Rogerson East Housemaster's Page

Rogerson East House is blessed with a strong tutor team, all of whom do evening duties and tutor the boys academically.

The Housemaster: Javier Palacios
Javier joined Merchiston in January 2006 from St George's School, Buenos Aires, Argentina, where he had taught for a number of years. He has taught in the UK before, and spent a term on exchange at Merchiston during 2004-05. He is married with two teenage sons.

The Tutor Team:
Stephen Horrocks: Stephen, a graduate of Cambridge University and former housemaster at Merchiston, is an excellent teacher of French and Spanish. On top of this he coaches both Rugby and Cricket and runs both the exchange programme with other schools and looks after the gap year students. Stephen is resident on the campus with his wife Francoise (also on the teaching staff) and daughter Sophie. Stephen is also a keen runner and cricketer in his own right.

Wendy Morgan: Wendy, a Texan and Physics graduate from Texas A & M University is the sole female tutor in the House. Together with Asli and Ayla and our excellent domestic team she makes up the far more sympathetic, if not empathetic, side of the House. She is one of two Physics teachers in the House and she plays a big part in running the Duke of Edinburgh programme; she will shortly qualify as a mountain leader. She is married to Rich and they live off campus.

Keith Pettigrew: Keith has a PhD in Chemistry from Edinburgh University and is part of the first rate Chemistry Department. He coaches both rugby and, ‘less seriously’, cricket and runs the Monday activities programme for the School. He is married to Sara and lives off the campus. He is a very good football player in his own right.

Robert Armstrong: Rob is our other Physics teacher. A graduate of Edinburgh University, Rob is a keen Rugby player and coach. His biggest responsibility in School is the running of the active School Band of Pipes and Drums. He is a talented piper himself and pipes during School Functions, as he did on last summer’s School Pipe Band Tour to Brittany. Rob is also a mountain leader having recently passed this demanding qualification.

Matthew King: Matthew joins the School this year as Head of Biology . He has also brought considerable colour to the campus with the vast array of animals he keeps. The biggest member of his menagerie will be on show in the Biology labs: an eight foot boa constrictor! He also keeps ferrets, turtles, gerbils, goldfish, a king snake and giant African snails. On top of Biology Matthew will be helping out with clay pigeon shooting and is set to revive the Young Farmers’ Club at the School.

Housekeeper: Iris Campbell: We are blessed with a first rate housekeeper, who brings Germanic efficiency to the House. The boys love her because she is always looking after their interests and she runs her cleaning team with thoroughness, keeping the Housemaster in line when it is needed.