Natalie Slade and Oliver Cumming: From Linwood to London
England is home for two Linwood ex-students with a desire to serve their communities and make a difference in people’s lives. Natalie Slade and Oliver Cumming attended Linwood in the 1990s. They now both form part of the New Zealand ex-pat community based in and around London. Yet their pathways have been quite different. Natalie is Vice- Principal at a secondary school north of London and Oliver, ‘Ollie‘ to those who know him well, is a London bobby, based in Ealing.
Natalie – making the most of a rich environment
Natalie was able to choose which secondary school she would go to and opted for Linwood. It was the cultural mix, the richness and energy of the school that really appealed. It opened her eyes, and she realised the richness of the educational experience on offer. She recalls that first form class, 3My with Mr Murray, with fondness, and teachers Paul Bushnell, Marlene Le Cren, Julia Malcolm, Peter Lees-Jeffries, Tony Ryan, Kate Nelson and this writer (Ken Bye) who enlivened her time at Linwood and influenced her career path. Alexia Lyons, Amber Coulter and Abba Fidow became close friends, and she has shared fun times with them – and sad times, too, such as the death of Peter Lees-Jeffries in 1992.
It was the performing arts scene in which Natalie revelled. There was The Arabian Nights, My Fair Lady, Cabaret and The Mikado –set in Tai Tapu – which were often presented with a particular Linwood ‘twist’. According to Natalie, ‘there was a freedom to improvise which encouraged creativity and brought out the best in you’. And of course there were the Performing Arts camps at Living Springs. Who could forget the on-site wildlife – and the appearance of a goat in one of the rooms?
Natalie was not just involved in the performing arts scene, however. In winter there was netball with Physical Education teacher and ex-New Zealand netball representative Brenda Rowbery. Natalie’s determination to be fully involved in the life of the school meant that her time at Linwood was a rich and successful one. Looking back, she did feel, however, that perhaps the school could have done more to consistently set high expectations for all its students and support them in setting and meeting their goals.
Natalie – life after Linwood
From Linwood, Natalie went to the University of Canterbury completing a BA degree with a focus on the humanities followed by a Diploma in Teaching. Her first teaching post was at Colenso High School, then it was back to Linwood to a position in the Humanities from 2001-2002. Natalie was always someone prepared to push the boundaries – so unsurprisingly one of her most memorable experiences during those years was as co-manager of the mixed rugby team. But foreign shores called, and in 2002 Natalie left for England and her great OE. But the Linwood influence was still strong. Her first teaching job in England was at John Kelly Technology College, a position she obtained partly through the good offices of Linwood Deputy Principal, Jason Baigent. This was a real ‘baptism of fire’, with students unafraid to harass staff both verbally and physically. Natalie was not deterred, however, and continued with her teaching career in England. She has never been one to shy away from a challenge. Her next position was in South London at Blackheath Bluecoat Church of England School at Greenwich, a school whose student body faced significant social issues. Natalie’s next appointment was Head of Department at St Michael’s Catholic School, a position she held for five years before moving to the Oasis Christian Academy as Head of Sixth Form and Humanities. She is currently Vice-Principal of Chase Community School in Hertfordshire, with special responsibility for Behaviour and Ethos.
Natalie sees her experience at Linwood as being pivotal in shaping her appreciation of cultural differences and the importance of education as a tool in shaping people’s lives. It pointed her towards a career path that would allow her to make a difference in people’s lives, something about which she remains passionate.
Oliver Cumming – a different pathway
Ollie enjoyed his time at Linwood – but admits that the classroom wasn’t necessarily his scene; his passion was sport. At school, basketball was his focus and he could be found in the gym at every available opportunity. He had a really good relationship with Head of Physical Education, Dale Eagar, and was entrusted with keys to the gym which allowed him access to it outside normal school hours. In 1994 while in the seventh form Ollie was in both the Senior Boys A and B teams! This was not enough to satisfy Ollie’s sporting passion. As the school did not have a rugby team at that time, he played as a lock for the Linwood Rugby Club.
Ollie’s academic results were something of a mixed bag, and he was unsure about where his future lay. On leaving school he worked for a company screen-printing T shirts. But foreign adventures beckoned, and in 2005 he embarked on his great OE and England became his base. He worked for the Honda Car dealership in Chiswick and continued his involvement in sport, playing for the London/New Zealand Rugby Club, based at Gunnersbury Park, Acton. The team is a special one – it is the only team, apart from New Zealand representative ones, that has dispensation to wear the silver fern as its crest. Ollie, and visitors from New Zealand such as Rico Allen [son of ex-Linwood teacher Susan Allen] explored much of Britain and Europe together: Germany and Belgium, in particular the Brussels night life, were highlights.
Constable Cumming
It was the 2012 London Olympics which proved to be the ‘aha‘ moment for Ollie in settling on a career path. He had always enjoyed working with people and also appreciated the diversity of the student body at Linwood. He also wanted in some way to make a difference in people’s lives. An attempt to join the police in New Zealand had been unsuccessful, but a recruitment drive by the London Metropolitan Police in preparation for the Olympic Games offered Ollie the opportunity denied him in New Zealand. In 2009 Ollie graduated from the Metropolitan Police College, and became Linwood’s only London ‘bobby’.
Ollie is based at Ealing, in West London. The borough has about the same number of people as Christchurch, but its population is much more diverse, with a significant number of Asian and Afro-Caribbean people living there. He appreciates the richness of this environment, and the challenges the job presents. There are the drug overdoses, the mental health issues and the dead bodies, but there is also the chance to make a real difference in people’s lives. The biggest impact you can have is saving someone’s life. One of Ollie’s most challenging moments was when he and his partner were confronted by a young woman with a knife in each hand, obviously high on drugs. Having talked her down and disarmed her, the decision was made not to wait for the ambulance but to take her straight to the nearest hospital, as her condition was deteriorating. This action saved her life, and led to an official commendation.
Two days are never the same. Ollie’s seen the royals, been to Twickenham Rugby ground and all the premier London League grounds, including walking through the players’ tunnels. He’s been on duty amongst the thousands of people at major music festivals – events he found particularly stressful. He’s been inside the Houses of Parliament, and once had to give evidence at a murder trial at the Old Bailey. Ollie is now one of the more experienced officers on the beat in his borough, and assists with the training of those new to the force.
Both Natalie and Ollie see Linwood as a school which not only helped them acquire the skills and knowledge they needed but also shaped their attitudes. They came to appreciate the richness of cultural diversity and enjoyed mixing with people from different cultures. These traits have been critical to their success in England, their adopted home.