Poppy Simpson had two years as Head of KS3 History at St Marylebone School, a state school in Westminster, and then decided to give the World Wars a break by leaving to work for Guardian Newspapers Ltd, where she wrote a daily news desk for schools.

She left the Guardian in May 2006 to jet off to South Africa and make a documentary. Three months later, and significantly poorer, she returned and began working for the British Film Institute, where she currently works as their Education Online developer. She has spent the majority of her evenings over the last year in the edit suite with a very understanding editor, and should, by the time this biography is being read, have finished her film!