TALKING HEADS Find it impossible to picture these dignified head teachers as small schoolchildren? And yet obviously they were, once upon a time . . .
T
How would your classmates have described you? As a slightly earnest chap who worked too hard but who enjoyed a great laugh.
hey may now be among the most influential people on the local education scene, but once Tim Greene, Isabel Tobias and Iain Kilpatrick were raw classroom recruits. So – were their schooldays the best days of their lives, or what?
Describe your own teaching style The key thing is that teachers’ love for their subject and their enjoyment of being in the classroom are obvious to the pupils. Being in the classroom remains the best bit of my day – I only hope the pupils get the same amount of enjoyment out of it.
DR TIM GREENE, HEAD OF COLLEGE AT CLIFTON COLLEGE
Clifton College is a co-ed independent school in Clifton, originally founded in 1862 Where did you go to school, and were they happy days? I went to Methodist College Belfast. I remember being taught by teachers who were passionate about their subject – not always the greatest classroom practitioners, but wonderfully enthusiastic and deeply knowledgeable. The school was quite strict, but I remember the atmosphere being relaxed, and alongside the work, there was always a huge amount of good humour. What kind of pupil were you? I have always had a love for learning, so I probably made for an easy pupil. The fact that people are not always as passionate about learning as I was is something I try to remember in the classroom – not everyone is as interested in electrochemistry as I was! 68 I BRISTOL LIFE I www.mediaclash.co.uk
At the risk of venturing into Theresa May territory, what was the naughtiest thing you ever did at school? I fear my answer to this may be even duller than that of Teresa May. I cannot remember ever stepping out of line at school, although I do have a vague recollection of having to escape out of a window once because we were all somewhere we were not meant to be. What advice would you give to your 11-year-old self? To study less and practise the piano more.
Is Bristol a stimulating place for children? How could it be improved? There is no doubt that being part of a city with so much to offer is a real attraction to our pupils, and there are many opportunities for them to explore and engage with the city as part of their study of subjects such as art, architecture, history, science, music and drama. In common with other cities, what Bristol lacks is the necessary funding to adequately support state education. In the independent sector we are acutely aware of how lucky we are and what a difficult task it is for many of our colleagues in the maintained sector. On a more frivolous level, if someone could sort out the taxi rank at Temple Meads that would be very welcome indeed. www.cliftoncollege.com