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produced in the studios.
Only quite recently her
Head of Department,
Jeremy Oddie, received
an email from one of her ex-pupils telling him how
they are now painting professionally and to pass
on his best wishes to her
for all of her
encouragement as her
teacher. But you can’t win
them all. Genny will never
forget the pupil who,
despite her very best
efforts, insisted on only
drawing one platypus
after another for his
GCSE coursework. To
this day, she still cannot
look a semiaquatic egg-
laying mammal in the
eye. Then there was the
boy who lifted up his
work and asked: “Is this expressive or just s**t?”
She will be greatly missed
in the department for her kindness and her
generosity as well as her sense of humour.
Genny was a Tutor in New House when she first arrived at Oundle and it was immediately apparent that she would be a real asset to the Tutor team. Her warmth, sensitivity and quirky sense of humour enabled her to develop a caring and supportive relationship with the girls, who found her easy to talk to and genuine in her desire to provide a strong pastoral presence in their lives when they needed it most. She was a particularly supportive figure in the lives of her tutees and often the quietest girls would visibly blossom under her guidance as they grew in confidence and learnt valuable life lessons. At the Christmas party Genny enjoyed helping the girls with their skits. One year she provided the piano accompaniment to one of the girls’ songs; so engrossed was she that they had to shout at her to stop because the lyrics had run out a verse ago. Genny moved to Kirkeby to become Deputy Housemistress in 2010, when she was accompanied by her mischievous and slightly manic terrier, Tinker. She quickly
became an integral part of the House, once again forming close relationships with the girls and bonding with them over a shared love of terrible reality TV. In 2016 Genny went to tutor at Laundimer and she immediately felt an affinity for the House. The vibe and humour of Laundimer suited her. Once again, the time she invested in her charges, be it through supporting them on a freezing cold touch line or watching a House play, allowed her to know them inside out, something that came across in her very full Tutor’s reports. The boys quietly knew that Genny had their backs and she would always promote their qualities and ensure that they were well represented, whatever the context.
During her 11 years at Oundle, Genny took students all over the world to introduce them to iconic and influential works of art or pieces of architecture: New York, Washington, Amsterdam, Paris, Madrid, Florence, Venice – the list is an impressive one and she admits she has been spoilt. On two separate trips she was mistaken for Nicole Kidman - by a barman in Amsterdam and by a
charity collector in Florence - and on both occasions she had to pick the Head of Art up off the floor because he was laughing so hard. On all trips she always found Oundelians incredibly resourceful and motivated, although she does remember one individual who didn’t bring a sketchbook, camera or money, asserting he had a photographic memory and who yelled out “OK, where’s the good stuff?!” as he glided through a room of never-before-seen Degas sculptures.
Not a natural sportswoman, Genny found her niche in athletics. Braving the British summer weather and equipped with factor 70 sunblock, golfing umbrella and thermal underwear, she wielded her rake expertly as queen of the long jump. Sports Day
will not be the same without Genny in the commentator’s box, fending off numerous ladybird attacks, her dulcet tones a firm fixture of many an athletics event.
Despite starting at the same time as her husband, Matt, it was to be six years of ‘will they, won’t they?’ before they finally stopped being coy with each other and the whole of the Oundle Common Room was delighted when Matt and Genny finally made it official. Having been such central parts of the Oundle School Community for so many years, it was only fitting that Genny and Matt got married in the Chapel, and that they held their wedding reception in the Common Room: a December wedding with a
Caribbean twist that aptly reflected their fun-loving and adventurous natures.
As Genny moves to Ardingly College to start a new chapter with Matt and their daughter, Lilac, the Common Room feels a shade duller and the Ardingly community will be all the brighter for her presence.
Hattie Hopper, English teacher www
STAFF FAREWELLS
THE OLD OUNDELIAN 2017 –2018
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