Yesterday I decided after arriving back in the UK to update my profile. Thank you for all the direct messages that have been sent to me and asking why I am back in the UK which has prompted this post.
For the last 16 months I have been living and working in paradise and have loved every minute of it. Although the last 6 months in particular have been especially challenging personally and made my day job that little bit harder.
So after a brief stint as Headteacher at the International School Seychelles where I am proud of what as a school community we have achieved and I was extremely sad to leave I have returned back to Plymouth to do what? Who knows? I need some time for the dust to settle and to review where I go next.
If you would like to know the reasons why I left then you can find a copy of the letter I sent to students, staff and parents below:
Dear Parents and Guardians,
I am writing to you with some news about my position as Headteacher of ISS. I am thoroughly enjoying the job and I am extremely proud to be your Headteacher however, I have tendered my resignation with effect from 31st August 2013 due to personal reasons. I have had an amazing, albeit brief time here and I feel in that over that time we have made excellent progress as a school community. I am certain that this is just the beginning and the school will continue to grow and improve with your support.
I feel it is important for you to understand the reasons leading to my decision. My three year old son’s epilepsy and other medical issues have worsened while we have been in the Seychelles, he needs regular access to specialist doctors. As many of you may be aware my wife and son have been in the UK the last few months undergoing treatment. Recently my wife and I have made the decision to leave as we believe that the UK is the best place for him. As parents and guardians yourselves I am sure you understand that our children’s welfare is paramount and therefore we will be leaving Seychelles much sooner than we originally thought.
There have been many challenging times at ISS in recent years, the school is now making excellent progress and is meeting these challenges. If the school is to continue to improve then it will once again need your support. I would like to thank you for all of the trust and faith you have put in me, I have appreciated the good balance of support and challenge that you have provided. I would also like to thank the hardworking and committed staff at the school who have strived to meet every challenge that we face with a positive frame of mind and ‘can do’ attitude. However perhaps the people I will miss the most is the children, they really are amazing and I thank them for all the happy memories and lovely things they have said to me that make me smile on a daily basis.
Finally I would like to express my sincerest thanks to the Board of Governors; as I have said before I have never seen a board that invest as much time, energy and care into a school. They are a talented group of people who I know with their continued leadership will ensure more exceptional achievements will come to ISS. I have had so many proud and happy moments at the school and I am sure I will still have many more in the remaining time. ISS is a fantastic school and I am thankful to have played a very small part in its history. I look forward to seeing the school go from success to success in the next few years, I am absolutely sure it will, as the foundations and the capacity to rapidly improve is here.
The process to appoint my successor has been completed. His name is Karl Wilkinson and there will be the opportunity for the students, staff and some parents to meet him in the next week when he will be in school on Monday and Tuesday. He is the perfect choice to build on the foundations achieved in the last year and ensure that the school continues to grow and grow. Although August is still a few months away, for me and everyone connected with the school it will of course be ‘business as usual’ and I very much look forward to working together over the next few months.