National Committee

Neil McLennan

Neil has been a history teacher, head of history, Principal Teacher (Curriculum) Social Studies and History Curriculum Support Team leader. He started his teaching career in West Lothian where was later to lead the West Lothian Council Curriculum Support Team (History). Moving to Edinburgh Neil took up post as Head of History at Tynecastle High School in Edinburgh. He has been a committee member of the Scottish Association of Teachers of History (SATH) for a number of years and was Vice President before taking on the role of President. He spent some time on secondment to Learning and Teaching Scotland as a National Development Officer for Enterprise in Education. Learning and Teaching Scotland (LTS) provided advice to Scottish ministers on matters of curriculum and assessment as well as information and communication technologies. In this role he had responsibility for learning across the curriculum. Neil has recently written three history textbooks and regularly contributes history and education articles in TESS, the Western Front Journal and other journals and newspapers. Neil has also written cross-curricular, inter disciplinary education resources for large organisations and leading charities including most recently writing and project managing the Poppy Scotland online education resource. Recently Neil was awarded Professional Recognition for Enterprise in Education by the General Teaching Council Scotland. Neil currently works as a Quality Improvement Officer for Aberdeen City Council and is also the President of the Enterprise Practitioners' Association. Neil is the Scottish representative on EUROCLIO and contributes to European history teaching and learning resources. Neil is also the Scottish representative on HTEN (History Teacher Education Network) and HEF (Heritage Education Forum).

Dave Clarke

Dave Clarke hails originally from sunny Cheshire, and moved to Scotland ten years ago to study History and English Language at Edinburgh University. After stints as a ghost tour guide, hanger-on in Edinburgh Castle and a Learning Assistant in a number of City of Edinburgh schools, he graduated from Moray House in 2010. When not at school, he can be found advising museums on all aspects of World War One, and fighting the trenches at a number of living history events and historic properties across Britain.

David Armstrong

I have been on the committee for about 20 years, first as Lothian Region representative, past vice-president and then president. Currently I am the representative for West Lothian. I am a graduate of Edinburgh University and completed my teacher training in Dundee. My teaching career began in Dumfries Academy (1976 - 1980) and Boroughmuir High School, Edinburgh (1980 - 1990) before moving into my current promoted post (PT History) at West Calder High School. I am a former member of the old SEB History subject panel, responsible for revisions to Standard Grade (1997) and was a member of the Standard Grade Setting Team until 2003. I am also a textbook author as well as being a keen Hibs supporter and enthusiastic (if mediocre) cricketer!

Kate Bebb

Kate Bebb is Principal Teacher of History at the Royal High School, Edinburgh. She has been at the school since 1999. Kate is from Liverpool but has lived in Scotland for many years now and obtained her degree at Edinburgh University. Before teaching, she worked for Edinburgh International Festival for two years, and always has had an active interest in the arts. She has been a member of the SATH committee since 2003. Outside of teaching Kate enjoys the theatre, cinema and running to clear the mind! She has run five marathons to date, including London. Miss Bebb also coaches the Girls' Football Team and has been involved with several Comenius Projects.

Claire Wood

Claire Wood is a History teacher at the High School of Glasgow where she has particular responsibility for the development of ICT in History and organisation of trips to the WW1 Battlefields. She has been a member of the SATH Committee since 1999/2000 and has assisted in the hosting of several conferences for SATH. She is currently the Web Coordinator, responsible for the concept and setting up of the new website. She is a marker for Standard Grade Credit and a co-author of two Intermediate textbooks for Hodder Gibson.

Ashley McGuffie

I am Principal Teacher of History at Clydebank High School. I gained my History degree at Glasgow University and then completed my teacher training at Jordanhill. My first teaching post, as a probationer, was at Stirling High School. I then taught in Braidfield High School for a couple of years before moving to Clydebank High. I joined the SATH committee as a Probationer and have enjoyed countless conferences and events over the years and in 2010 I became the SATH Year Book editor.

Thom Sherrington

I am currently teaching History at Aboyne Academy in Upper Deeside, having completed my probation year at Mackie Academy in Stonehaven. My favourite areas of History to teach are the American Civil Rights movement (primarily because I can use “The Message” by Grandmaster Flash as a primary source) and twentieth century Russia. I have benefited greatly from my membership of SATH, polishing my marking skills, sharing resources, and swapping ideas with committed and enthusiastic History Educators from home and away. In 2010 I was honoured to receive the title “Scottish Schools Young Thinker of the Year” from the Institute of Contemporary Scotland, and frankly bewildered to be given the title “UK and Ireland Young Thinker of the Year” in 2011 for my papers on Education. I have also had writing published in TESS. At heart I am a frustrated pro-cyclist and take out my frustrations on the roads and singletrack trails of Aberdeenshire and beyond.

Greg Murray

Greg completed his PGDE at Aberdeen University 2006/7, completing his probationary year at Beeslack High School 2007/8. Since January 2009 he has been Teacher of History and Modern Studies at St Mary's Music School (having previously taught RME and ran the Boarding House).

Nelson Chris Mundell

I'm currently doing my post grad PGDE at Jordanhill (sadly we are the last year group that will be using the fantastic campus there). This was after completing six odd years at Glasgow University, undertaking a variety of history courses (with a bit of computing and psychology thrown in!), which I absolutely loved. I am a keen computer user, and run the website and forums for SATH.