Cobham House Staff Matthew Way - Housemaster As a pupil of Pangbourne College Matthew remembers playing hockey against Stowe on the North Front. Before joining Stowe in September 2006, he completed a degree in Politics at University College Swansea and then spent 5 years as an infantry officer in the Duke of Edinburgh's Royal Regiment serving in both Northern Ireland and Bosnia during that time. Following a PGCE at the University of Bath, Matthew was Head of History at Forres Sandle Manor School in the New Forest before moving to Kelly College in Tavistock where he was a Housemaster. Matthew is a keen sportsman having played hockey for Reading in the National League, Wales and the Combined Services. He also enjoys cricket and golf. He is married to Kate, who is an Intensive Care Sister, and they have two young children, James (2) and Olivia, who arrived in 2005. Rufus and Puss complete the family.
Eve Collins - Matron Eve was brought up in Yorkshire where she gained a love of the outdoors and horses. On leaving school she spent over twenty years as a groom and riding teacher, becoming heavily involved in polo. Her last three years, before joining Cobham in September 2007, were spent as a nanny. Eve still enjoys riding whenever she can and all country pursuits. She is looking forward to her new challenge in becoming Matron of Cobham.
Huw Jones - Under-Housemaster In addition to his role in Cobham, Huw is the Assistant Director of Music and Chapel Organist. Huw, from Reading (but originally Wales!), was a pupil at Reading School before going to Robinson College, Cambridge University, where he studied music and was organ scholar. After this, he qualified as a Chartered Accountant with Tenon Group PLC, before realising that teaching music was his calling in life! Directly before joining Stowe, Huw held the post of Musician in Residence at Haileybury in Hertfordshire. In addition to music, he enjoys football, jogging and cycling.
Vicki Edwards - 3rd Form Tutor After graduating from the University of Stirling, Vicki was a journalist and magazine editor for several business to business publications. Realising she wasn’t making the most of her English degree she decided to undertake a PGCE at the University of Edinburgh. After passing (with Merit!) she joined George Heriot’s School in Edinburgh, subsequently moving to a local independent day school after her probationary year. As well as looking after the Third Form Vicki teaches English and coaches Hockey. She is also actively involved in our Duke of Edinburgh's Award scheme and The Stoic magazine.
Charlie Barker - 4th Form Tutor - Charlie graduated from Loughborough University in 2006 and came straight to Stowe as a rugby coach, having played for Northampton Saints and Loughborough University previously. He is currently studying for his PGCE at Buckingham University and now doing some teaching - French, Politics and assisting the Skills Development team at Stowe. He continues to coach rugby teams throughout the school. Charlie's interests include fitness and conditioning, diet and nutrition, France and the French language, he is also a big fan of Mixed Martial Arts. He says his favourite film is probably Braveheart and favourite books are His Dark Materials by Phillip Pullman and The God Delusion by Richard Dawkins.
Peter Staples - 5th Form Tutor Peter is well used to boarding school life, having spent nine years as a pupil at Kimbolton, before moving on to teach at boarding schools, both prep and senior schools. He has worked as Head of Department and Deputy Head, and his teaching has largely been in languages and sports. He lives in Northampton and has a daughter, Sian, who has just graduated from Nottingham University.
Craig Sutton - 6th Form Tutor Craig began teaching at Stowe in 1996. He used to be Under-Housemaster and 3rd Form Tutor of Cobham before his marriage to Sarah (who is Director of PE at St Edward's School, Oxford) six years ago. They now have a new addition to the family, a young daughter Emily. They live near Oxford but Craig still does duty work in Cobham and he is a 6th Form Tutor. Craig is Head of the Physical Education Department, Master-in-Charge of Tennis, coaches the 1st XV Rugby squad and is involved with the Duke of Edinburgh Award Scheme.
Mike Dawson - 6th Form Tutor From teaching at an independent day school, Mike rejoins our Maths Department at Stowe following a 16 year absence. He is a Sixth Form Tutor and has helped start a Maths Club to promote an interest in some of the more unusual areas of the subject. Having competed in athletics, rugby and karate when younger, he says his activities are now restricted to occasional gym visits, warm weather windsurfing, mountain biking and spectating. Mike is a British Athletics Level 4 Performance Coach in sprint hurdles and has coached athletes at Milton Keynes and Northampton Athletics Clubs to national standard. His wife Amanda is also a teacher and they live in Northampton.
Alan Longworth - Attache Before coming to Stowe Alan worked for many years in Brazil both as a teacher and lecturer. Since returning to Britain he has worked as a Public Service interpreter for the Police and Immigration Services. He joined Stowe in 1996 to teach Portuguese and in 2001 became Head of EAL (English as an Additional Language). He also helps to ensure that all International pupils become fully integrated at Stowe. Alan has also assumed responsibility for sculling and he has already raised the profile of rowing at Stowe. His personal interests include photography and hill walking but he is not ashamed to admit that he is a 'mature' biker who enjoys touring on his Honda. Alan, who lives in Milton Keynes, has a son Andrew and a daughter Magali.
The 3rd Baronet's son was one of Marlborough's generals and became Lord, later Viscount, Cobham. He was the founder of a dynasty that played a major part in politics until Victorian times (producing four Prime Ministers) and the man who rebuilt Stowe House and laid out the present Garden. His legacy in both fields was enhanced by his nephew, Earl Temple, and the Earl's nephew, the Marquess of Buckingham , but rapidly lost under the Dukes. When the male line of the Temples died out, the Cobham viscountcy passed to the Lyttelton family where it still survives - the Viscount presented the prizes at the 1969 Speech Day.
