Welcome to New Staff

Duncan Evans – Learning Support Assistant

I originate from Oxford where I grew up with my family and attended a school that was run by an inspirational Head Teacher who gave pupils the opportunity to explore their creativity and investigative nature. I later moved to Southampton where I developed my interest in music and art. I studied music production at degree level in Manchester and later gained a degree in Art history from Southampton Institute. I have worked as a furniture maker and run music workshops supporting and teaching young adults suffering with mental illness. 

I became part of the Sheiling Community in 2009 by joining Sturts Farm to qualify in the Bio-dynamic gardening course. Previous to this I was a member of the Tablehurst Community, where I studied bio-dynamic farming. Part of my role was to work with companions; this required me to work hard on and develop my Ego and Will forces. At the beginning of Easter term 2013, I started working with Learning Support in a part-time, temporary post. My time at the school has been fulfilling and rewarding, and I am greatly enjoying working with children both in one-to-one sessions and in the classroom.

In my other role, outside of school, I look after a small market garden the purpose of which is to supply a local restaurant committed to serving seasonal and local produce. The garden is in its infancy and I have, with the support of my employer, decided to run it according to Bio-dynamic principles. I am lucky enough to be able to do two things that I am inspired by and I feel are the foundations to making the world a better and more harmonious place. My free time is spent thinking about either phonemes and graphemes, or seeds and planting! The largest word grows from the smallest phoneme and the mightiest Oak tree comes from the smallest acorn.