Our Boarding Staff

Alfred House (capacity for 37 boys, Years 7 - 13)

Mr Richard Davison  
(Housemaster, Sports coach)
Richard joined us from Durham in September 2009.  He studied Psychology at University and is a keen sportsman, with a particular passion and talent for rugby.

Mr Matt Atkinson  
(Resident Tutor, Science Teacher)
Matt joined Ashford in September 2007 as a boarding house tutor and science teacher.  His speciality is Forensic Science and he is a Year 7 Tutor.  He also has a passion for cycling, competing in many local and national events.

Mr Michael Dormandy  
(Resident Tutor, Classics Teacher)
Michael joined us in 2009 as a recent graduate from Oxford University.  He is very much a Latin specialist but you will also find him leading his Year 12 tutor group and singing heartily in Assemblies!  Other hobbies also include gastronomy.

Mr Nicu Munteanu 
(Resident Tutor, EAL & History Teacher)
Nicu came to Ashford from Romania and liked it so much he decided to stay.  He is particularly clued up on European History and enjoys honing his basketball skills on court with the students.

Brabourne House (capacity for 60 girls, Years 7 - 13)

Miss Elizabeth Spittal   
(Senior Tutor for Girls’ Boarding, English Teacher)
Liz is one of our longest serving members of boarding staff.  She has seen many changes at the School over the years (not least the transition from a single sex girls’ school to a fully coeducational one) and has devoted many hours to the English department as well as to the boarders.  Watch out for her Magic club – you will never know how it’s done!

Ms Susie Cousins  
(House Matron)
Susie is our only non-teaching member of the boarding team: she devotes her time to making the boarding house a home away from home. She is not afraid of getting her hands dirty and you will often find her digging in the garden, planting flowers, sorting out the laundry and more. Your senses will be tantalised by the smells of her home baking as you return from your school day.

Dr Rachael Jones
(Resident Tutor, Science Teacher)
Rachael is a talented and passionate Biologist (though she can turn her hand to Chemistry and Physics also), and Tutor of Years 8 & 9.  She has a plethora of hobbies and interests, not least of which is singing: she is a member of the School Chamber Choir and also of Ashford Choral Society with whom she has participated in national events.

Miss Maria Blanco  
(Resident Tutor, Musician in Residence)
Maria is in her second year at Ashford and has been inspiring young musicians with her keyboard skills and infectious enthusiasm for all things musical.  She oversees the boarders’ musical gala evenings and her most recent feat has been coordinating and participating in an international festival celebrating the works of Camilleri, a composer from her native Malta.

Brooke House (capacity for 32 boys, Years 11 – 13)

Mr Alan Hutchings 
(Housemaster, Design & Technology Teacher)
Alan joined us in September 2009 from Cokethorpe School in Oxfordshire.  Resourceful and practical, he has a hidden passion for American football, having successfully turned his rugby talents to this sport in his student days

Mr Marc Boyd  
(House Tutor, PE teacher, Sports Coach)
Marc’s enthusiasm, energy and optimism are perennial hits with all pupils!  He is a dedicated Year 7 Form Tutor and master in charge of rugby (having played for London Scottish & Harlequins not too long ago). The day is not long enough to exhaust his ideas or energy – he leaves this to his baby daughter!

Mr Jon Tyler 
(Resident Tutor, History Teacher)
Jon joined us in September 2009 as a boarding Tutor and History teacher.  He will be found with his Form of Year 8 & 9s every morning or, outside of the classroom, working on his fitness in the gym or relaxing with some country music and trying not to worry about the progress of Arsenal football team...

Mr Jan Guthrie 
(Resident Tutor, German Language Assistant, Music & Latin)
A fluent German speaker and keen Latinist, Jan contributes in all sorts of ways to many areas of the school.  His main area of expertise and training is Music, which he not only teaches but he willingly accompanies soloists in performances and will happily while away many an hour improvising jazz piano… A treat to behold!

Director of Boarding

Mr Tom Wilding  
Tom joined from Highgate School in London. He is a Languages Teacher (Spanish & French), Sixth Form Tutor, cricket coach (he also plays for a local cricket club in the East Kent League) and rusty musician.  He lives on site with his two children and his wife, Charlotte, who is also a teacher at the school.

Our boarding staff is further enhanced by our Languages Assistants: Virginia Moyano-Herreros from Cordoba (Spain), Anais Maniaval from Bordeaux (France), our three Gap Assistants; William Tait, James Curnow & Holly Jarvis from Sydney (Australia), and Alex Huetson, our well known theatre star who divides his time between drama, sport & boarding.