HOME > BY TOPIC >

“[Barbara Hunter is] a qualified, trained teacher and in emergencies she taught part-time occasionally at Merchiston Castle School in the art department. Her role included presentation of school, help to promote and fill the school in Scotland, UK and all over the world, she met all prospective pupils and staff and she organised and attended social functions for pupils, staff, parents. Before Merchiston Castle School, she had been a housemaster’s wife within two schools in addition to teaching at Shirebrook Comprehensive School, Notts, Kimberworth Comprehensive School, Rotherham and St Bartholomews, Newbury, Berks and so she was experienced.”—Andrew Hunter, SCAI Witness Statement (17 November 2020)

“With my wife, we did the same [an annual report] with the boarding housemasters but this also included visiting the boarding house and being shown around the house by the housemaster so that we could see the pupils in their houses and the fabric and facilities of the house in person. My wife was in charge of presentation and was very experienced in boarding houses. The housemasters and pupils liked this approach and valued her advice and professional support. Obviously, we were conducting a form of “quality assurance”. After each visit, we wrote to the housemaster.”—Andrew Hunter, SCAI Witness Statement (17 November 2020)

“My wife, with her interior design skills, helped to design colour schemes all over the school to make it more personable. Carpets were laid all over the school and we felt that these were important signals. For many pupils, Merchiston was their home in term time.”—Andrew Hunter, SCAI Witness Statement (17 November 2020)