Mr Williams & Ms Archer are saying goodbye to working at Concord! You may, or may not, know that two of our longest serving members of staff (they have accumulated 40 years at Concord between them) are married. They even had their wedding reception here in Main Hall in 2011! 

Mr Williams was the first to arrive at Concord back in 2002 when Tony Morris was Principal. He started out teaching Accounting, Economics and Geography, and later added Business Studies to his portfolio. This wasn’t his first job as a teacher, he already had 13 years of teaching, including as Head of Economics at the Anglo-European School under his belt, and before that had worked for a firm of accountants.  

Ms Archer joined Concord 4 years later as a History teacher. After 20 years running her own business, she decided it was time to do something even more rewarding and moved into teaching.  

Q) Can you share some of your favourite Concord memories with us?

Ms Archer: 

“When I started teaching History at Concord, I felt like I already belonged there as I’d come to lot of campus events with Steve, so settled in straight away. I’d run my own business for 20 years and had experiences at other schools before I came to Concord. During my time at other schools I had helped staff overseas trips so I was keen to get involved in extra-curricular activities as soon as I joined Concord.  

“Some of my favourite memories of my time at Concord involve College trips. I’ve enjoyed running various trips to Germany, The Netherlands, and France plus have helped on numerous others including Iceland plus Geography field trips too. Stand out memories include visiting WWI battlefields in Belgium and France WWII sites in Normandy. I went on to invite Normandy veterans to come to Concord to give talks, which was a fantastic way for the students to learn about history first hand.  

“As well as the veterans’ talks, I organised visits by historians and politicians too. Author, Dominic Sambrook, visited us for several years in a row and I was thrilled when Tony Benn agreed to come in 2012. Tony Benn was a Labour Party politician and activist and appeared a lot in the history books I taught. He was not a supporter of private education, but I wrote to him and persuaded him that Concord was not a typical British private school but more like an example of what a ‘Model United Nations’ could be. 

Author Dominic Sambrook with students dressed in 1960s gear!

“Tony Benn’s talk in The Old Chapel took the form of a Q&A covering the 1960s Social Revolution but he also told us a lot about his career in politics and memorable moments – including meeting Iraqi leader Saddam Hussain, being in the same room as Mahatma Gandhi and even his interview with comedian, Ali G!  I remember him telling students that he admires people who say what they mean and mean what they say.” 

Politician Tony Benn with Mrs Archer and students in The Old Chapel

Mr Williams: 

“I’ve been on many College trips too and some of my favourites are the outdoor education residentials. I love getting stuck in with the activities – I particularly remember kayaking on the sea on a hot day in Anglesey. It was fantastic. 

“In 2018, I had the chance to go over to the new Concord school in China (Shanghai Concord Bilingual School) for two years to help set up the Economics Department there. I was also the Exams Officer. After teaching hundreds of Chinese students over the years at Concord UK, I felt privileged and excited to be given the opportunity to immerse myself into Chinese culture. It deepened my understanding of the education system there but also of the nation as a whole and its people.” 

Ms Archer:  

“When Steve moved to Shanghai, I made the decision to move into Acton Burnell and become a boarding parent. At first, I looked after students in Highfields and Old Walls and then moved to Paul House. I loved that role because I got to see students in a different light and, as a teacher, I felt I understood the pressures that students are under whilst living in. Although I stopped being a History teacher 3 years ago, I became a F5 Student Futures Officer and have thoroughly enjoyed that role too.” 

Mr Williams: 

“One of my all-time favourite memories at Concord was the day in 2009 when HRH Princess Anne came to Concord to officially open the new Jubilee Block on the site of the old West End. It was such a wonderfully weird and unusual day! It was my birthday and, being December, it was freezing cold. The students were asked to wear something appropriate for both the event and the weather! However, not everyone did, and a lot of lower school students were waiting in the cold for the helicopter to arrive, only to be coldly windswept even further by the force of the helicopter blades as it landed nearby. “ 

“I was lucky insofar as I was based in the Theatre, so kept warm. We were charged with keeping the dignitaries entertained with the orchestra while the Princess did a classroom tour first. We were told we would have plenty of notice before she arrived in the theatre, but the tour went by more quickly than planned and, when she suddenly walked in half an hour early, we were all still on the stage packing our instruments away. Not the entrance we had hoped for.”  

“Other entertaining memories from that day include a special new WC set aside for the Princess that no-one else was allowed to use. Funnily enough, I was told after the event, she did not use it either!” 

Mr Williams:  

“Helen and I have known 3 Principals and 5 Heads of Lower School since joining Concord but the most notable staff development is the fact that former students, and Concord alumni, are now joining Concord as teachers. We remember current teachers; Tim Lawrence, Jamie Ellis, Lucy Jones (née Parker) and Ava Wilding as students. Furthermore, two other former students, Abbi Ford and Emily Megoran, both joined SCBS as teachers too.” 

Q) What’s next for you both?  

Ms Archer: 

“Steve officially retired last December but has been doing some supply teaching here at Concord this term and we’ve both recently been Lead Exam Invigilators. However, we think this is definitely the end of the road for us as employees…but not the end of our connection to Concord we hope. We will hope to attend reunions and definitely keep in touch with the many friends we’ve made at the College.”   

“We’re lucky to have had the opportunity to meet up with Concord alumni (including Charlotte Cheah, Melody Hung, Alex Tham, Quang Tran and Hoa Hoang) on past holidays in Hong Kong, Malaysia, Singapore and Vietnam. We hope that we can catch up with more Concord alumni at reunions here in the UK or on holiday abroad in the future.”  

“Furthermore, whilst Steve has lots of hobbies, I am still deciding what to do on a day-to-day basis and feel it is too early to retire from working life. I would love to hear from any alumni who would like my help in any of their work projects. I am great at problem solving, creative thinking and event planning, so do get in touch with me via the Concord alumni network or email Alison, the Alumni Officer if you think I could help you with any short-term projects either here in the UK or abroad.”