I began my career forty years ago, moving to North Staffordshire to take up a post as a history teacher in Newcastle under Lyme. I was soon able to take on the role of head of department in a nearby school, before moving on to be able to develop both academic and pastoral expertise by adding a head of year post to my responsibilities.

I began my career forty years ago, moving to North Staffordshire to take up a post as a history teacher in Newcastle-under-Lyme. I was soon able to take on the role of head of department in a nearby school, before moving on to be able to develop both academic and pastoral expertise by adding a head of year post to my responsibilities. The school where I was then employed was in a less affluent area and made me realise how important education was to improve the life-chances of the students we worked with day to day.

After a change of leadership, I was offered the opportunity to advance my career as an assistant and later deputy headteacher, where I was able to develop many new initiatives and face the many challenges facing education at the time. A move to Stafford followed, and the final years of my working life offered a new challenge as head of the sixth form partnership in the town, where I worked alongside all the Stafford secondary schools.

I have always had a great passion for my subject, history, and retirement gave me a great opportunity to spend more time researching, writing and sharing my interest with others. I also felt it was time to contribute in a different way to education, and so the prospect of serving on the MAT was a chance I relished, as I had always held a profound respect for the school and its ethics. The further development of Insight MAT is now an exciting prospect and to serve as its chair is a privilege indeed. My driving force is trying to improve the life chances of young people through good quality education.

I have always tried to maintain a life outside education, and I have spent several years restoring a vintage lorry and showman’s caravan, enjoy working with steam engines, as well as following my interest in history. I was thinking of how I relax, but there rarely seems to be time, but when there is I’ll listen to music or read.