History - Staff

The History Department consists of three members of staff who teach across the age range:

 Mr D Griffiths – Head of Department (Right: Teaching Year 9)

"I am enjoying my first year at HMSG and am impressed and motivated by the tremendous community ethos we share. My favourite subject at school was always History closely followed by Art and PE. I studied History at Cardiff University an increasingly long time ago and later gained my PGCE from UWIC. 

My love of History is because it literally is the most interesting story you can ever read, hear or watch – full of murder, emotion, excitement, tragedy and farce. Although my academic studies have focused on Ancient and Medieval History my passion undoubtedly lies in the events of the Twentieth Century. I am fascinated by the human sacrifice of the First World War and hope to be guiding many of the girls at HMSG around the French and Belgium battlefields and cemeteries in the future."

Mrs R Griffiths 

"I am currently in my second year at HMSG and am thoroughly enjoy teaching History to Year 7, 8, 9, 10, 11 and 13. For me, History is all about the study of people - however far back in time you go, you will always find someone whose actions and feelings you can identify with. In an ideal world, I would like to think that we could use the past to not only constructively deal with the present, but successively prepare for the future.

At Swansea university I got to indulge in my passion; the study of slavery in the American South. My MA thesis focused on the complex relationship between white plantation children and young black slaves, and the complications that inevitably arose from this.

At HMSG, I run the History club on Friday lunchtimes (a lively and very friendly club!) and I am a Year 7 Form Tutor." 

Mrs K MacDonald

"I am at present not only a teacher of History but also the Assistant Deputy and Head of Sixth Form. I have had the privilege of teaching my favourite subject for many years and I am continually impressed by the students at HMSG and the way in which they respond to the positive changes and heart-rending tragedies which studying History helps us to understand and unravel.

I have always loved learning about History and thoroughly enjoyed studying the subject for both my degrees. My Masters degree from Cardiff in particular, allowed me to research the changes industrialisation in the 19th Century had on women in South Wales and from a particularly female perspective!”