Other Senior Staff
Rona Landragon Senior Tutor
Rona studied English Literature at Aberdeen University. After a move to Cambridge in the Autumn of 1981 she had the privilege of working for Paul Redhead, Hilary Kirby and Alan Dawson at the newly established CCSS, initially as administrative assistant, subsequently as Head of Lower Sixth and Vice Principal prior to taking up her current role as Senior Tutor.
She has stayed with the organisation for over 30 happy and busy years for many reasons: the calibre of the students, the cosmopolitan atmosphere and student-centred ethos of the college, and the pleasure of working with such dedicated and experienced colleagues.
Rona's ties to Scotland are as strong as ever and her interest in hill walking and a new generation of nieces and nephews clamouring for attention call her back regularly. She has a longstanding interest in literature, cinema (with a special interest in Japanese and Russian film), live music and Italian art, which has drawn her back to Venice and Tuscany many times in the past two decades.
Rizvan Ali Head of GCSE
Rizvan graduated from the University of Hull with a BSc in Biology and went on to complete an MSc in Environmental Science at Nottingham and a PGCE at Sussex. He has been teaching for 16 years: at a grammar school in East Sussex prior to joining CCSS in 1997, where he combines the roles of Head of Environmental Science, Head of GCSE and teacher of GCSE Biology!
He has an outgoing and patient personality, along with a firm but fair manner, all of which equip him well for the myriad of tasks that come his way. Being the former Head of Boarding, he also has a wealth of experience on the pastoral care the college provides.
One of the things Rizvan most enjoys about teaching at CCSS is the small class environment, allowing the development of a relaxed and positive atmosphere and plenty of time to get to know each student. He also likes the diversity of the student body at the College.
His main interests lie in the sciences and technology, although he also enjoys sport, particularly swimming and judo, and is a keen traveller.
Steve Webb Department of Mathematics
Steve's involvement in Maths started with an interest in puzzles and led him into teaching via a first-class degree from UMIST. He's been an examiner and has written a suite of Maths text-books for Collins - third edition will appear shortly. He likes the working atmosphere at CCSS, with good-humoured and tolerant colleagues and the stimulus of students from different backgrounds and nations working together in class.
Amongst other interests (such as keeping an old Volvo car on the road) Steve is passionate about music from other countries. He studied flamenco intensively, including a year in Spain, and gave concerts with a group of friends for many years, including a tour of Cyprus, playing for dance classes etc. A great way to meet new people!
Secret interest? Research into prime numbers.
The Department has eight teachers.
Andy Hilton Head of Sport and Extra-Curricular
Born and brought up in Liverpool, Andy moved to Cambridge in the mid-1980s to pursue a career in the wine trade. His first contact with CCSS was as a House Manager, looking after one of the largest Boarding Houses in the 1990s. During this time he became increasingly involved in the sporting life of the College, managing the football team and taking it through some of its most successful years in the Cambridge University League.
During this time Andy also started organising long haul summer trips abroad for the students, including excursions to Australia, Malaysia, New York, Los Angeles, Tokyo, San Francisco, skiing in France and a sailing trip to Greece.
During the eight years that Andy has been spearheading extra-curricular opportunities at CCSS the department has gone from strength to strength. His responsibilities include the organisation of sport, trips and visits, parties and the wider enrichment opportunities which are so vital to the life of the College.
Andy is a lifelong Everton supporter and is also passionate about music and walking in the hills (of which Cambridge has none!). Starting out on the long rocky road that is beginner's golf, he spends many weekend hours in the bushes and roughs of Cambridge's golf courses.
Sylvie Chastagnol Head of the Modern Languages Department
Sylvie is from rural Limousin in France. She completed both her first degree (in English Literature and Social History) and her teacher training diploma at the university of Limoges.
She then came to the UK to work for one year in Welwyn Garden City as a language assistant, but was soon drawn to Cambridge because of the wealth of resources available for further study. She completed her PGCE (French and Mathematics) at Homerton College and also went on to achieve her Masters, producing research on the English journalist, novelist and political activist, Winifred Holtby.
Sylvie still loves Cambridge, but plasters the walls of her teaching room at CCSS with pictures from her native land. She is married to research scientist Robin Hodgkinson and is the fond and delighted (usually!) mother of Celia and Clement. When not pestering her children by bringing teaching and education home, she loves reading, especially social history, gardening, ancient and classical music and dreaming of travels off the beaten track.
