The Salopian - Winter 2021

SCHOOL NEWS
23
Jo Billington
Staff 2007-2021
Jo Billington joined our Combined Cadet Force in 2007, having previously being
employed at Abingdon. Jo was previously an officer in the Royal Military Police and
had worked with school cadets for a number of years. Jo assisted in bringing our maledominated
CCF up to speed with a more coeducational approach and as Training Major
was responsible for ensuring our events were well planned and safe, as well as having
the responsibility for delivering the Gold Duke of Edinburgh’s Award. Jo was a diligent
and effective planner and it was clear her years as a Staff Officer had paid off: her
meticulous paperwork and multi-tabbed files become the stuff of office legend.
It was in the delivery of Gold DofE that Jo can claim the most significant credit. For
students to gain gold whilst still at school is a rare thing and here Jo’s administration
skills came to the fore, as a steady stream of Upper Sixth formers visited St James’s
Palace for the award ceremony each year. Also unusual was the range of expedition
options on offer, whether that be walking, sea kayaking, open boating and even, most
recently, snow shoeing. Our CCF stores still groan under the weight of some of the
equipment used for these exciting ventures and I would be in no doubt that many lifelong memories were forged by these
experiences.
Jo leaves with our best wishes for a very different new life focusing on property development and interior design.
Nick David
Jo Elliot
Head Librarian
2013-2021
Jo left the School in August 2021 after eight years of wonderful service as our
Head Librarian. Having arrived from Harper Adams University she leaves us to
go back to supporting post-18 learning, having been appointed to an exciting
new role in the Open University.
During her time at the School, the experience of using the Moser Library
has been transformed. Jo was involved in the design and specification of the
upgrade to the building, making it a comfortable and inviting space, whilst
maintaining its historic footprint and feel. It became a brighter, more cheerful
place, with rooms for private quiet study and communal areas for group work
and book clubs. It now has connectivity – to the School’s network and beyond
into the wider world of academia. There are desks and chairs for every mood
and need.
Aside from the imaginative and successful reworking of the space, Jo also
made sure that students were supported more than ever before. From Library
induction on arrival at the School, Jo would guide Salopians on how to find
resources in the building and, crucially in today’s world, how to research
accurately when sifting digital information (and disinformation) on the web. These sessions were designed to equip students
with the skills required to support their subjects and beyond. Elsewhere Jo would ensure that the Library’s resources were
always fresh and relevant – with orders willingly taken from staff and students, displays set to catch the visitor’s attention and
events permeating the calendar, such as celebrations of World Book Day (which became quite competitive between Houses)
and talks and workshops by visiting authors. Jo was also happy to share events with other schools – both independent and
maintained.
Jo leaves us with the Moser Library looking great – and more importantly as a building that now has a strong beating heart at
the centre of Salopian daily life. She has done what she set out to do: shared her love of reading with us all.
Stuart Cowper
Julie Till
Staff 2000-2021
When Julie joined what is now the Learning Support Department, the then Headmaster, Ted Maidment, named the department
‘Extra English’, as learning difficulties were not as recognised as they are today. It was only when Jeremy Goulding became
Headmaster that the Learning Support Department became fully established.
As an English and Medieval History graduate, Julie was writing Literature courses and working as a lexicographer when she
took a break to have her son. During that period, she volunteered at Second Chance (adult literacy); there she worked with a
talented, but profoundly dyslexic lady. That experience led to her developing and pursuing an interest in learning differences
and study skills, eventually taking the post-graduate RSA Diploma.