Belhaven Hill School

Co-ed Boarding & Day School for ages 5-13

Our Staff

Our Staff (gallery)

"Staff appear effortlessly to achieve the often mutually exclusive combination of high standards and expectations in a caring, supportive and low pressure environment."

(Parent)

Please select a category below to view the staff currently at Belhaven Hill.

Headmaster

  • Mr Olly Langton
    Headmaster

    Mr Olly Langton

    MA (Hons) History (Edinburgh)

    Olly joined Belhaven as Headmaster in September 2020 having taught at Ludgrove (2005-7) and Radley (2007-20). He is married to Rosie and, together, they ran J Social, a boarding house at Radley for seven years before jumping at the chance to run one of the country's best prep schools. Their three children, Alexander (now in Form 6 at Belhaven), Cleo and Lettie and Nelson, the Labrador, are all very excited to meet you!

    headmaster@belhavenhill.com

  • Mrs Rosie Langton
    Headmaster's Wife

    Mrs Rosie Langton

    MA (Hons) Modern Languages (Oxford);
    Masters in Publishing (Oxford Brookes)

    Rosie is a mother of three (Xander, Cleo and Lettie), a teacher of Italian and French and a freelance designer. Currently she has responsibility for all things uniform and she aims to become increasingly involved with marketing the school and encouraging young Italianists! She is loving living by the sea and getting to know the treasures of East Lothian.

    rosielangton@belhavenhill.com

 

Teaching

 

  • Mr Olly Langton
    Headmaster

    Mr Olly Langton

    MA (Hons) History (Edinburgh)
    HEADMASTER

    Olly joined Belhaven as Headmaster in September 2020 having taught at Ludgrove (2005-7) and Radley (2007-20). He is married to Rosie and, together, they ran J Social, a boarding house at Radley for seven years before jumping at the chance to run one of the country's best prep schools. Their three children, Alexander, Cleo and Lettie and Nelson, the Labrador, are all very excited to meet you!

    headmaster@belhavenhill.com

  • Mr John Marriott
    Deputy Head Academic (SMT)

    Mr John Marriott

    BA (UCL), MA (UCL), PGCE (Buckingham),
    MBA (Durham University Business School)
    Deputy Head Academic (SMT)
    Head of English

    John joined Belhaven in 2019, having been at Windlesham House School in Sussex for seven years. He held a range of positions while at Windlesham, including Head of Classics, Housemaster, and Director of Studies. John teaches senior English at Belhaven. His favourite book is The Count of Monte Cristo.

    johnmarriott@belhavenhill.com

  • Mrs Katie Gale
    Deputy Head Pastoral (SMT)

    Mrs Katie Gale

    B.Sc. Hons (Surrey),
    P.G.C.E. (De Montfort), C.C.R.S.
    Deputy Head Pastoral (SMT)
    Head of Maths
    Girls' Games Coordinator

    Katie joined Belhaven in 2001 and lives in the North Lodge. During her time at the school, she has taught maths throughout the school, junior science, and took over as Head of Maths in 2009. She currently coaches the 1st Netball and Rounders teams and is a supporter of Hull City Football Club. She has a son, William, who spent 6 years at Belhaven before moving to Merchiston Castle School where he is currently in his second year.

    katiegale@belhavenhill.com

  • Mr William Townshend
    Head of Geography; Head of Sport

    Mr William Townshend

    B.Sc. (Natal), Higher Dip.Ed. (Rhodes)
    Head of Geography
    Director of Sport

    A native South African, William joined Belhaven Hill in 2004. William lives on site in the South Lodge has one son currently at Belhaven and two other children who, having been through the school, are now at Strathallan. On winter weekends off, William can often be found refereeing or umpiring local rugby or hockey club matches and in the summer, playing cricket for the Borderers CC.

