Paul Birken - A tribute to a much loved colleague and teacher

Paul Birken

A tribute to a much loved colleague and teacher.

A tribute to a much loved colleague and teacher.

Paul Birken A tribute to a much loved colleague and teacher.

I once made the terrible mistake of asking Paul to take me through how he structured the delivery of Maths A Level. An hour later he was still detailing the intricate connectedness of all the constituent parts that tied together beautifully that made up this masterpiece. What became clear was that this was a man who cared deeply about the work he did, was hugely intellectually insightful about how Maths tied together and should be taught and was, more than anything, really quite extraordinary.

I used to subsequently joke that I would never ask him to explain anything to me again but I did, many times, as he was thoughtful and intelligent over a whole range of matters. Very importantly, he spoke his mind. Even more importantly, he wanted you to speak yours; he engaged, challenged and debated but he never once held a grudge or left a discussion without a laugh and a joke.

I miss Paul. I miss him as a colleague and I just miss his presence, walking down the corridor humming to himself and probably thinking about chance graphs.

I never really got to know him socially but I do remember one summer when we were ‘on holiday’ and we quite literally bumped into each other in B&Q every other day. We were both renovating properties but he was actually doing it himself, install the plumbing and the kitchen; I was merely playing at it and employing others. I don’t think there was anything he could not do - for goodness sake, he was even a table tennis champion.

Honouring Paul is important. I don’t want to ever forget the impact and contribution he made to helping us achieve everything we have at the College.

Thank you, Paul.

Mike Kilbride Principal

He was

really quite extraordinary

Maths Colleagues

Past & Present

Paul

Birken

Maths Colleagues: Past & Present

We are like a family at times

Paul always had the students’ best interests at heart and wanted to provide the framework for the best quality Maths provision he possibly could. He cared very much that we should box clever with resources and structure to allow maximum progress for our students. He never fell into any sort of complacency about this.

Stephen Yates Maths Teacher

His innovative ideas really helped to turn around our department. We are like a family at times.

Jo Walsh Maths Teacher

I remember him fondly. He always made our lessons interesting and cared about all of the students he taught.

Emily Wagstaff Governor & Ex Student

Paul Birken Inspirational

Paul was one of my main reasons for coming to Birkenhead Sixth Form College. I met him at an open day and we were discussing how I was so desperate to do Maths A Level but I wasn’t sure I’d get the GCSE grades. He then got extremely excited and starting talking about a student who got a 6 in GCSE Maths and did A Level Maths and came out with a good grade. He was so passionate I knew that BSFC was a place I wanted to go and I never looked back.

I then enrolled and I got a 5 in Maths GCSE which was at the time being remarked (went up to a 6). Of course, as anyone would be, Paul was hesitant to let me take A Level Maths but he took a chance and said yes. I had Paul for both first year and plus in my second (shorter) year and again this year.

I was originally put on a four week trial for Maths to see if I could cope before choosing my three subjects. Paul had me hooked from the start with the amount of effort he put in to his teaching and the genuine care that went behind students’ progression. Maths is no easy subject but Paul made every lesson enjoyable. My grades went up and up and up during my time in College. I recently got an A in my January mock and I

can’t thank Paul enough. My next stage of life is to study medical engineering - this would not be possible without him believing in me.

Paul wasn’t just my Maths teacher, he was a friendly face in the corridor. Paul cared a great deal about his students. He would often keep me behind lessons to have a little catch up on how I’m doing and what’s new. “I walked around the lake and saw some boats and tried to see if you were in one,” he said recently. You see him in the corridor and he’s never not stopped to say hello or ask how I’m doing.

Paul became very protective this year as I returned from illness. “Don’t sit near Amber if you’re ill, go away!” He made me feel I was in an extremely safe environment at College despite challenging times.

I am so grateful that Paul was a part of my life and the impact he’s made on me as well as other students is something I will never forget. Thank you for believing in me, Paul.

Rachel Choy Student

Always a positive presence

I left the College a few years ago but Paul taught me in first year. He was always a positive presence, who encouraged me to keep going with Maths when I really wanted to give upand I wanted to give up every other week but he never let me! I’d go as far as to say that I only passed because of him. He was absolutely one of the most supportive teachers I ever had.

