What are you doing now?
I have recently retired after ten years as Principal of The Meadows Sports College in Oldbury and I was made an MBE (Member of the most excellent Order of the British Empire) in the Queen’s New Year Honours list.
What route did you take up to this point?
I started teaching in 1975 at Bishop Vaughan RC School in Plymouth (now St Boniface’s College) I worked in schools around the country until taking up my eleventh and last position as Principal at The Meadows Sports College in 2006.
During my time at The Meadows, I raised more than £14,000 for school funds in sponsored 10km runs and made huge improvements to the learning environment including the nature trail.
Any significant crossroads?
I was a pupil at Bishop Vaughan RC Secondary Modern and joined the DHSB Sixth Form in 1969.
At DHSB I only passed A level Woodwork but all I needed was one A level to go to Teacher Training College at that time. So DHSB gave me the start!
I went on to gain a BA Hons 2(ii), Adv Dip Ed (Special Needs), MA (Ed), Adv Dip Ed (Management) and became a Headteacher/Principal of five schools.
What words of wisdom would you give to a student joining DHSB in Year 7?
Dream it – believe it – if you want it – you can really do it! I did!
Do you have a message for any of your teachers?
I expect all my teachers left long ago and may have passed away by now. My favourite teacher was Mr Robin Osborne who taught CDT. If it wasn’t for him I would not have gone to Loughborough College to become a teacher.