    williamtownshend@belhavenhill.com

  • Mrs Amanda Parks
    Form 5 Class Teacher

    Mrs Amanda Parks

    B.Ed. (King Alfred's)
    FORM 5 Class Teacher
    Librarian

    One of only four Form 5 teachers in Belhaven's history, Mandy arrived in 2003. She and her black Labs have been a welcoming start to many children's time at Belhaven. Mandy loves walking and camping and in 2019 she completed the Pennine Way in aid of the RNIB. Her hobbies include water colour painting and music and she plays the violin in two amateur orchestras in Edinburgh. Mandy is also the school librarian and she regularly organises author visits and book fairs. She is happy to help children with reading and recommend books to them. She has two grown up sons and a grandchild!

    amandaparks@belhavenhill.com

  • Mr Noel Curry
    Head of Classics

    Mr Noel Curry

    M.A. (Hons.), P.G.D.E. (Edinburgh)
    Head of Classics
    (Lions Patrol)

    Noel started at Belhaven in 2008 and during the last twelve years has held a range of positions including Forms 3 and 4 Tutor and Housemaster. He is also Head of Cross-Country and is a keen runner himself. Noel has four children, two of whom are at Belhaven. Noel speaks fluent Swedish, is a keen Leeds United football fan and, having been a brewer professionally before turning to teaching, enjoys brewing and drinking real ale.

    noelcurry@belhavenhill.com

  • Mrs Karen Leitch
    Head of Learning Support

    Mrs Karen Leitch

    BA Business Studies; PGCE
    Head of Learning Support
    English, Maths

    Karen joined Belhaven in 2014, having taken a career break to raise her three boys, living for five years in Virginia, USA, during this time. Karen has held a variety of positions at Belhaven, including teaching junior French and Maths. Her current position is as Head of Learning Support. Her youngest son, Fin, is a Belhaven pupil.

    karenleitch@belhavenhill.com

  • Ms Lucy Wimbledon
    Head of Art

    Ms Lucy Wimbledon

    BA Hons (Edinburgh College of Art)
    PCGE Secondary Art & Design (Reading)
    Head of Art

    Lucy started at Belhaven in 2004 and has twins, Rafe and Liv, currently at Belhaven and a younger son Oak. Lucy studied Painting and Drawing at Edinburgh College of Art and then went on to do her teacher training at Reading University. Her interests now are landscape painting, ceramics and printmaking. In her free time Lucy loves sea swimming and yoga. She lives with her three children in Dunbar.

    lucywimbledon@belhavenhill.com

  • Mrs Jane Haddon
    Art, RMPS, DT

    Mrs Jane Haddon

    Joint Hons M.A. Fine Art (Edinburgh)
    PGCE PG Guidance
    Art, RMPS, DT

    Came to Belhaven in January 2011 from St Margaret's School, Edinburgh. She has 2 grown up children.

    janehaddon@belhavenhill.com

  • Mrs Lesley Townshend
    Form 4 Class Teacher

    Mrs Lesley Townshend

    BCom Accountancy & Business Hons (Edinburgh)
    PGCE Secondary (Moray House)
    Form 4 Class Teacher

    Lesley has taken on various teaching roles at Belhaven, starting in 2004, with some time out to have 3 children. Since 2015, she has been a Form 4 form tutor and teacher. Lesley lives on site in the South Lodge. Her 3 children, having been through Belhaven, are now at Strathallan.

    lesleytownshend@belhavenhill.com

  • Mrs Sophie Swift
    Form 4 Class Teacher

    Mrs Sophie Swift

    BSc (Oxford Brookes) PGCE (Cumbria)
    Teaching & Boarding Assistant; Sports Coach

    Sophie is very excited to become part of the team in September. As a former student of another Scottish prep school, she remembers visiting Belhaven for cross-country races! She has been teaching for eight years, the last five of which have been at The Banda School in Nairobi. She is going to have to get used to a bit of a chillier climate compared to Kenya! She loves sport, art and camping, and is looking forward to getting stuck in with Belhaven's amazing boarding environment and extracurricular activities!

