Thomas Garnier has been Headmaster of College, , since 2005. He previously taught Physics and served as a housemaster at Abingdon School, Oxfordshire.

I enjoyed boarding, for the most include these in offers and at a time when more I love anything to do with boats and part, and I can see how it gave me students are likely to consider apprenticeships have gained a huge amount from A confidence and access to a wealth of rather than traditional university courses, this A involvement in both and opportunity. It was not always easy and years 9 seemed a sensible step to take. sailing, although the latter is purely recreational. and 10 (to use modern nomenclature) at Radley Coaching rowing gives me great satisfaction were pretty tough – as indeed they were at most Is Brexit going to present a problem and recently I have returned to the water as a schools at the time – but my memories are mainly of teacher recruitment and make the sculler – the Pangbourne stretch of the Thames positive. My father was in the and Q UK less attractive to boarding pupils is incredibly beautiful. Improvement is slow was away from home a lot anyway so I don’t feel from overseas? If it is, what steps can be taken to and requires both effort and concentration. The I missed out by not being at home every day; we mitigate? same is true in music, another pastime which is very important to me and indeed my family, and were able to have plenty of family time during Potentially, but the quality of the one of the privileges of being able to share my the holidays and I have a very good relationship UK boarding sector is very high and love of these things with young people is to see with my parents. I think they would say that they my feeling is that it still offers an just did what their contemporaries did at the A the growth in their character as they persevere attractive educational pathway for overseas in learning new skills. time – believe it or not, it seemed normal to send students and indeed for teachers who want to us away aged 8! Ultimately, one size never fits all develop their careers. At the present time, the Staying with the theme of national and I think it is up to parents to make the decision weakness of the pound is certainly helping to keep organisations, what is your view about boarding which is right for their child. student numbers up but, as for many other areas, on the new Chartered College of When it came to my own sons, both of whom are it is difficult to give a definitive answer because so Q Teaching? Are you encouraging your staff to now at Pangbourne, neither of them showed an much about Brexit is up in the air. At the moment, join? inclination to board, and I think they have the best we have seen no change in the enquiry rate from of both worlds in being able to stay at school with European students seeking boarding places. I must confess that I have more their friends until late and then sleep in their own fact-finding to do before I could beds, since we live on site. If they had wanted to, Pangbourne is well known for express a meaningful view but I however, I would have been happy to consider it. A developing leadership skills and think the idea of being able to work towards Q character through outdoor activities, chartered status for teaching has merit. If one Pangbourne offers the A-level at the CCF, and the DofE Awards. How have you of my staff requested to take part in the pilot for sixth form. The accuracy, or rather amended or added to those programmes to the chartered teacher programme, I would be Q inaccuracy, of exam marking and address the increasing incidence of mental health supportive. the whole issue of re-grades has damaged the issues amongst young people in the UK today? reputation of GCSEs and A-levels amongst Who, or what, inspired you to get Being able to take part in a wide range parents, pupils, and employers, leave alone into teaching? Do you still teach? teaching staff. Have you noticed increasing of outdoor activities is undoubtedly helpful in building resilience and Q momentum towards the IB or other sixth form A options? Are you considering any? helping young people to stay healthy. We are all I was fortunate at both Sandroyd aware of the apparent link between excessive and Radley to have some Perhaps we have been fortunate, but use of electronic devices or social media and exceptional and inspirational with some minor exceptions we have A mental ill-health and we continue to work with teachers who were not just experts in their A not been affected by the marking our students to support them better in this area. subject area but who also took an interest in issues which have understandably affected The introduction of Digital Champions, students my wider development. As a student I had schools’ confidence in the exam system. Our who will promote positive behaviours and who some experience of helping on activity camps results in recent years have been pleasing, the will educate us about what is happening in their for teenagers and loved it. My first career was overwhelming majority of our students obtaining digital space, is one new initiative. Two years ago, as a naval officer and when I was considering places at their preferred universities. Like most the main theme of our PSHCE programme was leaving (for love!), teaching seemed an obvious schools we regularly review our curriculum to ‘Emotional Well-being’ and we are just about to path to investigate. I signed up for a PGCE at ensure we can meet the needs of our pupils begin a trial of AS Tracking, a product which helps Oxford and have never looked back – being a most effectively. We used to offer the IB but to monitor and develop mental resilience and teacher is the best job in the world. I have found our small size made it uneconomic, and we are about which other schools have spoken warmly. it difficult to combine being Headmaster of a presently committed to delivering a high-quality small school with teaching; I have taught two A-level programme. The new specifications are You are keen on rowing and sailing, sets but although I enjoyed being back in the undoubtedly more challenging and we have sports much in evidence on the River classroom greatly, I think I was less effective in introduced a small number of BTEC courses to Q Thames just down the hill from the my main role. I am strongly attracted by the idea cater for some of our more practically-minded College. What have those pastimes added to of returning to full-time teaching at some point students – universities have shown willingness to your life? in the future.

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