How long have you been working at St Francis?

13 months

 

What is your favourite thing about the school?

Without doubt, it’s the feeling you get the moment you walk through the gate. St Francis is a true family, where every child is known and cared for, and the warmth, kindness and enthusiasm of our children make every single day a joy

 

What does a typical day look like for you?    

No two days are quite the same, which is part of what I love about the job! I start with a quick check of emails before heading out to welcome pupils and families at drop off. From there, I might be showing prospective families around, meeting with members of the staff team or catching up on admin. I always try to have lunch in the hall with the pupils. Afternoons bring HR and staff meetings, a classroom or nursery walk, pastoral meetings or event planning. I lead assembly on Mondays and Fridays, and on Wednesdays and Thursdays I love popping out to cheer on our teams at home fixtures. Once the children have gone home, there’s a staff or leadership meeting and a final catch up with the admin before I head home at around 6pm.

 

What is something the pupils would be surprised to know about you?   

I have been a Pilot Officer in the RAF Volunteer Reserve (Training), and I’ve flown in a number of aircraft, including a Hawk fighter jet! I also ran my Border Collies in competitive agility for over 15 years 

 

What three words would you use to describe St Francis? 

Adventurous, close-knit, joyful

 

What has been your proudest moment as Head so far?   

It’s hard to choose just one, but seeing sthe smiling faces arriving at the gate each morning, happy and excited for the day ahead, makes me proudest of all. That happiness is something our whole team works hard to create, and it’s never taken for granted.  

 

What makes St Francis such a special place for children to grow up?   

St Francis offers something increasingly rare, a true childhood. Set in the beautiful Wiltshire countryside, our children enjoy fresh air, space to explore and plenty of time outdoors, climbing, building, getting muddy and simply being children. Alongside this is a real family feeling, where everyone knows each other and older pupils look out for the younger ones, so children grow in confidence and feel happy to be themselves

 

What is your favourite school tradition? 

As this is my first year as Head, I'm still discovering all of our wonderful traditions, and I suspect this year will reveal my true favourites! One that has already won my heart is Last Choir Standing, an amazing singing extravaganza. The energy, enthusiasm and sheer joy in the hall was wonderful  and it captured everything that makes St Francis special, the sense of family, fun and belonging.

 

If you could go back to school for a day, which lesson would you most like to join?  

Without a doubt, Art. Watching our pupils’ creativity is a constant delight, and I’d love the chance to pick up a paintbrush alongside them, although I'm not sure my results would be as good as theirs!