SCHOOL NEWS// STAFF LEAVERS
LOUISE LAMB
And though she be but little, she is fierce
A Midsummer Night’s Dream
Or
Shall We Dress Up?
Fierce may not be the first adjective
that springs to mind when describing
Miss Lamb, but she has been a fiercely
reliable, conscientious and reliable
colleague. She has made significant
contributions to Pocklington School
during her time and will be missed.
Louise applied to Pocklington School
as an English teacher whilst working as
an editor at a publishing company in
London. Having had her appetite for
teaching whetted by teaching English as
a foreign language the year before, she
applied for an English post despite not
having a formal teaching qualification.
Practically equidistant between her
friends in London and family in Scotland
(yes, she is Scottish), she “took a risk
on the school, and they took a risk on
me.” After braving a flood-bedraggled
Pocklington, she comprehensively beat
the other applicant, Woman with Stick
(albeit not with the stick), becoming
Laura Powell’s first appointment to the
English department in 2007.
The school supported Louise’s journey
to being a fully qualified teacher. After
Headmaster Nicholas Clements took
her on an “impromptu” tour, Louise
was offered, and accepted, a boarding
position at Faircote House. Louise
recalls being on a train when the call
came offering her the job, especially
the feeling of not being able to sound
more enthusiastic as she was in a
crowded train carriage. Nevertheless,
she accepted and went on to ably assist
Stella Beaumont, Anna Hallam and
Helen Alexander in her role as Assistant
Housemistress. Louise cites her time
with Anna as being particularly
exciting, including highlights such as
Easter Egg hunts, fashion shows and
especially Burns Suppers (“all crammed
in the common room, with amazing
amounts of haggis and potatoes”). She
only intended to stay for a few years…
Her early
placements
12
career saw her take
at Cottingham High
THE POCKLINGTONIAN
School whilst teaching at Pocklington;
much cover was set, as Louise taught
whilst qualifying to teach. Her abilities
grew, her qualities were increasingly
recognised, and she accumulated
responsibilities along the way.
Lousie was appointed Second in
English in 2012, serving under Bryony
Underwood, and then me. Along with
Anna Hallam, she introduced A level
English Language, now an established
and popular Sixth Form choice. She has
taken leading roles in Lectern Society,
Book Club, the Poetry by Heart
competition, Senior Debating, various
scholarship applications and – of course
– instigated mass dressing up, which is
worth a paragraph of its own…
Initially pitched to a reluctant English
department as part of the annual
World Book Day celebrations, dressing
up has been a bit of theme for Miss
Lamb. She has successfully herded the
department to various types of costume.
As a result, the school has been graced
by the presence of a plethora of icons:
Cleopatra, Amelia Airheart, Mother
Theresa, Jane Eyre, Othello, Penelope
Pitstop, the Cheshire Cat and the
esteemed Gruffalo. (Louise recalls Mike
Newhouse arrived dressed as a famous
cricketer – she forgets the name.) Laura
Powell did not quite realise what she
was unleashing when, come that time
of year, Louise uttered the fateful words
‘Why don’t we….?”
In 2014 Louise was appointed Able,
Gifted and Talented Co-ordinator,
leading whole school provision of our
most capable students. She introduced
the 1st Year cross-curricular homework
project, the 2nd Year off-timetable day
and the HPQ to the 3rd Year, reflecting
the HPQ done by aspiring A level
students. During this time she has also
held the corresponding role of Oxbridge
Co-ordinator, identifying potential
candidates, helping students navigate
the process of application and, often
in the company of Dave Hutchings,
taking students to see the colleges they
are aspiring to. (Dave also commends
her “encyclopaedic knowledge of public
houses.”)
Louise has supported many trips during
her time: her ice cool demeanour,
rugged strength and reserves of energy
have seen her much in demand. She
has been to Sorrento with Classics,
numerous House Camps, Oxbridge
ventures, theatre trips and the Guardian
offices in London. Accompanying
Sheena MacNamee to Namibia was
“amazing, the trip of a lifetime”. She
has been a key member of the Duke of
Edinburgh team; Adam Hall described
her cross-country walking ability to that
of “a machine”. Though she be but
little…
Sports-wise, as well as taking hockey
and tennis teams, she was responsible,
along with Anna Hallam for introducing
lacrosse as a timetabled sport. After
initially being played in the Sports Hall
with tennis balls, lacrosse has developed
a determined, devoted following.
Louise edited this very school magazine
until 2016, working with students
to deliver high quality publications.
Having witnessed first-hand the
editorial meetings Louise held with her
Sixth Form co-editors, it is humbling to
see how gently she used her professional
editing experience to extract such
exacting standards.
Having been my Second for four years,
everything Louise has done has met the
most exacting of standards: her own.
She is an exceptional professional,
utterly dependable, supportive but
constructively critical, sensible but
ambitious and innovative. Dave
Hutchings highlights how successfully
she blends being “down-to-earth, highly
organised and efficient” and a “head-
in-the-clouds academic”. The sun rises,
and Louise is Louise is Louise. She will
be missed.
She, in turn, will miss Pocklington School,
especially the Scottish Element: John
Cullen, Kirsten Clow, Dave Galloway,