School's out for John
Published 3 Jun 2011 09:30
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JOHN Brown, Rector of Peebles High School since 2003, has announced his retirement.
He has guided the school through challenging times, enduring harsh budget cuts whilst supporting staff in the introduction of the Curriculum for Excellence.
Fiona Pagett spoke to Mr Brown about his time at Peebles.
He has a sparkle in his eye. This may be mischief or simply a zest for life and a passion for the job. I suspect on speaking to him that it's a combination of the three.
"When I arrived at Peebles High School in 2003 it was already renowned as a successful academic school. On a broader level, the reality is that we are a large comprehensive school and we have abilities right across the academic spectrum. We also have behavioural issues across the spectrum and deal with these things daily as all schools do throughout Scotland."
John didn't rest easy on the academic success of the school. He is proactive and forward thinking and wanted to do more.
"One of my priorities when I arrived was to increase the courses available so that we could serve all the pupils, not just the top academic tier. I wanted to increase the skill base of all of our pupils, meeting their individual needs and I believe we have been creative in providing this course work."
Another of John's initiatives has been the creation of 'partnerships' with local businesses and he has a firm belief that this is a positive way forward.
"Schools should not operate in isolation and looking to the future should be far more integrated into the community in every way. I met with 20 local businesses, large and small who expected I was after their money! In fact, I was after their expertise and they responded incredibly well to this innovative approach.
"Bringing individuals in to the school who aren't teachers brings an additional exciting dimension to the pupil's learning and both parties benefit from the experience.
"Parents are also increasingly involved with issues such as communication and I have welcomed their input on every level. If Scotland is to maintain its position as a leader in education, we have to allow outsiders in to see what's going on.
" We need to increase IT facilities and look towards video conferencing for instance, to embrace the global opportunities. I hope all of this will continue and develop."
Increasing the connection between the local primary schools and the High School is also something John identified as a priority.
"There is a lot we can learn from the way children are being taught in primary schools where they are already embracing the Curriculum for Excellence. My senior pupils are now working with first year pupils to support the continuity which has been identified as being required in the new '3 - 18' model. It makes good sense and we are trying to ensure a smoother transition from Primary to Secondary level."
These are undeniably challenging times, so how is PHS responding to this?
"There is no doubt that we are incredibly fortunate to have committed staff who want to be immersed in teaching their subjects within the curriculum and through extra curricular activities.
"National Government is introducing significant changes through the Curriculum for Excellence in very prudent times and I would count myself amongst the staff who find this challenging. They are under huge pressure and we have to be realistic about our capacity for change.
"That's why I believe that initiatives such as the partnerships with local businesses and parent groups are so vital and at the same time rewarding for the people involved.
"Despite the challenges, we manage to run numerous trips abroad and have an increasingly strong bond with a school in Namibia which pupils and members of our staff have visited over the past three years. These life experiences must be a continuing part of our children's education."
Regardless of the current economic climate and the evolution in education, heading up such a large secondary school is never going to be straightforward and John has been hands-on with his leadership style.
"When you open your door, you are open to criticism. You have to take the good, the bad and the ugly. Parents are concerned about their children but inviting them in and explaining the complexities of the whole operation is usually a helpful way to manage criticism.
"I don't have all the wisdom and I believe that the school, moving forward will benefit from an increasingly open approach with parents and the community at large. We are fortunate to have a fantastic array of talented pupils at the school of all ages and at every level who deserve the best opportunities we can find to enhance their success. I wish the incoming Rector all the very best in leading the school into the future."
A selection process for the new Rector will be start shortly, after which there will be a hand-over period before John Brown leaves his post.
This article appeared in Peeblesshire News 03 Jun 11
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