Staff Leavers Samantha Robinson
are to have the school and not to take things for granted. I’m in an unusual position in that I get to go to work with my family – my husband and children – so no wonder that it feels so much like home to me! I’ll miss that, and I’ll miss my PGS family, too – all of the pupils I’ve taught and the colleagues I’ve worked with over the years.
‘The school has always been a fantastic place to learn’ How long have you been working here? I first arrived at the school in 2009 as a PGCE student. I had been a journalist and retrained as a teacher, and Mr Burkinshaw kindly acted as my NQT mentor, which was a terrific introduction into the English department. I had a PGS ‘break’ when I took up the post of Deputy Head of Sixth Form at Churcher’s College, but returned six years ago. What are you going to miss most about PGS? I think the short answer is a little bit of everything. We’ve all felt the challenges of the past year, but coming back to school, teaching lessons, seeing pupils and colleagues has been great. I think it’s reminded us all how lucky we
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What has been the biggest change you have seen since joining PGS? The school has always been a fantastic place to learn, but times are changing and the curriculum we offer has really evolved to meet these changes. In my role as Head of Enrichment, I’ve enjoyed being at the centre of the new Sixth Form curriculum over the last few years, and it’s offered a new perspective on how we approach post-16 education. We’ve had the chance to do something really different and it’s been exciting. The Ivy House Award, Ignite, Community & Workplace and Extend are all really creative opportunities that offer pupils independent choice and encourage a fresh perspective on things. That’s a mindset that benefits us all. What’s your next step? I’ve been appointed as the National Lead of Sixth Forms for Academies Enterprise Trust, a Multi Academy Trust with a large infrastructure of academies across the country. It’s a strategic position that will drive sixth form provision across a large number of schools, with the aim of opening another sixth form or two each year. It’s a really exciting role that will build on the work I’ve done at PGS, and I’m looking forward to the challenge.
THE PORTMUTHIAN 2020-21
