Sport - Rugby School

Vales
2009/10
Vales
Vales
Christine Robinson
Christine Robinson has been very involved in the School since the
Robinson family moved to Rugby 22 years ago. Christine began as
Science librarian, and continued in that role until the departmental
libraries were merged with the TRR in the mid 1990s. At the same
time, Christine was a tutor, first in Southfield and then in Rupert
Brooke. Christine was a rock during the pretty turbulent last year
that Southfield was a boarding house, and I know that her tutees
there were very grateful for the friendly stability she provided at
that time, as was I. I was delighted when Christine then moved to
Rupert Brooke, where we were able to work together again until
my move to Tudor in 2002. Having helped out in the Careers
Department at Monkton Combe before coming to Rugby, it made
sense for Christine to join Jane Phelps in the Careers Department
here, which she did in 1996. Christine has proved instrumental in
finding work experience placements for the D block and others,
and in providing important higher education advice to the LXX
and XX as they go about their applications to university. Christine
has made a real impression on Careers at Rugby, with her kindly
approach, her endless patience and because of the hours she has
put into her work, which surely exceed the time most people would
be prepared to offer. In the last few years, Christine has also taught
D block Citizenship and moderated some of the new Edexcel
Extended Project qualifications. She has also played an important
role in Whitelaw, too, where her husband, Peter, is a tutor.
I know that all of the pupils who have experienced Christine’s care
and attention – and indeed the many staff with whom she has
worked – will miss her and remain grateful for all that she has done.
She has all our best wishes for a happy retirement.
SAR
Peter Robinson
Peter Robinson came to Rugby as Head of Science in 1988 from
Monkton Combe, where he had been both Head of Careers and
Head of Physics. Science had only recently become a compulsory
subject in the National Curriculum, and one of Peter’s first decisions
at Rugby was to introduce Nuffield Co-ordinated Science, a dual
award course that linked together various strands in Biology,
Chemistry and Physics, and which was taken by those who, it
was felt, would benefit from a more practical and context-based
approach to science. As such, this linked with work done by Geoff
Foxcroft (a former Head of Science here), who had been involved
in developing the Nuffield A Level Physics course. Co-ordination
was very much Peter’s watchword, and during his time as Head of
Science he did much to ensure that the three Departments worked
together as one within the Science Faculty.
As well as leading the Science Faculty, one of the roles of the Head
of Science is to ensure that Rugby maintains a high profile in the
world of science education, something Peter did during his time in
charge by being a member of the 59 Club (a meeting of the Heads
of Science from the leading public schools); by organising Biology,
Chemistry and Physics ‘At Work’ events (when local schools were
invited to come to meet practising scientists); and by encouraging
the heads of Biology, Chemistry and Physics to invite speakers to talk
to the Upper School subject specialists. Peter was also a founding
member and chairman for ten years of the Schools’ Physics Group
(which still meets annually at Rugby), as well as being a moderator,
examiner and trainer for both OCR and Edexcel. On stepping down
as Head of Science in 1998, Peter took over co-ordinating the staff
appraisal scheme, a role he continued to fulfil until 2007.
It was during Peter’s tenure as Head of Science that plans were put
in place for a well overdue refurbishment of the Science Schools.
This ambitious project started in 1997 with a view to providing a
‘flexible and unified structure reflecting inter-disciplinary advances
and an understanding of science’. The last major phase has only
recently been completed, but it was through Peter’s vision and
under his initial guidance that the ‘new’ Science Schools we see
today have become a modern and exciting place in which both
to teach and to learn. One could use, perhaps, a rather well know
epitaph at this point – Lector, si monumentum requires, circumpice
– although, of course, we hope that Peter will be around for many
more years to come yet!
As well as being Head of Science, Peter has been very active in many
areas of the School over the past 22 years. He tutored in Tudor
when it was boys’ house, first under the guidance of David Gregory,
and then under Ron Reeve-Johnson, when Peter also served as a
non-resident Assistant Housemaster. When the decision was made
to convert Tudor into a girls’ house, it was decided to merge Tudor
and Whitelaw. Andrew Smith was appointed as Housemaster to
oversee this change, not an easy task given the loyalty that the
boys had to their separate houses. But with Peter as his AHm in
charge of the Sunnyside Annexe, the merger was successful and
Peter has continued to be a loyal tutor and great help to Andrew
in Whitelaw ever since. Peter was in charge of the RAF section of
the CCF for period of time and has been a 2AA supervisor for the
past fifteen years. Peter has also been a regular with the first aid
kit as casualty officer on sports afternoons; a timekeeper at home
athletics meetings; and has helped out in Chapel, most notably
with administering the chalice at Holy Communion. And when not
busy at school, Peter is often to be found trimming the rather large
hedge that surrounds his house at Springhill!
Over the last twenty or so years, Peter has been a schoolmaster
in every sense of the word. Not only has he been an excellent
Head of Science and dedicated Physics teacher, but as one would
expect, he has also been an active member of the Rugby School
community. We wish Peter and Christine, his wife, well as they
retire to their cottage in Wiltshire. Their departure leaves a large
hole to be filled.
NJM