Daphne Garcia Lora obituary: a schoolteacher remembered for calm authority

Daphne Garcia Lora, who has died aged 98, was a long-serving secondary school teacher at King Edward VI High School for Girls in Birmingham and rose to become head of modern languages overseeing Oxbridge and UCCA admissions.

Daphne Garcia Lora has died aged 98. She spent most of her working life teaching French and Spanish at King Edward VI High School for Girls in Birmingham. She became head of modern languages and took responsibility for Oxbridge and UCCA admissions. Her approach combined calm authority with practical generosity toward pupils. Key details: - Born in Manchester and raised in Liverpool, she was evacuated during the second world war to Blaenau Ffestiniog and later reunited with her mother and sister in Snowdonia. - She won a scholarship to Birkenhead grammar school, studied French at Liverpool University, spent a year in Aix-en-Provence and graduated with first-class honours. - She met José Garcia Lora at university, married him in 1949 and divided family life between Birmingham and Barcelona during school holidays. - She taught in Mexico City during José's sabbaticals in 1964 and 1968 and remained at King Edward's for most of her career. - She was known for pastoral care, including offering practical help to pupils with troubled home lives, and for contributing to the school's academic reputation. - Politically leftwing and an atheist influenced by existentialist thinkers, she voted Labour for much of her life and made a protest vote in 2024; she is survived by her daughters Natalia and the author, and three grandchildren. Summary: Her long service in secondary education shaped generations of pupils and contributed to her school's academic standing. Undetermined at this time.