Edmonstone
Housemaster: Steve Dixon
During term time, Edmonstone is home to 52 boys aged 13-18. One of the original six Houses at Haileybury, Edmonstone dates back to 1863 when its first Housemaster was Rev H Couchman. Almost 150 years and 14 Housemasters later, Edmonstone remains a thriving boarding community and House spirit is as strong as ever.
Since 1995, Edmonstone has occupied modern, purpose-built accommodation on the north side of Avenue. Visitors to the House regularly comment on the warm and friendly atmosphere. Relationships among the boys are excellent, both within and between year groups. A very high proportion of boarders means there are always lots of people around and something to do.
Mr Dixon says: "We aim for Edmonstone to be a home from home. We greatly enjoy entertaining the boys and look forward to regular year group meals, House barbeques and Friday nights with the prefects. My wife loves cooking for the boys and her chocolate brownies are the stuff of House legend."
Recently, the boys forwent their usual Thursday night pizza, donating the money they would have spent to the Dalit School in India. Instead, they were treated to a choice of Mr Dixon's chicken curry or Mr Loughton's spaghetti bolognaise. Some of the boys even helped clear up at the end! The annual Champagne & Shepherd's Pie Evening, where parents join Sixth Form boys and House staff for dinner, has become hugely popular. Entertainment at the dinner - all provided by the boys themselves - has ranged from trumpet solos to Monty Python sketches and rock bands.
House outings are very popular, with paintball and bowling being firm favourites and the all-you-can-eat buffet at Aroma is always a winner with hungry teenagers. The Christmas outing culminates with the traditional House sketches where the boys entertain the tutors with their own, irreverent, take on the year's events.
Academic achievement is taken very seriously. The tutors keep a close eye on the boys in their charge. The in-House "colours" system of monitoring effort in the classroom has been useful in keeping the boys on their toes. The vast majority of Upper Sixth boys have gone on to the university of their choice, including four into Cambridge in the last two years.
Inter-House sporting competitions are always fiercely contested. Almost half of the current boys have won their House socks for being part of the winning team in a House competition. Last year, Edmonstone boys won House swimming, shooting, golf and football competitions and were runners up in the House rugby. Success beyond the sports field is recognised too and boys have earned their House colours tie for activities including debating, the cabaret evening, music and drama.
Steven J Dixon (Housemaster)
Steve took over as Housemaster of Edmonstone in September 2005. He is married to Suzanne, and they have three young children: Sam, Jessica and Rose. After graduating from Oxford University, he was a resident tutor in a boarding house at Monmouth School. He then taught at St Paul's in London for six years, arriving at Haileybury in January 2001 as Head of Chemistry before his appointment as Housemaster. Steve was a keen rower at college, and now enjoys playing squash, running and swimming.
Kevin E Loughton (Assistant Housemaster and tutor to the Lower Sixth)
Kevin wears a number of different 'hats' at Haileybury. He teaches Philosophy, Religious Studies and Theory of Knowledge, and is Higher Education Advisor and Oxbridge Coordinator. He has been a tutor in Edmonstone for four years and Assistant Housemaster for two years. He has taken the Colts A's football team for the last three years and is master i/c Golf. He is married to Cheryl, who also teaches at Haileybury (Biology) and they have two children. Outside school his interests are playing golf and football (although he is a bit old for the latter), writing and reading philosophy (he is writing a book about Thomas Aquinas), and reading 'Hairy MacLary' stories and his favourite children's book, 'The Very Hungry Caterpillar', to his children.
Michael Tookey (resident tutor and tutor to the Removes)
Mike has been resident tutor in Edmonstone since September 2007 when he joined Haileybury to teach mathematics. After graduating from Leeds, Mike spent a year studying in the USA and then completed a PGCE at Hertfordshire. Haileybury is his second teaching post, the first a state school in north Hertfordshire. He enjoys playing football, swimming and hiking as well as travelling - he aspires to visit every continent before he is 30.
Simon C Pinder (tutor to the Middles)
Simon graduated from the University of Bristol and went straight to the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst. He retired from the Army as a Major after 11 years in the Duke of Wellington's Regiment and, after a short time as an account manager for a broker of electronic components, started teaching French at Haileybury in September 2001. He currently teaches French and Classical Civilisation, but has also taught Latin in the Lower School. Simon's main hobbies include rugby, having represented English Universities and both the British Army and the Combined Services XVs, hill-walking, reading and photography. He runs Colts rugby, but has coached across the age groups from Yearlings to 1st XV. In the Spring and Summer terms, he runs the Sixth Form boys' fitness group. He also runs the Wildlife Conservation Group for Sixth Form pupils on Wednesday afternoons.
Simon has been a tutor in Edmonstone for many years and over that time has been a tutor to all age groups from Removes up to Sixth Form. He is married to Julie, who is a tutor in Allenby and teaches French and Spanish, and has five children: Francesca, Millie, Yvette and twins, Hadley and Liam.
Peter Blair
Peter joined Haileybury and Edmonstone in September 2009 after three years at Malvern College. He read English at the University of St Andrews, where he was President of the Union Debating Society and was politically active; he then took a PGCE at Magdalene College, Cambridge. As well as teaching English and Latin, Peter coaches rugby, runs Haileybury's literary magazine and is master-in-charge of debating, where he hopes to take Haileybury to the very top. He is married to Philippa, who teaches locally. Outside school, his interests include political work, P G Wodehouse novels, America and croquet.
