360° TOUR Prep Houses
Pupils in Year 6, 7 & 8 are assigned to a Prep House. There are seven in total: four boys’ and three girls’ houses.
Boys’ Prep Houses
BANKS
DARWIN
LYON
SHACKLETON
Mr Nick Weinberg
House Master of Banks, Teacher of History
Mr. Weinberg has been the House Master of Banks House since the beginning of the 2020/21 academic year, having previously taught at Harrow Hong Kong in 2019.
Mr. Weinberg studied History and Politics at theUniversity of Warwick and originally trained and worked as a journalist, before moving into teaching. He obtained his PGCE from the Institute of Education and began his career teaching History in London. In 2016, he moved to Hong Kong and subsequently taught in a number of international schools, holding both pastoral and academic responsibilities.
Mr. Weinberg is the husband of Letitia Weinberg, who is Head of Geography and the former Assistant House Mistress for Fry House. Mr and Mrs Weinberg are parents to Jack and Imogen, the youngest members of the Banks family. Mr and Mrs Weinberg really enjoy getting to know not just the pupils, but their families too, who they count as part of the extended Banks community. They aim to create a positive, secure and fun environment in which every pupil feels safe.
Outside of school, Mr. Weinberg enjoys most sports, especially football and is a keen supporter of Tottenham Hotspur.
Mr. Tom Cameron
House Master of Darwin, Teacher of History
Mr. Cameron was born and raised in South Africa and spent his formative years at boarding school in Kwa-Zulu Natal. He studied at the University of Pretoria and taught in private and independent schools in South Africa, the U.K., and Hong Kong, where he taught at the French International Schoolfor 15 years.
Mr. Cameron, his wife Melanie, and young son James returned to South Africa in 2016 and took a position at St Andrew’s Preparatory School. He held the position of Senior Prep Boys Housemaster, Head of Sports, teacher of Social Studies, and Master in Charge of Rugby.
In 2021 Mr. Cameron and his family returned to Hong Kong to work at Harrow International School. He has held the position of Prep Teacher of Humanities and Senior Assistant Housemaster (Sun House) since August 2021. His wife Melanie has been employed as Prep Matron at Harrow Hong Kong since April 2021.
He is an avid sportsman who played professional rugby in South Africa and joined the Hong Kong Football Club in 2000. He represented Hong Kong in the National 15’s and 7’s rugby. He also completed the Maclehose Trail walker, Lantau Moon Trekker, and Standard Chartered HK marathon. He is a keen cricketer while still enjoying playing golf and cycling regularly.
He is committed to providing excellent, comprehensive pastoral care, motivation, and support to all students in his care. He is international-minded and adept at creating an atmosphere conducive to learning and socialising with peers while ensuring the safeguarding of all boarders in their “home away from home.”
Mr Chris McInnes
House Master of Lyon, Teacher of Drama
Mr Chris McInnes grew up in rural Western Australia before attending boarding school in Perth. He originally studied Psychology before pursuing his passion for the performing arts, where his love of the stage and directing flourished. He spent time at the Australian Theatre for Young People in Sydney and later worked at St Catherine’s School for Girls, directing performances and teaching Speech and Drama.
He joined Harrow Hong Kong in 2017 as a Director‑in‑Residence, later moving into Drama teaching and serving as the founding Assistant Housemaster of Lyon House. Now proudly serving as Housemaster, he is passionate about fostering collaboration, creativity, and kindness within the Lyon community.
Having lived in Hong Kong for eight years, Mr McInnes enjoys the city’s energy, hiking trails, and swimming whenever he can. He is dedicated to helping pupils build confidence and find their voice, both on stage and beyond the classroom.
Mr William Bussey
House Master of Shackleton, Teacher of Physics
Mr Bussey was raised in a small town in middle England, Loughborough. Being brought up in a university town it was only inevitable that his passions would mirror the specialisms of the town’s university, Sport and Engineering. Therefore, after completing his A-levels he decided to depart his hometown to study a BSc in Physics at Lancaster University, where his keen interest in the sciences flourished further, as did his affection for playing rugby.
Having loved his degree and wanting to share his appetite for Physics with the next generation he made the move to the University of Nottingham to complete his PGCE in Secondary Science Education. On completion of his course, Mr Bussey took up his first teaching position in Hackney, London, where he quickly raised through the ranks to become Head of Physics at the school, as well as coaching the school’s rugby team. After a number of years in these roles, and wanting to further his teaching capability, he made the decision to move to one of the highest academically performing schools in the world, Harrow International School Hong Kong.
During the last five years at Harrow Mr Bussey has fostered his passion for Pastoral Care. He began his first year working in Shackleton House as a Tutor before stepping into Banks House for two years, as Assistant House Master; his latest two years have been spent as the Assistant House Master of Sun House. During his time at the school, he has had the pleasure to be mentored by three great Housemasters, and applies the knowledge passed from them to the care he now provides in Shackleton House.
