Paul Purnell 35 years at Dulwich
Dan Ludford-Thomas 26 years at Dulwich
What do you love about DC and what’s made you happy to stay so long? There is an exceptional welcoming and community impression when you first arrive at Dulwich that doesn’t change irrespective of your length of service. Stability and really enjoying my job has kept me here for so long. What’s changed the most? It’s difficult to point on the changes to note, but the leap in Bursary’s has enriched the College pupils for a Dulwich education. What’s not really changed at all? The College has always had active societies driven by passionate, committed teachers, where the pupils can engage and develop social and teamwork skills. The continuation with new clubs/ societies being formed is such a rewarding benefit to the pupils. Do you have a fond or funny memory? One of my fondest memories was around 1996 Michaelmas term when the invincible rugby team duped me into putting a sign in the away 1st XV changing room which read ‘If Rugby was a game made in heaven prepare to meet thy gods’. Dulwich went onto thrash Tonbridge 57–0 or similar score. An unbeaten team throughout their college years.
What do you love about DC and what’s made you happy to stay so long? I’ve always loved the buildings and grounds, the sense of tradition mixed in with it being slap bang in the middle of between Brixton, Peckham etc. I think this extends to the pupils and staff of DC who have a healthy mix of urban and tradition which makes for interesting humans! Also everything is celebrated - Academic study, Sport, Arts! What’s changed the most? Staff - so much more diverse than when I first started, there have always been characters, it’s just that there’s more variety of backgrounds, gender and colour. The staff are such a great bunch of people and lunchtime is always interesting as there’s always someone cool to talk to, who’ll be knowledgeable, thoughtful or just a good laugh. What’s not really changed at all? My teaching room - and that is a comfort. 27 years of teaching singing in that room has seen so many singers take flight! Do you have a fond or funny memory? I arrived aged 24 looking like a 6th former, and on one occasion came into school to get something on my day off dressed in home clothes, only to be challenged by an old guard teacher who told me off for being out of class… fast forward to the present day, as I was sitting having lunch and a junior school boy innocently came up to me asked me if I was Albert Einstein - words fail…
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