Meet the Team
Dartmouth
Mrs K Davies
Head of Boarding
Mrs Kirsty Davies joined The Royal School as Head of Boarding in September 2025.
In addition to her role in boarding, Mrs Davies teaches Business Studies. She brings a wealth of experience to the school, having previously served as Housemistress in both boys’ and girls’ boarding houses. Her commitment to pupil welfare is evident through her former position as Director of Wellbeing, where she focused on promoting happiness, resilience, and emotional health amongst students.
Outside of her professional life, Mrs Davies is a mother to three children and enjoys spending time outdoors with her two labradors. She is a keen runner, practises yoga, and has a passion for travel.
Mrs Davies is dedicated to creating a nurturing and supportive environment for all boarders at The Royal. Parents and guardians who wish to learn more about the boarding experience are warmly invited to contact her at kdavies@theroyal.school.
Miss R Binning
Dartmouth Houseparent
A former Lichfield boarder, Miss Binning stayed on after school to become a Boarding Assistant and has been part of the boarding community for over seven years.
Now Houseparent of Dartmouth, Miss Binning enjoys supporting pupils and creating a warm, welcoming environment.
A qualified swimming teacher and lifeguard, Miss Binning is passionate about learning new cultures, loves animals—especially dogs—and is known for the occasional sing-along from the office.
Miss Binning loves travelling, particularly to the Caribbean, where she enjoys swimming with dolphins and diving.
Lichfield
Miss D Holland
Lichfield Houseparent
Miss Holland has worked in schools for many years and boarding is something she really enjoys working in. In particular, the family environment it creates is why she likes it so much. She has 2 grown up children: A daughter, who is a teacher in a boarding school and a son, who is a banker. The pastoral caring side is why she stays in boarding as this part of her personality allows her to focus on this. Her hobbies include watching her football team Walsall FC – they never win anything, but it’s the community spirit she loves! She is also a bibliophile and reads lots – she finds it very hard to throw a book out! Finally, she likes to swim and play tennis when she can.
Miss N Zhang
Lichfield Assistant Houseparent
Ms Zhang has been a houseparent for almost 13 years. She really enjoys working with youngsters from all cultures and backgrounds and has been a BSA level 3 practitioner for several years. Her experiences in the role of Head of Sixth Form and Exams Officer along with her international background enable her to provide a positive and supportive environment whilst guiding boarding students through some of the most complex parts of their school careers. Away from the boarding house Ms Zhang is also very interested in cookery especially exploring international cuisines. Her sushi-making classes have been very popular.
Boarding Assistants
Mr K Uskov
Mr K started his journey at the Royal School as a sixth former and, after graduating Year 13, he joined the boarding team as a Boarding Assistant. He is passionate about art and is currently studying Fine Art at University. As well as studying, he also enjoys learning about different cultures. Mr K also enjoys activities like swimming, playing piano, hiking and walking. He is Trilingual and can speak Estonian, Russian and English.