Ben Allen

Head of English, Teacher of English and English Literature

In 2014, I graduated from the University of Surrey with a BA in English Literature, having spent most of my childhood moving endlessly between Hampshire and Kent in England. At the age of 12, I was greatly influenced by my Music and English teachers, who inspired me to both learn the piano and explore a career in teaching English Literature.

My journey towards teaching began in the role of a Cover Supervisor whilst I studied for my degree in 2012, having previously taught GCSE English to students who had been permanently excluded from state education. After completing my degree, I accepted a place to study my PGCE at Cambridge University and gained Qualified Teacher Status at the lead school of the Rivers Academy Trust in Hertfordshire. 

After taking on the role of House Leader for one year, I decided to move to the charming location of Ely and become an English Teacher at King’s Ely school for the next five years, transitioning from state to private education. Within the English department, I took on a variety of

curriculum responsibilities, including Head of KS5 English and the Deputy Head of English, which gave me responsibility over the Year 9 curriculum and extra-curricular development. It was also at King’s where I found the true value of celebrating individual differences and diversity as the whole-school Equality and Inclusion Lead for the past two years. 

I join the Park Lane family in great anticipation of my first international teaching experience and I look forward to sharing my love of learning and personal challenge with the students here. I hope to use my spare time to explore Central Europe via various hiking expeditions as well as locating all of the free pianos dotted around the city of Prague.