What do you remember of being a student at Hymers?

I couldn't begin to tell you the fun I had with my friends, and most of that is probably not publishable anyway. But I also remember fondly the wide variety of opportunities available to me at school. I took up skiing and loved the tours that Mr Guy and Mr Walmsley organised, working throughout my summer holidays to pay my way towards the cost. The school productions were also tremendous fun, in particular Guys and Dolls directed by Mr King. Perhaps the most special memories are the relationships I formed with the teachers, Mr Guy, Mr Walmsley, Mr Nichols, Mr Fitzpatrick, Mr Exley, Mrs Chorlton, to name but a few, all of whom were instrumental in me training as a teacher and returning to Hymers to teach. I think my confidence and the work ethic I (eventually) developed at Hymers is perhaps the biggest legacy of my time at the school.

What did you do after leaving school?

After leaving school I went to live in Canada where I worked as a ski guide and rugby coach, before I returned to the UK and took up a career in catering and entertainment management. I managed several Slug and Lettuce bars around the country, The Feathers Hotel in Pocklington and eventually my own pub. When I met my wife to be, I realised that the industry was not conducive for a family, so I retrained as a teacher. I spent 13 years teaching in state education culminating in being a Deputy Head at Bridlington School before I moved to Hymers...in the middle of a pandemic.

What is your role at Hymers College?

Currently, I am Head of Psychology, Deputy Director of Sixth Form and I help out with Senior rugby and cricket. One of the joys of teaching at Hymers is the ability to balance the intense pressure to deliver academic results in the classroom, with being out coaching on the fields. This was something that I loved while I was here at school, and now I believe it is just as much a crucial piece of my own wellbeing as it was when I was a student. 

What are your memories of former teachers who are now your colleagues?

Anyone who has been on a school trip with Mr Walmsley will know of his tuneful renditions of 'Time Flies By When You're The Driver Of A Train...'; why Britain's Got Talent have never come calling I don't know! I remember being Mr Exley's Form Prefect in my last year and the way he would treat us with maturity and respect, and I was glad to have had the chance to work with him in his last couple of years. I'm also now working with Mr McTeare and Miss May who were fresh-faced, trendy young teachers when I was in the Sixth Form. They're both still as trendy, if a shade less fresh faced.

How does it feel to be back at the school?

It's amazing to be back. My eldest daughter is now in the Junior School, and my youngest is due to start next September. Many of the children of my friends from my days at Hymers are at the school, and it is a privilege to be here to teach them. Hymers is a part of my life that I was always, and continue to be, proud of. I love to see the friendships developing in the JCR just as they did for me, and I still get a thrill on results day as we send off the latest cohort to university to start the next chapter of their lives. There are many things that have changed, and need to change at Hymers, to keep us the best at what we do, and I am sure that there are hurdles we will have to overcome in the not-too-distant future, but I am glad that I am here to try and help the school overcome these challenges.