The Department has eight teachers.
Elaine Jarman Head of the Science Department
Elaine was a student in London in the swinging sixties and qualified to teach Chemistry, Biology, Physics, Mathematics and English, but has taught Chemistry for more years than she cares to remember! She has taught age ranges from 3 to 70+, but most enjoys the 16-19 age range - hence her 19 years at CCSS. The Science department is the largest in the College and continues to expand, with a lively staff of eight teachers and a part-time technician.
Elaine also organises the many fund-raising events at the College, and many of her ex-students have happy memories of being one of Mrs Jarman's 'Children in Need' babies.
One of Elaine's greatest pleasures in life is her family: husband Colin, two grown-up children and three adorable grandchildren who keep her young and fit!
The Department has nine teachers.
Charlie Ritchie Head of the Visual Arts and Media Studies Department
Charlie completed a Joint Honours degree in Literature and Philosophy at Aberdeen University and won a scholarship to pursue research at Cambridge. He gradually became part of the then fledgling CCSS operation and was appointed Head of English, although nowadays he teaches Film and Media almost exclusively.
He was impressed and attracted by the completely open brief CCSS offered him and the opportunity this gave him to develop students' interests and enthusiasms. He still remembers the anxious thrill of piloting his first set of students through Literature A-level and gets the same kind of kick out of the current Film Studies curriculum, in particular. He is an experienced exam board moderator in this subject. He finds that an international college is the ideal place to develop an understanding of the world's greatest popular art form, and is continually surprised and impressed by the ideas his students bring to the course. Possibly the greatest of many great moments at CCSS was when John Peel gave a talk on the media in his classroom.
For the last six years he has been Course Director for the University of Cambridge Certificate in Film Studies programme which means, among other things, that he is a regular fixture at the local Arts Picturehouse. He also runs a summer film course at Pembroke College.
Films, football, music and hills occupy his leisure time. Ozu, Joyce, Milton, The Fall and Nina Simone occupy his heart.
The Department has eight teachers.
Donna Bull Head of Social Sciences and Careers Co-ordinator
Donna graduated from Exeter University with a Law degree. She qualified as a solicitor, and practised law for many years in Cambridge, establishing a reputation as a specialist in Family Law. She was a member of the Solicitors Family Law Association and subsequently also qualified as a Mediator.
Donna joined CCSS in 2001 to teach Law and discovered a new vocation!
She enjoys drawing on her years of practical legal experience to bring her subject to life in the classroom and inspiring students to discover a love for her subject. In 2008, Donna became the Careers Co-ordinator at CCSS and was thrilled to be able to return to an advisory role, albeit with students instead of clients. She became Head of our Social Sciences Department in 2009.
Donna has two truly wonderful children, and is an enthusiastic supporter of their interests, particularly in art, photography and break dancing. She is a member of the Champion of the Thames Rowing Club, and enjoys competing at a local level. She also loves sailing, gardening and reading and has been trying to learn to play the guitar for years.
There are eight teachers in the Social Sciences Department.
Andrew Lea Joint Head of the ESL Department
Andrew graduated from Manchester University with a degree in Middle Eastern Studies (Arabic and Hebrew) and went on to gain an MA TEFL at the American University in Cairo. He first taught ESL in Sudan for two years, working for the Sudanese government in the North East regions and then taught for six years at the American University in Cairo.
He also taught in various language schools in Paris, Brighton and Cambridge before joining CCSS in March 1996. He enjoys teaching at the College because of the relaxed, friendly and supportive atmosphere and finds that small classes also facilitate more effective teaching and learning.
Andrew is married and has two sons, Timothy and Ben. He takes a keen interest in sport, particularly squash, golf, tennis and cricket and enjoys helping students with these and other sports. Other interests include singing, cycling, gardening, hockey, squash and golf.
The Department has four teachers.
Embarek Oulfkih Joint Head of the ESL Department
Educated in Morocco and Belgium, Embarek gained his BA and PGCE before completing an MA in Applied Linguistics at the Institute of Education, University of London in 1994. He taught ESL in Morocco for a number of years and since coming to the UK has taught at schools in Kent as well as lecturing in French at the Language Centre, University of Cambridge.
