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Staff Leavers

futures that will be remembered. We wish him all the very best as he ventures north to Berkhamsted School. Miss H. M. Park Conor Hull Conor joined Merchant Taylors’ as a Newly Qualified Teacher in September 2015; teaching was not Conor’s first career. After graduating with a degree in Physics from the University of St Andrews, he worked as a Science Communicator for the Museum of Scotland in Edinburgh. Anyone who has been lucky enough to attend one of his assemblies will easily imagine him captivating audiences in the museum. It was through museum outreach work in Scottish schools that he found his true calling – teaching. Conor has been an intrinsic part of our Physics Department for the last eight years and his contributions have been significant and many, from his own innovations to his calm and considered refining of others’ ideas. Conor was a fantastic Acting Head of Physics for a year, inducting several new members of staff and smoothly navigating the Department through various challenges. If you have ever observed one of Conor’s lessons, you will have enjoyed the wonderful atmosphere of calm and seen the fun and engaging way he teaches complex topics. His Divisions class making Play-Doh stop motion animations of fission and fusion is just one really exciting example of an activity Conor used to make tricky physics ideas

simple. His tutor group has been equally civilised and are often known to enjoy a cup of tea together in the morning. When new timetables were made available in September, boys were always excited to see they had Mr Hull. Beyond Physics, Conor has been a brilliant pastoral leader. In his five-year stint as Assistant Head of Middle School he guided many boys back onto the right path, being something of a master at coaching. He led a working group to revamp the School Council and draft a School policy on Pupil Voice. Having Conor as Head of Mulcaster for the past year, we have been treated to assemblies which are always fun and thought-provoking. Exploring how far you can run while saying ‘ahhhhhh’ was a highlight and his assembly on the breadth, depth and length of a relationship was insightful. He has also been a great support to the Mulcastrian tutors in their work. Conor leaves us to teach physics at Harrow School; we wish him all the best and thank him whole-heartedly for his immeasurable contributions to Merchant Taylors’. He will be truly missed. Mrs A. Mayadeen Matt Flower Matt joined Merchant Taylors’ from The Skinners’ School in 2014 with his then fiancée, Mairead Murphy. Matt and Mairead, living in School accommodation, made an instant impact on the Merchant Taylors’ community both professionally and socially. They both try to live life to its absolute fullest, whether that be through travelling or socialising with friends; this infectious zest for life has rubbed off on everyone who has had the pleasure of their company. Matt quickly proved he was an excellent historian and a master in developing strong relationships with the pupils. The initial respect that he commanded from pupils has never waned. I regularly ask them who their favourite teacher is, and Mr Flower’s name regularly comes at the top of the list. His lessons are stimulating and inspiring in equal measure, and he caters for a range of abilities. Michael Hale, his Head of Department, has

noted that Matt’s work ethic would make Alexi Stakhanov blush. He possesses a remarkable capacity to view problems as opportunities, creating solutions that help boys and colleagues alike. Matt has always been happy to shoulder responsibilities within the Department, whether that be an extensive review of the Upper Thirds curriculum; his stewardship of the Divisions curriculum; staunchly supporting the Bulstrode Whitelocke Society or helping to mastermind the ever-popular Sir Brian Harrison History Magazine. In short, the History Department has been lucky to have Matt as a colleague and friend. Matt’s impact on the Merchant Taylors’ community has never been confined to the classroom. His contribution to the School’s co-curricular programme has been exhaustive. He is a skilled sports coach who has taken many different teams in his tenure, from hockey to cricket, not to mention managing the many White House teams. He has coached our best hockey players and, alongside Mr Alexander, has taken teams to National Finals as well as creating

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