Ian Harvey: 50 years at Hills Road

“I started at Hills in September 1975, fresh from research and naïve about teaching but enthusiastic. It’s all about communicating and enthusing and I had the help of great mentors: Peter Bilton, Ted Holden, Joyce Perry and George Barlow.

The early years were great fun. I taught O- and A- level Biology and contributed to the enrichment programme. I ran the boys’ rugby second XV, established the girls’ soccer XI in the University league, and helped run basketball, tennis, badminton and cross country. I ran enrichment activities such as Puzzles and Problems, Psychology (before it became an A level) and a great project with Ted Coney (Art) and Geoff Hollow (Geography) about the redevelopment of the Kite.

Back in the day staff did lots of drama. Teachers then had more time to breathe and do lots of enjoyable things. I acted in The Mikado, Alice in Wonderland, Six Characters in Search of an Author, Volpone, The Government Inspector, The Alchemist and my final role as Father Mullarkey in Once a Catholic.

I spent 42 years full-time at Hills, 30 of those as Head of Biology. The halcyon days were spent with a department of Ian Perry, Karen Spofforth and Lindsey Wither.

You’ll notice my avoidance of using the word “retirement”, I’ve just stopped teaching at Hills. I like to say I’m redirecting my time, experience, enthusiasm and energy in directions which I think worthwhile and which give me fulfillment. The key word for me is fun. I gave a talk to PhD students at Bristol University about teaching. It made me think hard about the job – what are the good bits and what’s less good. Top of the good list is the students, enthusing them and helping to launch their careers in biology, medicine, vet medicine, etc.

So, what does life hold for me now? I volunteer as a CPR and defibrillator trainer for the East Anglian Air Ambulance and I am an active governor at Royal Papworth Hospital and at Stratton School in Biggleswade. I also work in Sierra Leone - introducing practical science to schools who have no labs, equipment, electricity, gas, running water has been a brilliant challenge. I co-founded the Ramatu Foundation for Girls and Women Empowerment in Makeni, north Sierra Leone.

I’m still contributing to Hills, notably the lunchtime speaker programme for our biologists, creating the evening speaker programme for staff, student and parents, running the staff quizzes and the interview preparation sessions for students.

I also do lots of work in primary schools, introducing practical science activities. Primary kids are full of raw enthusiasm and a young man came up to me with a piece of paper and said “Please could I have your autograph?” I signed it “Ian, the owl pellet man”. At another school, after my activity a young girl said to the teacher “Was that science?” and the teacher said yes. The girl replied, “I want to be a scientist”.”