"Since both of my boys have had Mr Old, their confidence has grown and although reluctant to read, both of them have taken up reading for pleasure. This is unbelievable."

"Mr Old, I just wanted to text you to say how much Zach enjoys your lessons. He speaks very highly of you and often comes home telling me about his English lessons."

"The Enrichment Literature Group excursion to Dorchester was a great success. Mr Old had planned his Thomas Hardy walk with precision and even we parents learnt something."

"As well as being a great teacher, you supported me when I felt helpless. Even when my own parents didn’t understand me, you were there when I needed a shoulder."

"Thank you, Sir, for 1. Being a great tutor, 2. Being a huge support in English, and 3. Being a good friend when I needed somebody to listen."

"Thank you for helping me achieve an A in my English Controlled Assessment on T.S. Eliot poetry"

"Mr Old – you’re the best!"

"Mr C Old is a remarkable teacher. He knows when to have a laugh but also when to take control and get teaching."

"Mr Old, Oldy for short, is someone who cares more about the pupils than himself."

"Mr Old is a life saver. He goes out of his way to help not only me but the entire 27 pupils in our English class"

"OCR Examining Board is writing to you personally to thank you for the valuable contribution you have made to recognising the outcomes and attainment of thousands of young people over a twenty-year period."

"I have been advised by the external assessor for Threshold Applications, Mr Douglas Wright, that you have demonstrated the quality of teaching for promotion to Upper Pay Spine, Point 3. The Chairman of Governors, is delighted with your success and looks forward to working with you and the English Department in the future."

"I was asked by the Board of Governors to write to you and personally thank you for the outstanding results achieved by the boys in your class in last year’s summer GCSE examinations for English Literature. Your diligent approach to teaching is a real asset to the school."

"Mr Old, thank you for allowing me to observe your English lesson today. I thought that many of the questions you were asking pupils were both stimulating and challenging. Even more impressive was the high level of response from the students. I was also encouraged by the amount of preparation you put into the lesson and it was delivered with confidence and sincerity."

"The teacher and students have fostered a wonderful learning environment which in turn, enables each student to feel comfortable, to feel confident and to flourish. What was a GCSE revision session with a very able group felt more like an A/S Level study tutorial."

"I could see from the start that you were the English Department’s greatest asset."

"I consider myself very fortunate to have met Mr. Old as he helped me so much with my English. Due to him I have improved my vocabulary a lot and he patiently showed me how to spell or pronounce every word I found difficult. Due to my fluent and confident use of English, people were surprised to know that I have been in this country for one year only."

Ionut Boghean