He joined CCSS in 1997 and finds the College a thoroughly enjoyable place to work because of its friendly atmosphere and cheerful staff. Embarek has also been chair of CELTA (Cambridge English Language Teachers' Association) since 1997.
Among Embarek's current academic interests are CALL (Computer Assisted Language Learning), the use of the Internet in learning language, contemporary social and cultural theory and the cultural politics of language teaching. His hobbies include reading, music (drumming), swimming and travelling. He has also recently become the father of a beautiful baby girl!
The Department has four teachers.
Anna Russell Head of English and Theatre Studies
Anna graduated from The University of Kent with an honours degree in English and American Studies, followed by a postgraduate teaching qualification from The University of London. Her subsequent career in teaching and educational management has been very varied and includes senior posts in secondary schools, distance learning, and higher education. Her main focus has always been on promoting individual learning styles and student support and guidance.
Anna has two children and two step-children, so has a parental as well as ‘educational’ understanding of young adults, and of the challenges and choices they face in the modern world. Her youngest daughter studied for her A levels at CCSS and Anna was so impressed by the high quality of teaching and outstanding pastoral support at the college that when the post of Head of English came up, she jumped at it – and has never regretted it. She enjoys working closely with small groups of students and committed and supportive colleagues, and values the international nature of the student body.
Anna enjoys theatre, film and (obviously!) literature – especially 19th century fiction. She is a member of Cambridge University Chorus and loves Mozart, Bach, Randy Newman, The Kinks and Ry Cooder.
Kieron Toner Head of Accounting, Business and Economics
Kieron grew up in Lewisham in south London and moved to the Cambridge area with his family in 1985. He gained his Honours degree in Economics from Anglia Ruskin University, and followed that with an MA in Business Economics. He then went on to teach Economics at Anglia, and eventually became responsible for the Marketing, Accounting, Economics and Human Resource Management undergraduate programmes.
He is the author of a number of articles and book chapters, and has presented academic papers at conferences in the United States, Spain and Greece. He has taught at universities in Finland, Switzerland and Germany, and he remains a visiting lecturer at the Berufsakademie, Mannheim, Germany.
In his spare time he is involved in local amateur dramatics, both as an actor and as a director, and has appeared as Heathcliff in Wuthering Heights, Philip II of France in The Lion in Winter, and Charles Ryder in Brideshead Revisited, amongst others. He is also a keen, albeit mediocre, golfer.
Kieron arrived at CCSS in 2008, initially to help out. He loved the stimulating students, small class sizes and the camaraderie of his colleagues. He soon realised that he wanted to stay and so he did, and he does not regret it!
Tori Roddy Development Manager
Tori has 15 years experience working in the education sector. She spent almost ten years at Oxford University working at St Hilda’s, Exeter and Keble Colleges on alumni and fundraising programmes, followed by five years as Head of Alumni Relations at Westminster School in London.
She is a member of the Council for Advancement and Support of Education and has been involved in training other Development professionals at the Independent Schools Conference for a number of years. She is a also member of the Institute of Development Professionals in Education.
Tori graduated in Business from the University of Surrey and in Archaeology from Oxford. More recently she has been indulging her great love of archaeology by completing a Masters in Forensic Archaeology and Anthropology at the Defence Academy of the United Kingdom. She also enjoys reading, walking, gardening, travelling and is pleased to be the second Everton supporter to join the Senior Staff!
Neil White Director of Boarding
Neil was born in Cambridge approximately 100 metres, as the crow flies, from the St Barnabas boarding site that he has been running with his wife Anna since 1998. Anna and Neil joined CCSS in 1990 and have been residential House Managers in four Boarding Houses including all girls', all boys', mixed and upper and lower-sixth. They started their time at Fossedene, Mount Pleasant, the original teaching and accommodation site of the College.
During his time with CCSS Neil has completed a first class honours degree in Literature and European Humanities with the Open University, a two-year counselling course with the Cambridge Consultancy, various Health and Safety courses and a two-year Professional Development Certificate (Boarding Education) with the BSA and Roehampton University.
Anna and Neil have three children, Daniella, Louis and Rosanna, all lifetime CCSS boarders. Football, Shakespeare, the Analytical Psychology of C G Jung, Eastern Philosophy, Soul music and dreams have all enhanced the '100-metre' flight!
