QUESTION CORNER
DAVID HARRIS Head teacher, Ravenscote Community Junior School, Camberley, Surrey
WHAT TYPE OF PERSON ARE YOU? Describe yourself in five words: Ambitious, competitive, driven, creative and passionate. What’s top of your to-do list? Fostering the hopes s. and dreams of our pupils. What’s your favourite biscuit? Ginger nut. What’s your top holiday destination? Sorrento, Italy. What wouldn’t you do for £1 million? Base jumping. Who would play you in the film of your life? Michael McIntyre.
HEADS
COMPLETE THE FOLLOWING SENTENCES
UP
I lost my hair after dyeing it every colour of the rainbow
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SHUTTERSTOCK/REX
Three school leaders take up the Leadership Focus challenge to describe their leadership style and tell us a joke Would you like to take the questionnaire? Email us at naht@redactive.co.uk
The celebrity I’d most like to have as a teacher at my school is Nelson Mandela, a man of true inspiration, passion and drive. As a child I wanted to grow up to be an actor or singer. The best excuse I’ve heard was when a parent told me their child was off for the whole of January, not because she was ill, but because she needed more time to play with her Christmas presents, as so many had been bought for her. I went into education because teaching is in the blood. I grew up in schools helping teach IT on a BBC computer in my mum’s class and making cups of tea for the teachers. Every child needs to be given belief, hope and inspiration. My most embarrassing moment in school was when I was teaching a maths lesson and accidentally put a metre stick through a black board. Luckily we were replacing them with whiteboards, but the conversation that ensued with the head was highly embarrassing. If I’ve learned one thing, it’s that everyone can be a true inspiration to others, they just need someone to believe in them. I shouldn’t be telling you this, but I lost my hair after dyeing it every colour in the rainbow. Tell us your best joke: My wife is always saying to me that we should be more spontaneous. I say: “Fine! When?”
LEADERSHIP FOCUS ● NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2012
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