Leadership
Gary Watson - Headteacher
I have been fortunate, since being inspired by a junior school teacher, to know that a career in education was to be my route through working life. Whilst working with young people and classroom teaching remain my passion, it has become clear over my 30 years in secondary schools that as a Headteacher you have the potential to impact not just on the lives of classes of young people but on whole communities. That capacity comes from the opportunity to work with and through other very talented and committed professionals, students, parents, governors and the broader community. I continue to be driven by that desire to impact on the lives of young people and their communities to improve their life chances. There is so much to be proud of at Tewkesbury School but so much more we can do. Raising aspirations and further challenging all our students and all those associated with the school will be central over the coming years to continue to raise standards still further. The responsibility on my shoulders is significant but the rewards infinitely greater when witnessing the achievements of our young people in so many different arenas.
Rhys Adams - Deputy Head
I am delighted to be working at Tewkesbury school as Deputy Head Curriculum and Standards. This is my third position in senior leadership and my second Deputy Head position. I am passionate about school leadership and ensuring that all students receive a high quality education without exception and are fully equipped with the skills and high level qualifications needed to be successful throughout their adult life. My main responsibilities at Tewkesbury are to ensure that all young people receive outstanding teaching and learning through the delivery of a high quality broad and balanced curriculum which insists on nothing less than excellent progress and outstanding outcomes. We want all students at Tewkesbury school to gain the very best examination results possible but to also develop and refine the skills necessary to secure the very best jobs and prospects in the future and to be able to give back to the local and wider community.
I am looking forward to meeting with and working with as many parents and community partners as possible and I am also looking forward to celebrating the many successes of our young people in years to come, both as part of our academic programme but also through our many extra-curricular opportunities.
On a personal note, I relish being a parent, keeping fit, playing football and also listening to a wide range of music.
I have been in teaching for nearly 20 years and have been lucky enough to work in a variety of schools both in the UK and abroad. I love both the challenges and rewards of working with young people and the fact that every day is different.
My role as Deputy Head is to ensure that all students are receiving the support, care and guidance they need in order to be able to fulfil their potential academically and socially. It stands to reason that well supported students will be better able to be the very best they can be and I consider myself very fortunate to be able to be a part of that journey.
Tewkesbury School is well known for the warm relationships that exist between both staff and pupils and I am delighted to be able to work in a school where that is combined with a real buzz for learning. I am one of the Designated Safeguarding Leads at the school and I thoroughly enjoy working with the pastoral team, pupils, parents and wider community in order to achieve the very best outcomes for our students.
Clare de Glanville - Assistant Head - Teaching & Learning /Transition
My primary responsibilities as Assistant Head are to lead teaching and learning developments, plan all staff training and work with our local primary schools and broader community.
I am responsible for leading the teaching and learning that takes place at the school and make sure that every student who attends Tewkesbury School is getting good quality lessons and feedback that will help them achieve their potential.
I support Newly Qualified Teachers and ensure that they have all the help they need as they embark upon their teaching careers. In fact, my involvement in the continuing professional development of teachers extends across all our teaching staff through the organisation and co-ordination of our performance management and training programmes.
My community roles get me out and about in Tewkesbury. Working with primary schools enables me to meet our future students and plan ways that Tewkesbury School can support learning in our partner primaries, while my involvement in the organisation of community projects ensures that the local area benefits from our students’ involvement. I am immensely proud of the students of Tewkesbury School and delighted to hold this strategic post that allows me to impact on their futures.
Outside school I relax by playing the piano and gardening.
Lucy Johnson - Assistant Head - Director of Post-16 Learning
I originally trained as an Occupational Psychologist but was drawn to teaching ten years ago and have remained firmly in the profession ever since. I started at Tewkesbury School in 2003 and have been Head of Psychology and Head of Elgar House before my appointment as Director of Sixth Form. In this position I have responsibility for the academic and pastoral well-being of the Sixth Form students.
Sixth Form is a vital and challenging time in a student’s life and my aim is to support them through what is essentially a transitional time from student to young adult. Sixth Form is only two years long yet it can transform a student’s future, so providing high quality guidance and promoting the learning of life skills is essential. My aim is simply to guide every student through their two years of Sixth Form, enabling them to reach their potential, so that they are ready for the next stage of their life whatever that may be. For the vast majority of students a university education beckons and developing independent learning skills and a sense of personal responsibility for learning is critical.
Being a parent of three children who have all experienced Sixth Form I am also well aware of how difficult a time this can be for parents too! In that respect I am more than happy to discuss your son's or daughter’s progress at any time.
Paul Smith - Assistant Head - Pastoral Care/Pastoral Team Leader
From an early age I realised that my vocation was to be working with and alongside children and, coupled with my love of all sports, I made the decision to be a PE teacher. I have always worked in the county, most recently at Archway School, and join Tewkesbury School in my first leadership role as Assistant Head.
It is my responsibility to support the Heads of House in their work and to ensure that they have access to all the resources, advice and guidance with which to support our young people. Whilst we will meet formally at least once a week, I will be in daily contact with all House Heads ensuring that all issues are dealt with promptly and efficiently. I am one of the Designated Safeguarding Lead professionals in school.
I strongly believe that students who develop a passion for their education will make informed choices regarding all aspects of their lives and it is our responsibility as teachers to ensure that they are inspired and energised by our lessons and conduct. Relationships are of prime importance to me and I look forward to cultivating these with all members of our school community. I am thoroughly looking forward to contributing to the whole school and the wider community through my endeavours.
Martin Thomas - Director of Business Management
My responsibilities at the school are to ensure the strategic business management of the school and its day-to-day effectiveness and efficiency. This includes all aspects of Finance, HR, Student Services, eServices, Site management, Health and Safety and Capital Development.
School improvement requires significant investment of resources and my role of Director of Business Management plays a key part in ensuring that any strategic decision-making in school is informed by consideration of efficiency, effectiveness and value for money. These decisions need to ensure our investments are all worthwhile and to ensure we make effective use of the resources we are given in order to achieve the most we can in terms of our students outcomes.
Prior to working at Tewkesbury School I was a Director and Divisional Director in two change consultancies providing transformational change expertise to organisations across the UK to facilitate and support them in reviews of their services to show continuous improvement in terms of efficiency and effectiveness.
Outside of school I carry out rugby coaching with U13s,U14s and U15s at Gloucester and at Tewkesbury.