    sillingworth@belhavenhill.com

  • Mrs Anna McGrath
    Housemistress of Girls' House; Drama

    Mrs Anna McGrath

    BA Hons (Royal Holloway, University of London)
    MA (Royal Conservatoire of Scotland)
    PGCE (Birmingham City University)
    Housemistress of Girls' House
    Drama

    Anna joined Belhaven in 2020 after working both pastorally as a residential tutor and as an academic lead as Director of Drama at Fettes Preparatory School. Prior to this, Anna worked as Head of Drama at Hartland International School in Dubai. Anna trained as an actress at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland before commencing teacher training as part of the Teachfirst programme. She is passionate about pastoral care and looks forward to developing confident young women in her role as Girls' Housemistress.

    annamcgrath@belhavenhill.com

  • Mr Ian Dryburgh
    Head of PE & Sports Coach

    Mr Ian Dryburgh

    BSc (Hons), MSc
    Head of PE, Sports Coach & Junior Science

    Ian joined Belhaven in 2019 andcompleted the Independent School PGCE at the University of Buckingham. An IRB Level 3 rugby coach, Ian coaches the first team at the school.

    iandryburgh@belhavenhill.com

  • Mr K Ellison
    Director of Music

    Mr K Ellison

    BA (Hons), PGCE; LRSM; ARCM; FASC

    Director of Music
    (Owls Patrol)

    Joined Belhaven in January 2020 having held posts as Head of Music in schools for over 20 years. He has also held the positions of Senior Teacher, Head of Curriculum, and Senior Housemaster in previous posts. He lives in a flat in main school building, and greatly enjoys golf and football.

    directorofmusic@belhavenhill.com

  • Mr Jack White
    Housemaster of Boys' House; Maths

    Mr Jack White

    BSc Hons Economics (Leicester), PGCE (Sunderland)
    Housemaster of Boys' House
    Maths & History

    Jack joined Belhaven in September 2021 from Marlborough College Malaysia, where he was the Assistant Boarding Housemaster and Head of Year 7. Trained as a Secondary Maths teacher whilst working at Barnard Castle School, he made the transition to Prep School teaching and loves the variety that it brings. He is a keen sportsman and outdoor enthusiast and is really enjoying exploring the East Lothian coast with pupils, his wife Vicky and young daughters, Rosie and Grace.

  • Mr Jak Purkiss
    English & Humanities

    Mr Jak Purkiss

    MA Hons (Edinburgh), PGCE (UCL)
    English & Humanities

    Jak joined Belhaven in September 2021 and lives in North Lodge. He arrived from London having spent a brief time teaching Key Stage 2 following two years teaching abroad in Nairobi, Kenya. He is a keen sportsman, still playing where possible and particularly enjoys football, cricket and rugby. He is also an avid cyclist and has completed a number of long distance triathlons and running competitions.

  • Mrs Lindsay Grey
    Head of French

    Mrs Lindsay Grey

    Head of French & Form 3LS

    Lindsay studied French, Spanish and International Relations at the University of St Andrews. Originally from the Highlands, she has spent a lot of time living and working abroad in France, Spain, Mexico and Chile. After university and working abroad, she completed Teach First in the North East of England and has just moved back up to North Berwick after spending four years in London where she was Head of Modern Foreign Languages at an inner-city secondary school. Lindsay is keen sportswoman and loves running, cycling, sea swimming and Munro climbing.

  • Mr David Dawson
    Head of Science

    Mr David Dawson

    BSc, MSc, PGCE
    Head of Science

    David joined us in April 2022 to cover Kay Holliday's maternity leave. During the pandemic he returned to the UK having been Deputy Head (Pastoral), at the new Rugby School Thailand. Until 2017, he was Director of Studies and Housemaster at Fettes College Prep School. He started his career as a land agent managing large private and commercial country estates and property; and as an international manager with Unilever, living in Tanzania and Malaysia. He is married with three adult children.

