The History Department Staff

Leslie Smith - A, B & C Forms

Head of Department

Leslie’s love of history took him from Ladybird books to a Cambridge scholarship, then on to be Head of History in a number of prep. schools. He has also taught English, produced plays and been a deputy head. He has taken children to well over one hundred historic sites over the years while, in the classroom, he tries to combine dramatic story-telling, detailed analysis and the latest technology. For those in the know, he is proud of having taught a Townsend Warner winner.

Jamie Randall - A & B Forms

Jamie has been one of the department’s great enthusiasts for so long that he is part of Port Regis history himself. A strong believer in the appeal of story in the subject, he leads from the front to ensure that everyone gets involved in the topic, with battle blocks, maps, DVDs and, most importantly, his own passion for what it must have been like then. As well as bringing great experience to his Common Entrance teaching, he seeks to broaden children’s knowledge beyond the confines of the exam syllabus.

Phil Lawrence - C & D Forms
Phil has been passionate about History since his own prep school days. During his lengthy Port Regis career, at various times he has taught History to F, E, D, C and B forms (years 3-7) and he currently teaches in the D and C forms, indulging his particular buzz for the Tudor period in the latter. Phil also teaches Life Skills, while outside the classroom he coaches sport and is a houseparent.

Frances Boarder - D Form

A historian by conversion and conviction, Frances enjoys the ancient history sections in museums and visiting sites in Britain and the Med. She has been to re-enactments of Romano-British, Anglo-Saxon and Viking life-style events and battles, and likes archaeological TV programmes. Very enthusiastic about the subject, and always ready with her camera, she frequently returns from her trips and holidays with armfuls of goodies and makes laminated information sheets with postcards and photographs for the department’s resource bank.

Tom Murray - D & F Forms

Tom received his early grounding in the subject as a boy at Port Regis. He returned as a ‘Gap’ student and, having recently graduated in history at Bath University, he came straight back! His particular interest is in South African history, but Tom especially likes teaching ancient history, for which he finds plenty of scope in the D and F forms; he is something of an expert on mummification! He really enjoys using lots of different ways to teach and encourage the children to be historians themselves.

Liz Lyon - E Form

Although not a specialist historian, Liz is passionately interested in the subject. She enjoys teaching her E form about the Victorians, World War Two and aspects of chronology, and she rarely resists the temptation to sneak some historical elements into her teaching of other subjects. Her other interests include music (she plays the flute, piano and various other instruments), theatre, literature and most things French.

Christine Peters - E Form

One of our most experienced Lower School teachers, Christine is well known for her colourful displays and her sumptuous Victorian cooking for the form feast! Steeped in culture, especially Art (her husband is Head of Department at Clayesmore Senior School), she’s the one to talk to if you want to know about the finer things in life in past times!