The new teacher for 2019 at St Mary’s Primary School has moved into full-time teaching after completing his practical training there last year.

Mr Collinge has previously lived in London, and then Colombia. He met his wife, Lina, while living abroad, but “we always wanted to come back to Australia,” he said.

Settling in Crookwell with Lina and their two-year-old son, Mr Collinge's mother and father also live close, having retired to the area nine years ago.

Mr Collinge pursued teaching in Colombia, where he taught English to Spanish-speaking primary school aged students.

During this tenure, he completed his Australian tertiary teaching qualifications; although, he said, he didn’t grow up thinking he was going to be a school teacher.

In Colombia, community attitudes towards teachers are more restrained than in Australia, with teachers given lower social status. 

Mr Collinge said this had not affected his relationships with his students, but the parents' attitudes towards teachers had trickled down to the students.

Mr Collinge’s Year 5 class will this year add Spanish to their curriculum, drawing on his years learning the language abroad.

This will be added to Japanese language lessons.

Outside of the classroom, Mr Collinge says he is a family man, spending much of his downtime with his two-year-old son. 

He did play cricket socially in Colombia, but he said he wouldn't be back on the pitch any time soon.

And as for his plans for the future: "We are here indefinitely," he said.