By the end of 1996, when I left, I had been at The Plume for over fifteen years. I felt at home there, very much part of the furniture, but an active and, I hope, effective teacher. I sought to set standards: if there was a rule, like not wearing rings in school, it should be enforced, so I went round with small brown envelopes in my pocket into which the offending object could be put when it was confiscated for a month.
I had worked well with the head, Alan Bilby. He understood I liked constant challenge so moved my area of responsibility frequently. So, for example, having started as head of curriculum 11-14 I became head of middle school, then responsible for the buildings when we went grant maintained, and finally head of sixth form; as a senior teacher I was a member of the senior management team; I wrote software to help sort students into their preferred subject options; and I continued to be an active trade unionist. But the time and energy spent in constant management exercises detracted from the one thing I loved....
....which was the actual teaching. This is a picture taken in the geology lab with my first 'A' level geology group, one of the best classes I taught in my thirty years in the profession. The picture was taken for the sixth form brochure and it is the only one I have of me doing my teaching job.
Teaching geology meant going on field trips. This is the same sixth form class on their upper sixth trip, to Shropshire, in 1996: we stayed at Preston Montford Field Studies Centre while studying the superb geology of Shropshire, which I had explored while at Ludlow Grammar School in the early 1970s.
Three things confirmed my decision that I should leave. My union, the NAS/UWT, published some research which suggested that, if a male teacher did his full 40 years at the chalk-face, he could expect to enjoy two years' retirement. Then Peter Came, left, a wonderful teacher, began to show signs of strain and was persuaded to retire, only to die within a few months of leaving. Finally, I wanted to create more time in which to write.
Spent many an hour in Mr Came's office.
ReplyDeleteLove the picture of us in class :). Hope you enjoy many many years of retirement to come. Best teacher ever. Thank you. Nick B
ReplyDeleteDear Mr Came,
ReplyDeleteI attended the Plume from 1981-1988. I remember you as a teacher of passion, integrity and rigour. I can remember vividly an assembly you gave, shortly after you had lost a friend or loved one. You spoke about life, mortality and making a difference. Then you played Can't get used to losing you by The Beat at the end. It was powerful and your sharing of emotion with a hall full of pupils I considered brave and a privilege to witness.
After studying in the sixth form at the Plume, I studied Biology at the University of Newcastle upon Tyne, graduating with a BSc and then worked in the Scottish and Newcastle brewery just down the road, as a quality control scientist. I ended up helping in the development of their in-can gas widget.
I returned to the Education Faculty of the University in Newcastle to gain a PGCE as a science teacher, working in the independent sector from 1994. After a gaining a Master's Degree in Education with the OU (part time over 3 years) and a brief spell as deputy of an international school in Brussels, I became Headmaster of an Independent day and boarding school in Hampshire in 2008 - Moyles Court.
I now teach in an independent day and boarding special needs school and have cofounded a Mental Health referral company (Welltech Medical).
I consider my experiences at the Plume, including your inspirational example, significant in setting me up well for life. Thank you sir.
Very good to hear from you and to read your tribute to a great teacher and friend. Jon
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