Meeting The New Staff- (6) Mr Phil Neale (Modern Languages)

The sixth member of the staff who joined Bablake in 2013-14 to face the probing questions set by our Wheatleyan reporters, Editor Becky Williamson, Deputy Editor Connor Putnam and aspiring journalist Hayley Smith, was Mr Phil Neale from the Modern Languages department. 

The interview began, as always, with the quick questions!

1. Strictly or X Factor? Strictly- I find X Factor too cruel!
2. TOWIE or Made in Chelsea? I don’t watch either- they’re too depressing!
3. Facebook or Twitter? Facebook.
4. Snapchat or Instagram? I don't use either.
5. Tea or Coffee? Coffee, especially caffè mocha.
6. Fizzy Drinks or Water? Water- even low calorie fizzy drinks are full of chemicals.
7. UK or Abroad? Abroad- it is exciting to be in a completely different environment for a while. 
8. Marmite! Love it or hate it? Love it- especially with cream cheese! 
9. Hockey or Netball? I played hockey at school and really liked it, but I’ve never played netball, so I may still find I have a real talent for it!
10. Rugby or Football? I really like international rugby union, but football is my real love. I’m a Tottenham Hotspur fan, though, so I have not had a lot to celebrate over the years!
11. TV: On Demand or Live? Live. I especially like events such as the Olympics or the World Cup, when you know that most of the country is watching.
12. Book or Film? I love reading, but if I don’t have much time, it is obviously much quicker to watch a film.
13. Research: Library or Google? Google, it's much quicker. But, never 'Google Translate'- it is the language teacher’s nightmare!!
14. Home-cooking or Takeaway? Home-cooking- a takeaway is OK once in a while, but they are usually pretty unhealthy!
15. Going Out or Staying In? Staying in- much cosier!
16. Seeing the Sights or Sitting by the Pool? Seeing the sights- you can sit by a pool anywhere!
17. Play it Safe or Daredevil? My natural instinct is to play it safe, but I wish I could be more of a risk taker and worry less about what could go wrong!
18. Old School or Nu Skool? Old School!
19.Vintage or Contemporary? Vintage.
20. Who did you think would win the World Cup? With home advantage, I thought Brazil were going to win, but I forgot that they didn’t have any strikers or defenders.

The interview continued with a few broader questions.

Where did you go to school?
King Edward’s Five Ways, Birmingham.

Where did you go to university?
St Anne's College, Oxford.

What was the most useful thing that you learnt throughout your education?
That a good teacher can make all the difference.

Please tell us briefly about your role at Bablake?
I was appointed to teach French and German. I am also a 2nd and 3rd year tutor.

Are you involved with any co-curricular activities?
Yes, I run the Current Affairs society.

What's the most rebellious thing you have ever done... that you can tell us about?!
At infant school, I found a hole in the fence and led an escape party out into the neighbouring woods. When it became obvious that no one had noticed that we’d gone, we just got bored and went back!

What is your favourite hobby?
Walking my two greyhounds. I had them from the Retired Greyhound Trust, and they are great companions.

What is your favourite type of music?
Usually Indie rock- my favourite band is probably Radiohead.

Where in the world would you love to go?
Tokyo, ever since I saw the film 'Lost in Translation', or Machu Picchu in Peru

If you had one superpower, what would it be?
To be able to travel back in time.

And finally do you have any hidden talents, a party piece maybe…?
I had ballroom dancing lessons for quite a few years, so I can probably still remember some of the steps!

We again thank Becky, Connor and Hayley for setting the questions for this interview.