Headline News Meet Mr. Thrower What inspired you to become a Headmaster and a teacher?
2020/21 Head Girl Emily Martin got an exclusive interview with St John’s new Headmaster, Nick Thrower, for the School newspaper The Blue Flame.
I love spending time with young people and the energy they give off. How schools shape a child’s life makes education an incredible place to work in. To be a Headmaster means to shape not just the children, but to steer the course of the entire school and see how young people impact on every group – from the youngest all the way to the oldest. What were your first impressions of St John’s? I immediately felt that St John’s was a friendly, warm and inclusive school. It is a place of real opportunity and it has a sense of people really looking out for each other. There is also a tangible feeling that people are happy to be here. What do you like most about St John’s?
What made you choose St John’s? Doing research, I found that St John’s was a community and it fulfilled my desire of working in a school of smaller classes. Also, the welcome that I received when I came for the interview. What plans do you have to make St John’s a better place? Firstly, to build a sense of community and ensure that the school embodies the sense that people are welcome. Secondly, how we encourage children to learn life skills for the future and igniting children’s passions. Thirdly, to embrace outdoor learning across the age ranges and, finally, to become a beacon in terms of environmental issues. 4 | The Embassy 2020~21
I love the children, and can see how their relationships with each other are genuine; they really look out for one another. They care about the environment and, in terms of the potential for the school that we have here, anything is possible in the years ahead. Where do you see St John’s in a few years? We will be pioneering work in terms of how we teach the children - a prep school is a place full of opportunities and children can show love for everything that they do and achieve, rather than a single thing. Choose three words you would use to describe St John’s? Engaging, supporting and fun.
