Plymouth

My name is David and with my wife, Kim and our two little girls, Flora and Willow, I joined Kingham Hill in 2022 as Houseparent of Plymouth House. We’re a down to earth family originally from South Africa, and while we have lived in the UK for over 8 years, you might still spot us wearing ‘plakkies’ (flip flops) in the middle of winter. The weather is also never too bad for a braai (barbecue) and there’s always space at our table. We love the outdoors and particularly enjoy hiking and camping. 

I started working in boarding after a 10 year career in the Consumer Goods sector. My wife, Kim works in driving social and economic inclusion of undeserved populations in low-and middle income countries. Our two girls are full of joy and energy, and can usually be found climbing on something they shouldn’t be. 

As a House, one of our biggest values is respect. We will encourage all boys  to respect themselves and others, as well as the House and possessions of fellow pupils. Creating a House full of brothers who enjoy the ins and outs of family life, who are willing to serve and support one another is something that is important to me and the rest of the House team. We do this through House nights, watching films and sports matches, and taking Saturday trips off site. Most importantly, we place a great deal of emphasis on ensuring each boy feels like they are a valued member of this House, and that they are both seen and loved.

We understand that for some boys the experience of boarding may be a new one, whilst others may have been away from home before. Regardless of previous experiences, we make sure that the transition to secondary school is as easy as possible for everyone by utilising our brilliant House team to help support the pastoral needs of our boarders so they feel welcomed and happy at school.