Interviews

An interview with our new Head from September Mr Nichols by Poppy Harvey and Lucy Jefford

After being our Deputy Head for just over a year, Mr Nichols is becoming our new Head in September 2022. We decided to interview him about becoming Head, as well as asking him some questions to get to know him better.

1) What inspired you to become a Head?

The fact that I can make a difference at the highest level in a school. As Head, you can have an impact on everyone and not just one form or class. Also, the Head oversees everything, meaning that I’ll get the chance to work with every student and create a positive impact for more people. Mrs Goulding has been an inspiration because I’ve seen that she really cares about the school.

2) What have you found to be the strongest aspect of the College so far?

Definitely the sense of community. Every school I’ve worked in has said that they are a community, but St. Francis’ is small enough that you can really feel the warmth here. The students and teachers get to know each other and care for everyone; we’re all willing to step up whenever necessary – like Mrs Goulding helping to teach English for some of this year. In a bigger school, the feeling of community is harder to accomplish – as it is impossible to know everybody. However, in St. Francis’, even in lockdown, when I was being interviewed for the Deputy Head job, and we all had to social distance, that feeling of community still shone through.

3) What are you most looking forward to about being Head?

As I said before, being able to have an impact that’s best for everyone and having the opportunity to scream more about us. Our school feels hidden too much and I’m going to look at ways of marketing the College to make us more known. As Head, I can do that, as I’ll be the representative of the school. I’d like to branch out to other schools and that’s why I think the ILG partnership will be really powerful, because it will allow us to mix more with some of their other schools, such as St. Felix – where we could arrange events like camping exchanges.

4) What are you most proud of – professionally, personally and recently?

Professionally, my first tutor group that I had when I started teaching, when I was 22. I stayed with them for five years and was very proud when they finished Year 11 because I’d seen how far they’d come in that time. Personally, starting my own business (Political Education for Students) from scratch, in 2015. I couldn’t find any workshops to talk about politics for younger people, so I decided to set up my own workshops and role-playing situations of the government, working with over 200 schools.

Recently, setting up the Five Star Days, especially the first one last year, as it gave students and teachers an opportunity to have a great week off-timetable after lockdown prevented us from doing many usual activities. I was very proud of our amazing staff pulling together to make the days possible so soon after I joined the school. We went from start to finish in just six weeks!

5) What is your favourite book?

‘The Handmaid’s Tale’, which I did it for my English A level. I loved the intrigue of the storyline, as despite being fictional, gave me a terrifying glimpse of a very believable scenario. It was the book that influenced me the most and spurred my interest in political fiction. However, usually I prefer non-fiction to fiction and I’m into modern history.

6) What is your favourite film?

I’m more of a TV series person and my favourite series is called ‘The Good Wife’. It’s about a wife, who has been a stay-at-home mum, until her husband, a politician, is put in prison and she is forced to go back to work and change her lifestyle. My chill-out series would be ‘Frasier’, which was a competitor for ‘Friends’ in the early 90’s and 00’s.

7) What is your favourite song?

It depends what mood I’m in. I love ‘Mr Brightside’ and saw ‘The Killers’ live when I was at university. I also love the musical ‘Hamilton’. ‘You’ll be back’ is the best song!

8) What was your favourite subject at school?

This might surprise you, because I now love Politics and History, but – at school – my favourite subject was English. I loved books and reading. I also found writing very relaxing and it helped me clear my thoughts. I would always enter the poetry and short story competitions when I was younger. For A Levels I did English, History, Politics and Geography.

9) How would you describe yourself in three words?

Committed – I throw myself fully into anything I choose to do. Personable – I can get on and talk with anyone (I would hope!). Ambitious – I’m ambitious for everyone to do well, not just me. I like trying my hardest to achieve the goals that I set myself.

Thank you for taking part in this interview, Mr Nichols! We are excited to see everything new you bring to the College and your new ideas in action!

An interview with Mrs Goulding by Poppy Harvey

Mrs Goulding has been the Head of our community for seven years. She has been such a kind, caring and strong role model for everyone at the college, and I know I speak for everyone when I say that we are going to miss her a lot.

As she is retiring this year, we decided to interview her on her time here at the college.

1) Why did you decide to become a Headmistress?

It was a gradual decision over a period of time. At the start, I just wanted to share my passion for my subject. Nothing pleased me more than helping a student understand something they found difficult - the light bulb moment. Then I wanted to help students in a wider context so I took on other roles which developed my skills both as pastoral leader and as an academic leader. Eventually, I wanted to make a difference at the highest level which

is how I ended up being a Head. I wanted students to have the highest quality teaching and I wanted them to be looked after by caring staff.

2) What does St. Francis’ mean to you?

St. Francis’ College really is a wonderful community and I feel a great sense of honour that I have been part of this community for seven years.

3) What is your favourite memory of your time here?

Honestly, my favourite memory is the music event in which students cheered for the student who had stage fright. The event that our school video is based around. I had never seen such a display of support from a student body en masse towards one of its own. I was deeply moved because it represented everything I believed school life should be and what I believed that the community of St. Francis’ was all about.

4) What is your favourite part of your job? – What are you going to miss the most?

My favourite part of the job is the interactions I have with individual students whether that is a hello over the salad bar, teaching a lesson (definitely the best part of my week) or the chats I have in my office with individuals.

5) What is the hardest part of your job?

The hardest part of my job is the quality of work the modern Head has to do. We really are the CEO of the school business and I never get to the bottom of my to-do list.

6) What do you believe the future will look like for St. Francis’?

I think the future is very bright for St. Francis’. Joining ILG has added a new dimension and I anticipate that the students will have more opportunities going forward and I believe some of the areas I would like to see investment in will have that funding. Onwards and upwards!

7) What do you believe is the key to running a school?

I think that knowing what is going on amongst the staff and students - keeping your finger on the pulse is important. Often, I know a lot more than anyone realises. However, a Head cannot run the school without the support of staff and students. The Head needs a good team around them.

8) What are you most proud of?

There are many things that I am proud of but most of these things are invisible. I am very proud of how the community pulled together during Covid. I think we were ready on Day 1 of the first lockdown and I am so glad that students had good quality lessons from the very start. I am proud that when we came back to school, staff and pupils were safe and no large groups of children had to go home unwell.

9) What is your favourite song?

My favourite song is Tangerine by Led Zeppelin but there are quite a few other songs I like such as tracks by George Ezra, Glass Animals, Gabriels and Ed Sheeran.

10) What is your favourite film?

My favourite film is either Dangerous Liaisons or Gosford Park. Although, I did enjoy the recent releases of Top Gun Maverick and Batman and I have spent some happy hours watching Encanto with my grandson.

11) What is your favourite book?

This has to be Thomas Hardy’s Woodlanders... on a more international theme Virgil’s Aeneid and I am also a bit partial to Milton’s Paradise Lost.

12) What piece of advice would you give to a St. Francis’ student at the end of her time at the College?

I would say that after the time they have spent at the college they are equipped to go into the world and fly. Never allow yourself to be shut down or marginalised, be kind and remember that your integrity is the most precious thing you have- do not throw it away.

Thank you, Mrs Goulding, for all that you have done for our school, we wish you every happiness in retirement.