Girls’ Prep Houses
FRY
NIGHTINGALE
PARKS
Mrs Holly de Vies
House Mistress of Fry, Teacher of Biology
Born in Leicester, in the English Midlands, Mrs De Vies (formerly Miss Perridge) spent the majority of her life living in the Leicestershire countryside, residing in both Loughborough and Long Whatton.
Having always had a passion for travel, she opted to study at Aston University, Birmingham which provided the opportunity for an international placement year. She graduated with a BSc (Hons) in Biology and English and spent a year working as a teaching assistant at The British International School of Kuala Lumpur. In Malaysia she met her husband, Theo, who was also working as a teaching assistant and here they were inspired to pursue careers in teaching.
With a Biology specialism, she completed her Science PGCE at Loughborough University and spent four years as a Biology Teacher at Loughborough High School, England. In her final two years there, she took a leadership role as Hastings House Mistress. Mr and Mrs De Vies joined the Harrow community in 2016 as a Year 5 Teacher and Teacher of Biology respectively. In April 2019 Mr and Mrs De Vies were married in Koh Samui, Thailand. They have a rescue dog called Josie and two children: Rory, born in March 2022 and Wren, born February 2024. From 2018-2024, Mr and Mrs De Vies were proud house parents in Nightingale and they enjoyed raising their young family within the boarding house.
Mrs De Vies is excited to become the house parent of Fry and is looking forward building a strong and supportive Day House community.
In her free time, Mrs De Vies enjoys spending time with her family. They can often be found splashing and swimming in the local pool and building sand castles on one of Hong Kong’s many beaches.
Ms Connie Hu
House Mistress of Nightingale, Teacher of Chinese
Ms. Hu has served as the Acting House Mistress of Nightingale on two occasions: during the 2020/21 and 2023-24 academic years. Before joining Harrow in 2020, she dedicated many years to teaching English as a Second Language and Chinese Language in the UK and Hong Kong. Her experience includes being a resident/boarding tutor at Marlborough College, where she established and taught Chinese A Level.
She also held positions such as Head of Chinese at Kennedy School and Head of Second Language at King George V School, where she worked as a Senior School Tutor. Additionally, she served as a Chinese Secondee at the ESF Centre in Hong Kong.
Ms. Hu became a certified Leadership Coach through Culture At Work in the UK a few years ago and is passionate about continuous professional growth. She aims to utilize her coaching skills to guide and support Nightingale girls in their personal and academic development, fostering a coaching culture that helps every girl reach her potential and enjoy their time in prep school.
Ms. Hu’s educational journey began with studies in English Literature at Yancheng Teachers College, followed by a Master’s degree in Modern Chinese from Nanjing Normal University. She is a registered teacher with the Hong Kong Education Bureau. In her spare time, she contributes actively to education as a Chinese A-level examiner for the Cambridge Examination Board and as a Bilingual TOK Examiner in the IB World.
Outside of her professional commitments, Ms. Hu cherishes her family life. She met her husband, Mr. Richard St Paul, at Marlborough College. They are proud parents of twin sons, Edward and Daniel, who currently reside and work in London. They also have two pets in their London home, Puppy Naya and a cat named Lyla.
Ms Bridget Laatz
House Mistress of Parks
Raised in South Africa, Ms Laatz developed an early passion for the Humanities, inspired by the natural landscape that sparked her curiosity about the connection between people and their environment. She began her teaching career at Rhenish Primary in Stellenbosch before moving to the UK to broaden her horizons, holding key teaching roles at The Old Vicarage in Richmond-upon-Thames and St Christopher’s Prep School in Hove.
With 23 years of experience in education, including over a decade as Deputy Head Pastoral, Ms Laatz firmly believes that exceptional teaching goes hand-in-hand with outstanding pastoral care. She understands that a child’s happiness, security, and emotional wellbeing form the absolute foundation for their academic and personal growth. As Housemistress of Parks, her vision is to cultivate a warm, inclusive “home away from home” where every pupil feels a deep sense of belonging and confidence.
A keen sportswoman, Ms Laatz is just as enthusiastic about cheering on pupils from the sidelines as she is about leading spirited debates in the classroom. In her free time, Ms Laatz enjoys spending time with her family. They can often be found splashing and swimming in the local pool and building sandcastles on one of Hong Kong’s many beaches, alongside their miniature Jack Russell, Scout. When not by the water, she also enjoys hiking, golf, LEGO building, and baking. Ms Laatz looks forward to building strong, collaborative partnerships with Parks families and welcoming everyone into a vibrant House community.
