of Football. He moved into Manor House in 2004. In addition he is Director of Admissions and a teacher of Classics. During his time at Tonbridge he has also been Lower Master of the School, Master in Charge of Cricket and, in charge of the Sixth Form Centre. James studied Classics at Durham University and then worked at Ernst and Young for a couple of years before doing a PGCE at Cambridge University, where he won a cricket Blue. James is to married Rachel, another Durham graduate. They have four children.

Day Boy Houses

Welldon House

49 London Road
Tonbridge
TN10 3AD

Housemaster:

Richard Evans  (rhe@tonbridge-school.org)

Telephone:

01732 304260

Richard Evans was born in Liverpool and grew up in the Staffordshire Moorlands. He graduated from Leicester University with the top First in English and took his Masters Degree at Bristol. He joined Tonbridge in 1993. He coaches rugby, soccer and athletics and has toured internationally with all of the first squads. He is a prize-winning teacher of English, and has published articles in magazines and newspapers, particularly on strategies for teaching and working with boys. Before becoming a housemaster, he was Head of English, Master in Charge of the Community Group and Cross-Country, and responsible for the teaching of boys with Special Educational Needs. His wife, Charlie, teaches locally and he has a baby daughter, Anna Isabella.

Smythe House

Housemaster:

Chris Henshall (cmh@tonbridge-school.org)

Telephone:

01732 353600 (House)
01732 502976 (Study)

Chris Henshall was educated at The Manchester Grammar School and St. Peter's College, Oxford. He taught at Cranleigh School (where he was an assistant housemaster) and King's College, Taunton (where he was Head of Geography) before coming to Tonbridge to run the Geography Department in January 1996; he took over Smythe House in September, 2005. He has played an active role in coaching athletics, cross country running, football, hockey and rugby throughout his teaching career and, as a keen mountaineer and a qualified instructor, he runs the school's Climbing Club. As well as numerous trips within Britain, he has also run major school expeditions to the European Alps, Iceland, Morocco and New Zealand. His wife, Hilary, teaches at Hilden Grange Preparatory School and they have two teenage children.

Whitworth

Housemaster:

Will Biddle (wdfb@tonbridge-school.org)

Telephone:

01732 502978

Will Biddle is an old Tonbridgian, having boarded in Park House between 1976 and 1981. He studied Biochemistry at the University of London, and after a year travelling and working around the world, went on to spend six years working in management for a London advertising agency.

He then studied for a PGCE in Design Technology in Newcastle and has been teaching ever since. He joined us in 2004 from Wymondham College in Norfolk. Will teaches Design Technology and coaches Ultimate Frisbee and Hockey. He has previously been the Anti-Bullying Coordinator, and he currently runs the school's PSHE programme. He is married to Tara, and they have twin girls, Grace and Ruby.

Cowdrey House

Housemaster:

Robert Oliver (rwgo@tonbridge-school.org)

Telephone:

01732 360239

Robert Oliver took a History degree at Peterhouse Cambridge, taught at Malvern College and then was Head of History at John Lyon School. He spent a year doing an MA in Art History before coming to Tonbridge to teach History and English. He coaches Cricket and Hockey sides and is involved in conservation work. He became Housemaster of Cowdrey House in 2005. Robert is married with two young daughters.

Oakeshott House

Housemaster:

John Bleakley (jrb@tonbridge-school.org)

Telephone:

01732 500034

John Bleakley was educated at Bangor Grammar School in Northern Ireland, and took a joint honours degree in English Literature and History at Trinity College Dublin, where he also captained the football club. Following a PGCE at Strathclyde University, he taught for three years at Nottingham High School before he came to Tonbridge in 2002 as an English teacher. Before taking over Oakeshott in 2006 John was a Welldon House Tutor, Master in charge of Football and ran the Seminar programme. He is still coach of the 1st XI football team. He is married to Alyson, who is a teacher and they have three young children.