Rachel Choy Student

Enthusiastic & dedicated

He taught my son and through his enthusiasm and dedication my son now is going to Liverpool University to study actuary maths, Jacob is very sad that he won’t get the opportunity to thank Paul for his support and guidance.

Claire Owens Parent

He knew each and every student well

I wouldn’t be where I am studying maths at uni without Paul’s guidance through College. He knew each and every student well and made the classroom such an inclusive space to learn and progress. I hope his family and friends can find comfort in knowing he will be remembered by the many students he inspired.

Adrian Jones Student

Ikedite Opuene Student

Paul was a teacher who I felt didn’t see me as a problem and treated me with genuine respect. He’s easily the best Maths teacher I’ve ever had and his support has helped me to realise what I want to do with my life.

To be blunt, I don’t think I’d be happy with my life if I didn’t have Paul as my Maths teacher these past two years.

I will forever be grateful for his impact on my life, yet disappointed for not thanking him while he was still here. I hope his family know how great he was.

Easily the best maths teacher I’ve ever had

Paul Birken Caring

Sally Hotchkiss Student

I was a student at Birkenhead Sixth Form College from 2014-2017 and did Maths all three years. My second year there I actually requested Paul as one of my teachers because he really cared about his subject and he really cared about his students.

But it was my final year there that I have fond memories of him. He wasn’t one of my teachers but I had to talk to him a few times as Head of Department. My final year was probably my hardest one. It was that year that really showed me how much he cared. He was one of the few teachers who made me feel like I could do whatever I wanted with my life. One of the few teachers that had true faith in me.

While it has been three years since I left, that is something that has kept me going especially in the hard times. He impacted many students lives, more than he may ever have realised. He will be missed by so many.

I loved Paul. He used my Maths review to talk about my other subjects because he wasn’t worried about how I was doing in Maths and got my Physics predicted grade changed for A2 because it was less than I got at AS.

Rachel Stevenson Student

He made me feel like I could do whatever I wanted with my life

Erin Hayes Student

Generous & patient

Paul was my Maths Plus teacher and he was amazing for helping out when I’d missed anything. He always checked in when I was struggling with my health and he was always happy to chat and joke which was something that brightened a difficult A Level.

Maddy Howard Student

Paul was my Maths teacher last year and to say the least that Paul was a patient man is an understatement.

I started the College in 2018 and he was my Maths teacher, from the moment I gave my first answer in the Maths class he knew he had a very difficult job in trying to help me achieve a grade 4. He had so much hope that I would achieve a grade 4 but for somebody who can’t do the simple division I didn’t have high hopes.

I will never forget the generosity that he gave to me. He will always be in my thoughts and prayers. I will miss you Paul, thank you for everything you have done for me.

Paul Birken Expert

Jessica Jones Student

Paul helped me to get through my GCSE Maths when I had failed it six times back in 2013. He knew how much it meant to me as I needed it for my nursing degree.

Tom Lee Student

Paul was by far and away the best Maths teacher I ever had. The enthusiasm and care he put into every lesson got me to uni and sticks with me today.

The most awesome maths teacher I know

Robert O’Hara Student

A fantastic teacher and an inspiration to myself as well as many others I am sure

Anthony Jamie Peter Student

Rachael Pealing Parent

I only met Paul once at a student parents’ evening and he seemed like a very dedicated teacher and an expert in his field.

Stephanie Love Parent

My son is in second year and really liked him and his lessons.

Paul Birken

Paul Birken Fun

Zaac Drake Student

Carefree & witty

Paul always made our Maths lessons fun. He was a good teacher and never failed to make us laugh. He always helped me, Lia Jones, Olivia Bateman and Chelsea-lee Griffiths and even though we were a struggle he’d never give up on us!

Livvy Cross Student

I was one of his many students at Birkenhead Sixth Form College and owe many of thanks to Paul’s teachings for getting me into university and become a Maths graduate. I would like to share a funny memory of Paul’s carefree and witty nature. While I was in College, I had a long blonde messy haircut and one week I decided to get it chopped to a ‘wedge’. When Paul saw this in the corridors of the College he spun round, went the opposite direction to where he originally was going to tell me that I reminded him of Miley Cyrus and he didn’t know I liked Justin Bieber, then proceeded to go the way he originally was going.

Kate Holmes Student

I was a student at the College about four years ago. Maths was my passion so naturally I was taught by Paul a fair bit. He was a great teacher and all round nice guy - someone who could always make me smile!

