Taylorian

Valete

Staff Leavers

cycling option where she characteristically mopped up those struggling at the back of the peloton and curbed the desires of the more enthusiastic leaders to cycle into swamps and a myriad of other challenging terrains. She took great pleasure in singing with the Chamber Choir, notably at the Vernon Service and the Evensongs at various Cathedrals and Colleges. Lottie leaves Merchant Taylors’ School a better place. She now heads north to focus on developing her passion for creativity in a new world of antiques and craft. We wish her success in her new venture. Mr J. G. Taylor

fortunate and it is no coincidence that she played her part in moving the School towards a coaching culture that is now embedded. The qualities of a deep-seated interest in teaching methodology, a culture of self-improvement and the ability to talk supportively and honestly to all meant that Lottie was a natural choice to take on the role of Staff Tutor in 2011, with the responsibility of training new teachers towards Qualified Teacher Status and then mentoring the Early Career Teachers in their subsequent years. This was well timed as the new Head was keen to foster a teaching and learning environment in the staff; over her time here Lottie has supported over forty teachers, either in their training or in their ECT Induction Programme. She took pride in adapting her approach to suit the needs of every individual and in her role she served as a confidant not just of trainees but of members of the Senior Common Room as a whole. She took pride in giving colleagues the space and time to reflect on their teaching craft and to grow in the profession. It is no coincidence that the vast majority have gone on to senior roles either at MTS or in other schools. For some, the culture of reflection did not come easily and Lottie took time to encourage colleagues and would ensure that targets were met. Lesson observations and feedback were outstanding, so much so that she was invited to become part of the team that helped with recruitment of new senior colleagues. All those who have been through the ECT programme have paid tribute to her high standards and meticulous approach. She was always honest, fair and if need be, direct. In the words of the Head Master, Lottie has ‘run a Rolls Royce operation’ and this was recognised by external inspectors who saw her work as exceptional. Lottie herself saw the opportunity to work with so many talented individuals as a genuine privilege and although the workload has increased markedly over the past decade, she has found the experience rewarding. Lottie wholeheartedly bought into the school’s ethos of the all-round education. Endlessly creative, this team spirit was

extended to other areas of school life – the lunchtime online Boggle club thrived in lockdown, and a group of enthusiasts tried hard but never succeeded in getting the better of Lottie in the quest for the ultimate sixteen letter word. Similarly, there are hundreds of children from local primary schools who will have a wizard’s hat in their possession as a result of her craft sessions in the Harry Potter Field Days. The glue gun injuries to MTS boys were worth it for the look of delight on the faces of our guests. She stepped up to run the Airfix model club and again fostered a niche community of enthusiasts with a love of glue and plastic. Elsewhere, Lottie found her home in the

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