I am genuinely delighted and very proud to be appointed Headteacher for Glengormley High School. Having worked for a number of years as a manager in the private sector, I trained for teaching a little later than most, graduating from Stranmillis at the age of 28. Over the last 14 years, I have held a wide range of positions in education ranging from Head of Department, Head of Year, Head of Special Needs, Senior Teacher and Vice Principal. This has been a wonderful opportunity to see the school place from a range of angles.
One of the greatest opportunities for training to be a Headteacher has been fatherhood. I have 3 brilliant children who are currently in a primary and post-primary education. As their father, I have two non-negotiables when it comes to their education – firstly, they must feel valued and safe in school. If they don’t feel valued and safe, then their learning is negatively impacted. Secondly, they must not see themselves as passive passengers on a journey. School is not simply there to give you an education – school is there to give opportunities to develop skills for life – but sitting back and waiting for education to ‘happen to you’ is not what school is about. Education is about rolling up your sleeves and looking to make change, looking to develop areas of weakness. So, I instil upon my own children the need to seek to contribute to their school and their peers in a positive way.
Glengormley High School is bursting with energetic and enthusiastic staff and I look forward to working with them to bring the best educational experience for the children in our community.