Helen Taylor Student

He was such a lovely teacher. So supportive of every student in his class and always made every class so much fun.

Someone who could always make me smile

Paul Birken Fantastic colleague

Steve Hafford Colleague

A truly inspirational teacher

He was so supportive, always wanting the best for his students and was proud of their achievements. Always had a smile and lit up the room with his personality. A great teacher who will be sadly missed.

Barbara Corfield Colleague

The news of Paul’s passing is truly devastating, Paul was an amazing teacher and colleague who always led with a straight bat. He was always willing to listen and share his professionalism and thoughts with colleagues. Often, he would also make you take stock and remind you of the privileged position we are in as educators and how we can change lives and give young people new opportunities in life. Paul did that on a daily basis within his department. A truly inspirational teacher who will not only be missed by family, friends and colleagues but by the 100s of former students he taught throughout his career which began at Speke Comprehensive School and has sadly ended far too soon at BSFC.

Jon Thorpe Colleague

Every other day, I would either bump into Paul in the staff room, or we’d schedule a chat about something work related. It was always the perfect combination of work and social interaction.

When we talked about stats, he not only had the precision of a mathematician’s perspective, but a keen humanising sense of the real people – student or teacher – that lay behind the numbers. It was a brilliant skill set that leant confidence and warmth to his judgments on things that can affect real people in very real ways.

I have heard Paul referred to as an alpha male, but I found him modest and discreet in many ways. He was magnanimous about the considerable achievements of his department, passing the credit on to his team (well quite a bit of it anyway!). It was also lovely the way he spoke about his family. Certainly not sentimental but instead engaged, practical, aware and caring.

But whatever we talked about, and we talked a great deal, it would invariably end with our bellowing laughter, and promises to take the issues further in the pub. And we would be true to that. Lots of pints, lots of mirth and merriment, lots of insights. College life, my life, and all who knew him, are so much diminished by his absence.

He was magnanimous about the considerable achievements of his department

Ashley Vallance Colleague

When I first became the Head of Psychology, I always thought I had a grip on data. I felt comfortable with stats and numbers as it was part of my degree. On my first results day during enrolment of new students, I had to analyse end of year data - a few other heads of subject and I were sat with Paul. Thank goodness we were! There was so much data to look at and analyse and I was feeling overwhelmed. That day, Paul was my Maths teacher: when I left school I thought I had left ‘Maths’ behind, but as you get older you realise, it’s everywhere in everything. Paul, in a very calm, thorough, thoughtful, and precise way explained the numbers I was looking at. He reassured me and made me feel at ease: a skill I’d never associated with any Maths teacher I’d ever met before. I was very greatful. I respected him for helping and being so knowledgeable.

Paul was always straight talking. In meetings, his dry and at times very candid sense of humour is something I will sincerely miss. He asked questions, made statements, which at times he knew were not going to be popular. He did this because he was so protective of his beloved mathematicians and Mathematics.

Paul and I had offices next to each other for a year or so. His office was always clinical, clutter free, with just a simple note pad on his desk with some pencilled calculations on, his office door always left open, which I thought was an excellent policy for a manager and a colleague.

I was very sad when I heard of Paul’s passing and I knew that his presence will be dearly missed by his colleagues. I wish I would have spent more time with him to learn from him.

He was clearly such a dedicated, passionate man and we all miss him very much.

Paul Birken

Paula Blakemore Vice Principal

Paul was a brilliant, single-minded Maths genius! I remember him explaining chance graphs and value added data to me every year and always being patient. He was forthright and funny and is very much missed.

Rob Myatt

Deputy Principal

Being a brand new Head of Department at the College, I often went to Paul for advice and guidance. This regularly extended into home renovation tips or best pubs on the Wirral!

Paul was of course a strong character in the College, never afraid to tell you how he saw things and he never held back! The impact Paul had on the College was huge: he led the Maths department to be one of the most successful in the country. He had an innovative and intelligent approach to teaching Maths, including the famous Maths videos which have supported countless students over the years. One of the biggest compliments to Paul as a teacher and Head of Department was the number of visits from other colleges and Maths teachers across the country trying in vain to emulate his achievements.

Afantastic colleague

Helen Hart Colleague

Paul Birken Legacy