    ddawson@belhavenhill.com

  • Miss Emily Watt
    Head of Computer Science

    Miss Emily Watt

    Head of Computer Science

    Emily grew up in Perthshire and attended Strathallan School where she formed and captained the first girls' football team and was Head of the Marines in the school’s Combined Cadet Force. In 2021, she graduated with a first-class honours degree in Product Design Engineering from the University of Strathclyde. She then went on to spend a year gaining experience in schools before starting a PGDE Primary Education course back at Strathclyde. The combination of engineering and teaching blends together in such a unique manner, and she is excited about what the future holds for STEM in primary education. In her down time, Emily enjoys getting out and about in an attempt to tick off more Munros, as well as spending time on her bike and paddleboard. She also enjoys putting her design skills to good use when sewing new products for friends and family to enjoy.

    emilywatt@belhavenhill.com

  • Mrs Alice Johnstone
    Pre-Prep Lead & Class Teacher

    Mrs Alice Johnstone

    BSc Geography (Newcastle)
    PGDE Dundee
    Pre-Prep Lead & Form 6 Class Teacher

    Alice joined the staff in September 2015 as a junior class teacher. She taught Form 4 for a year then moved to Form 6 where she worked on developing our 6 & 7 year olds. The past 18 months have been an exciting challenge, as we have worked together to create a wonderful Pre-Prep department. This collaboration will help the seamless transition for the children as they move into the Prep school. Alice is joined in Form 6 by her lovely Labrador Cora, who enjoys the attention from the children. Alice was previously a co-director of the junior play and will now be involved with the Pre-prep Nativity play. She is a qualified make-up artist, which has been useful for school productions as well as teaching the children face painting. Alice is a keen skier and netballer and loves going on walks with Cora.

    ajohnstone@belhavenhill.com

  • Mrs Fiona Semple
    Pre-Prep Class Teacher

    Mrs Fiona Semple

    MA Joint Honours in Primary Education and French
    Pre-Prep Class Teacher (Form 7)

    Fi joined Belhaven in April 2022, having spent the last few years working at George Watson's College in Edinburgh, both as a Junior School French Teacher and as a Class Teacher. What she enjoys most about teaching is the children's natural curiosity for the world around them and the rapid pace at which they pick up new skills. She loves making the process of learning as active and engaging as possible and she is looking forward to having even greater opportunities to take learning outside in the beautiful surroundings at Belhaven. Having relocated to East Lothian, she is looking forward to spending more time at the beach paddle boarding!

    fsemple@belhavenhill.com

  • Miss Leanne Birrell
    Pre-Prep Class Teacher (Maternity Cover)

    Miss Leanne Birrell

    Pre-Prep Class Teacher (Form 7)

    Leanne joined Belhaven Hill in April 2023 as Maternity Cover for Mrs Semple. After graduating from the University of Dundee, she taught in a small, rural school in Fife for several years. Looking for a new adventure, she made her way to Dulwich College in Shanghai where she spent three years fully immersing herself in the language, culture and traditions. Working in an international setting inspired her to broaden her horizons and begin exploring the world! She has since travelled to almost 50 countries and is always planning her next adventure! She has lived in Dubai for the past three years but is now excited to make her way back to Scotland. When she's not working, you can find her at the beach (come rain or shine), playing netball or padel and catching up with family and friends. She is passionate about photography. She has taught across many year groups, from Early Level/Foundation Stage to Second Level/Key Stage 2. She strives to develop a love of learning in all her students and set high expectations for herself and her class.

    lbirrell@belhavenhill.com

  • Mrs Rachel Gibson
    Pre-Prep Class Teacher

    Mrs Rachel Gibson

    BA (hons) Journalism (Edinburgh Napier University) and MScTLT (Edinburgh University)
    Pre-Prep Class Teacher (Form 8)

    Rachel has recently moved to Dunbar and loves the community feel of the town. She is looking forward to working at Belhaven (from Sept 2022) with its close-knit community and extensive opportunities for play-based and outdoor learning. After completing her Masters degree, Rachel took a teaching post in Edinburgh where she was awarded the Probationer of the Year Award for her teaching and learning. In her spare time, Rachel is now working towards a Doctorate which focusses on social justice and pupil voice - areas of education about which Rachel is passionate.

