I am originally from Liverpool, but after training to be a History teacher I moved to the North-East coast of England to begin my teaching career. This was where I met my wife, who is also a teacher, and for the best part of a decade worked in several schools in quite deprived areas. It was during these early years as a teacher that I first saw the transformative power of education on student lives, and how schools as communities are more than just what is taught or learned.
In 2003 I left the UK to teach internationally. I was fortunate to work in international schools where conversations about diversity and ‘international-mindedness’ resulted in approaches to learning that recognized the importance of values and attitudes alongside the acquisition of knowledge and skills. I worked in leadership roles in Copenhagen and Paris, and was Secondary School Principal in Berlin before joining Park Lane in August 2021 to become the Head of Secondary School.
As educators, we champion the importance of learning and education and the notion of ‘lifelong learning’ is something that is very important to me. I am a passionate learner and have always enjoyed acquiring new skills and knowledge, both out of personal interest and through a desire to develop my professional ‘skillset’. This has led me to take both an MA in History and an MEd, and I am now working on my doctorate in Education. It has also involved associations with professional organisations, from working for the IB as a subject moderator to training as an international school accreditor.
I feel very fortunate to join Park Lane, because it is a place that knows what a special time our ‘school days’ can be. Whilst being academically challenging, students are nurtured in a supportive, aspirational and collaborative culture. The school offers a great range of opportunities for students to try different things, join clubs, go on trips, take part in competitions and events, and be innovative and creative. It is a place where they will make strong friendships, have fun and form lasting memories that will endure long after leaving the school.
Outside of school, I am a keen (would-be) writer, an enthusiastic but hopeless gardener and a proud father.