tˈɑːmpsən wʌz bˈɔːɹn ɪn hˈɪlɪŋdən, lˈʌndən ænd tˈɔːt mˈæθs æt sˈaʊθləndz kˌɑːmpɹihˈɛnsɪv skˈuːl, nˈuː ɹˈɑːmni, fɹʌmðə mˈɪd nˈaɪntiːnhˈʌndɹɪd sˈɛvənti z.
Thompson was born in Hillingdon, London and taught maths at Southland's comprehensive school, New Romney, from the mid 1970s.