1646 - Issue 1

KB How did Reading Blue Coat prepare you for your career and adult life in general? PB Being able to work in a team is very important, as is the ability to communicate both verbally and in writing. These are skills I learnt at Reading Blue Coat, not just in the classroom but through sport and the CCF. BF Moving on to today and your links with the School – How long have you been a governor and what kind of roles does it involve? PB I have been a governor for just over ten years and Chair for six. As a group, we are the School’s Governing Body and one of our key roles is to make sure we have the right Senior Leadership Team in place. Led by the Headmaster, we make sure they set the ethos of the school and create a happy school environment. It is important to appoint governors with the right skills. We have a governor with legal experience, others with finance and accountancy experience, and governors with banking experience and in construction. KB As a governor, what do you think your biggest challenge has been? PB I would say replacing the head of the school is a big challenge! It is also true for any senior member of staff because we are only as good as the teachers and staff we have here. We need to make sure we have the balance right. KB Before we end and you ask us a question, I’m interested in where you see the school in the next five or ten years? PB I would love to see the school continue to thrive as it is today, being a school of choice for families, providing the best education we can and equipping our students with the skills to succeed in their chosen field of work. I am also looking forward to the ties between the School and the Old Blues continuing to go from strength to strength, benefiting all members of our community. PB So to both of you, during your time here, what do you particularly like about the school? KB I really like the sense of community. I don’t necessarily have lessons, for example in the Art department, but that’s an area of interest and I can go and speak to them at any time and they are more than happy to help. The School just feels close-knit, and everything and everyone is accessible, which is really nice. BF To build upon Kitty’s point, from Year 7 the sense of community between all of us has been great and I know, on a personal level, almost everyone in my year. Tutors give us an opportunity to look outside our year group to further build that community within the school. All of the co‑curricular activities we have are fantastic and the list is constantly evolving – at a recent School Council meeting, the Year 7s and 8s brought up a whole host of activities they would love to get started, which is great! Everyone here is listened to and valued. I would love to see the school continue to thrive as it is today 2 1