What was it like starting your job at Bloomfield Collegiate?
It is both terrifying and exciting coming to a school as the new Principal with limited knowledge of the staff and pupils. I received a very warm welcome from the Bloomfield family which helped me settle in very quickly. Bloomfield has a special family ethos and I was adopted into the family without fuss.
What were the main challenges you faced?
I started in September 2010 when the results of the financial crisis were just beginning to impact the public sector. The biggest challenge that I faced was maintaining the excellent standards of teaching and learning with ever decreasing budgets and resources. A major knock-on effect was the School transferring from voluntary to controlled status in April 2014. This was also a very challenging period but the Governors, staff, pupils and parents all adjusted to this change remarkably well and the School is now in a very healthy position and can face the future with confidence.
What most impresses you about the pupils in Bloomfield?
Bloomfield’s is renowned for providing ‘excellence in a caring community’ and this sums up what the pupils’ achievements and attitudes. They strive for excellence inside and outside of the classroom but they do it within the security of very caring and supportive relationships. Visitors invariably comment on the unique caring environment within the School and that is due, in no small way, to the 700 pupils.
What is one surprising thing about your job that most people wouldn’t expect?
My days were filled with such a variety of encounters and tasks that, I suspect, most people would not expect to encounter during a single day. For example, my day could consist of tasks ranging from picking up an empty crisp packet on the corridor, talking to Social Services, congratulating a girl for getting an offer for a top university, dealing with a blocked toilet, talking to an upset parent, responding to dozens of emails, reading DE circulars, writing policies, talking to the Chair of the Governors, checking a leaky roof, leading Meetings about teaching and learning or talking to the girls in Assembly about my dog. There was never a dull moment!
What are some of your most gratifying accomplishments at school?
Overseeing the transition to a Controlled Grammar School was very satisfying because no other Voluntary Grammar School had done it in living memory and the change was managed effectively and for the benefit of the girls and staff. I was also delighted that the Education and Training Inspectorate recognised Bloomfield Collegiate as a ‘good’ school following its inspection in January 2015. It was very gratifying that the hard work of both staff and pupils had been recognised.
Do you have any favourite anecdotes about life at Bloomfield?
I have many very fond memories of interactions with parents, pupils, staff and visitors which are personal treasures that I will always cherish. During the last few weeks before my retirement date many staff and pupils gave me cards with kind messages and thoughts written on them. I was overwhelmed by the most unexpected and kind wishes expressed in the cards.
What did you enjoy most about the job?
Watching the pupils grow and thrive and reach their potentials. I believe that teachers are the builders of the future and to see children realise their potential and reach for a better future is magical.
How did you know you wanted to get involved in education? Having completed a PhD in Organic Chemistry and then worked in a pharmaceutical company for 2 years made me realise that I wanted a change of direction. I wanted to shape young lives for the better and teaching seemed the logical next step. I never regretted it for a moment as, in my opinion, teaching is the most important job in society. Teaching has at its core a moral purpose which is to make the world a better place and that is a very attractive vocation.
How has education has changed since you started your career in education?
The drive for better examination results has subtly changed education in Northern Ireland over the last 15 years. Young people are under enormous stress through the constant tracking, assessment and testing and teachers are much more aware of the clock and the test than ever before. When I was a pupil my best teachers were not necessarily the ones that got me the highest marks but they always made me feel valued and gave me an enthusiasm for learning and a desire to push the intellectual boundaries. We educate people of infinite and eternal value; we are not programming machines.
What’s next?
Gardening, caravanning, part time work (open to offers), dog walking, jam making, curry making and much less stress.
