Department Teaching and Technical Staff

The Department has four teaching staff (hyper link to staff profiles and pictures), one technician and an assistant technician.


Dr. D. R. Hankey    Head of Chemistry
Ms. N. D. Davies
Mrs. C. Wilson
Mr. D. Wicks

Mr J. Hunter (technician)
Mrs V. Shuttleworth (assistant technician)

Staff Profiles

Dr. D. R. Hankey

David received a BSc (Hons. Chemistry) and a Ph.D (organometallic chemistry), which included time spent in the R&D laboratories of BP Chemicals, from the University of Bristol.  He then moved to Sussex to undertake further university research (main group and lanthanide chemistry).   He is co-author of a number of research papers and he has presented work at conferences in the UK and abroad.  He has also lectured, tutored and supervised post graduate students.  David moved into independent school teaching in 1985.  He taught chemistry at Bradfield College, Berkshire, later becoming Deputy Head of Chemistry.  He moved to Haileybury as Head of Chemistry in 1997 and was appointed Head of Science and Head of Chemistry at Warminster School in 2001.  He teaches chemistry throughout the school and has overseen the development of the sciences and designed the interior of the new Science Centre.  He has extensive sports coaching, Duke of Edinburgh’s Award and mountain expedition experience. He is an International Baccalaureate examiner and in 2006 completed a four year tenure as an external examiner and course advisor for Biology, Chemistry and Science in Society for the UPCSE at University College London.  He runs the Salters’ Practical Chemistry Club, he is a sixth form tutor and he is a boarding house tutor at St. Denys.


Ms Nia Davies

Nia Davies read Biochemistry at the University of Wales and then a PGCE course at the same institution. She has a wide teaching experience ranging from comprehensive, to tertiary, to international and has also spent time in industry. She was appointed to
teach Chemistry here at Warminster five years ago.  She teaches throughout the school and is in charge of the IB Chemistry programme as well as the IB CAS programme.  She has recently been appointed Head of Middle School.


Mrs C. Wilson

Catherine Wilson holds a MA degree in SEN, a BSc (Hons.) degree in Physics & Engineering and a PGCE. She initially entered the commercial art, advertising and tourism sector and in her ten years with Caswell Studio Ltd she was a company director. She followed this with a move into the secondary education sector. She was Head of Science at Grateley House School, where she taught for five years and a combined science and applied science teacher at Kingdown Community School for four years. She moved to Warminster School in 2005 where she currently teaches Physics up to A-level and Chemistry and Mathematics up to GCSE. Throughout her teaching career she has worked with special educational need pupils and she has recently graduated with a Masters degree in Special Educational Needs with Middlesex University. Catherine's interests include astronomy and engineering. She ran a successful Astronomy Club at Kingdown School and she has now established a thriving Astronomy Club at Warminster. She is the Faculty of Science's Special Needs coordinator (including the Gifted and Talented), and is also in charge of advertising and marketing our activities. She is married to Marcus, both are keen sailors (both offshore and dinghy), and they have three children.

Mr. David Wicks

David Wicks joined the Warminster School Faculty of Science in September 2006 after completing a PGCE at Bath Spa University.  New to teaching, he made a career change after 22 years in the British Army that included regimental command, several oversees tours of duty, service with the UN in West Africa and service as a bomb disposal officer.  He read Applied Science at Cranfield University and has completed two Master of Science courses and a Master of Arts course in a number of specialised defence based fields.  He is a co-author of a number of research papers in the field of forensic explosive analysis.  He is a member of the Institute of Explosives Engineers, a member of the Institute of Physics and a Chartered Physicist.  Currently, he is teaching Physics and Chemistry, he is a Year 7 Tutor and he assists the Games Department as Master i/c U15 XV and U15 XI.  In his spare time he is a fell runner, a society referee with the Dorset and Wiltshire RFU and a RYA Coastal Skipper.  He is married to Jane and has 2 children, Toby and Rebecca. 

Mr J. Hunter