    rgibson@belhavenhill.com

  • Mrs Rebecca Macdonald
    Pre-Prep Teaching Assistant

    Mrs Rebecca Macdonald

    Pre-Prep Teaching Assistant

    Becky joined Belhaven in September 2021. She is originally from the Highlands of Scotland but moved to Edinburgh to complete her first degree in Hospitality and Tourism Management. She later went on to study Early Years Education and gained experience working as a Teaching Assistant in an international school in Italy. Becky loves running, beach walks and coffee stops, so thinks that East Lothian is where she is meant to be!

    rebeccamacdonald@belhavenhill.com

  • Miss Marian Lloyd
    Pre-Prep Music

    Miss Marian Lloyd

    MA (Hons) Geography (Edinburgh) and PGDE (Edinburgh)
    Suzuki Violin Levels 1-3
    Pre-Prep Music


    Marian started teaching violin in 2005 working privately, as well as for Highland Council, Midlothian Council, and Cargilfield Prep School. Marian qualified as a Primary classroom teacher in 2011 but decided to focus on instrumental teaching after missing it too much. Marian spent 3 years training as a violin teacher with the Suzuki method and loves the depth of knowledge this training provides. Marian started at Belhaven in 2022 as a strings VMT and is now delighted to be taking Pre-Prep pupils for music and choir. When not listening to Brahms string quartets at maximum volume, Marian can be found in the garden training her sweet peas, dead-heading roses, and talking to her chickens.

  • Mr Angus Brown
    Teaching & Boarding Assistant; Sports Coach

    Mr Angus Brown

    Teaching & Boarding Assistant; Sports Coach

    Angus joined Belhaven as a gap student in September 2020 and has since become a permanent fixture! He is now a Boarding & Teaching Assistant and Sports Coach in the Prep and Pre-Prep. He loves the outdoor environment at Belhaven and is a keen all-round sportsman, specialising in cricket. He gained his Level 2 coaching qualification at Hampshire Cricket College and plays for Hampshire & England Physically Disabled Cricket Teams, making his debut for England in 2019 in the Disability World Series in Worcester.

    angusbrown@belhavenhill.com

  • Miss Amelia Dyer
    Teaching & Boarding Assistant

    Miss Amelia Dyer

    Teaching & Boarding Assistant

    Originally from New Zealand, Amelia joined Belhaven as a GAP student in April 2022 and has now taken on the role of Teaching and Boarding Assistant. She is an accomplished equestrian, having ridden competitively in New Zealand and Scotland, and a keen musician and actor.

    adyer@belhavenhill.com

 Learning Support

 

Nurse/Matronal

 

Pastoral

  • Mr Jack White
    Head of Boys' House

    Mr Jack White

    BSc Hons Economics (Leicester), PGCE (Sunderland)
    Housemaster of Boys' House

    Jack joined  Belhaven in September 2021 from Marlborough College Malaysia, where he  was the Assistant Boarding Housemaster and Head of Year 7. Trained as a Secondary Maths teacher whilst working at Barnard Castle School, he made the transition to Prep School teaching and loves the variety that it brings. He is a keen sportsman and outdoor enthusiast and is really enjoying exploring the East Lothian coast with pupils, his wife Vicky and young daughters, Rosie and Grace.

  • Mrs Anna McGrath
    Head of Girls' House

    Mrs Anna McGrath

    BA Hons (Royal Holloway, University of London) MA (Royal Conservatoire of Scotland) PGCE (Birmingham City University)
    Housemistress of Girls' House

    Anna joined Belhaven in September 2020 after working both pastorally as a residential tutor and as an academic lead as Director of Drama at Fettes Preparatory School. Prior to this, Anna worked as Head of Drama at Hartland International School in Dubai. Anna trained as an actress at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland before commencing teacher training as part of the Teachfirst programme. She is passionate about pastoral care and looks forward to developing confident young women in her role as Girls' Housemistress.

 

Administration

 

 

 

 

 

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