In his final bulletin, he commented on his time in education and at Claires Court:

“I have spent 44 years in education and there is no doubt that my time at Claires Court has been the most fulfilling of my professional career. To work in a school that challenges educational orthodoxy and always seeks to find a better way of doing what we do has been refreshing and invigorating. I have been blessed with working with colleagues who put the needs of children first and as an article of faith believe that young people will find their way if we just stick with them and believe in them. It has been a joy to work with three separate leadership teams at College Avenue as well as colleagues as Junior and Senior Boys.

As teachers we are wonderfully supported by those that enable us to do our central job: teach. Colleagues in marketing, human resources, administration, housekeeping, transport, site management, catering along with our learning support and teaching assistants undertake work that if was not done extraordinary well would mean that the school would close within days.

Thank you as parents for your support, occasional advice and preparedness to be our critical friends. The kind words, letters, messages, cards and gifts from you and your children have meant a huge amount to me over the last few weeks

Education is a great enterprise, without which our country would flounder and our communities would wither. Those of of us who have had the privilege to be part of that enterprise are fortunate to have found (or in my case stumbled across) a vocation rather than a job. I cannot see myself not being engaged with that but I am looking forward to taking a road less travelled.”

The video...