Rhubarb October 2022

ST EDWARD’S

An inter view with the Warden

ALASTAIR CHIRNSIDE

INTERVIEW

Warden Alastair Chirnside with pupils in the Quad

I n September 2021 Alastair Chirnside became the 14th Warden at St Edward’s Oxford. Here we ask him to look back at his first year and reflect on what he has learnt, reveal some of the highlights of the year and share any unexpected moments.

schools in which they have worked as teachers and from the hundreds of schools that they have visited as inspectors – reach such positive conclusions about Teddies. In their meetings, the inspectors told us, pupils and staff talked about the School with the greatest of pride. “ Pupils are overwhelmingly courteous and polite relating well to each other and to adults. ” “ Pupils display outstanding attitudes to learning. ” ISI inspection report ISI inspection report More generally, it has been a highlight, not just of my first year at Teddies but of my professional life so far, to work with such great people.The management team is simply outstanding – I don’t think you could find a better group of leaders in any school in the country – but there’s huge depth of talent too, not just in the Common Room but in every department, teaching and support.The people who work at Teddies bring a huge amount of fun to their work – that’s part of what makes for the great atmosphere in the School, not least because the pupils pick up on it. It keeps everyone cheerful, even in the depths of the winter terms. Offices, workshops, kitchens, boarding houses and classrooms – they are full of good humour and cheerful enthusiasm.

As you start your second year asWarden at Teddies, how have the last 12 months been for you?

The last year has been great for my family and for me, and all the indications are that it has been good for the School too! Education is above all a people business, and the best thing about my first year as Warden has been the chance to meet so many new people – pupils, staff, parents, OSE. Beyond the challenge of remembering everyone’s name (on which I have a lot more work to do), it has been wonderful to get to know so many inspiring people, to hear so many different and positive perspectives on Teddies past and present, and to talk about plans and ideas for our shared future. Too many for this short interview! I think the highlight, at least once it had passed, was the inspection. It was extraordinary to listen to the inspectors talk about Teddies when they gave their feedback after a week of lesson observations, surveys and focus groups. It was not just that they found everything fully compliant and gave us the highest possible ratings. It was more what they said about the atmosphere and ethos in the School that resonated with me. “ Pupils who spoke to inspectors talked about their school with the greatest of pride. ” ISI inspection report It’s too easy to take the strength of our community for granted, and it was very affecting, humbling even, to hear the inspectors – all of them with huge experience from the What have been the highlights from the past year?

Have you encountered any surprises or things you had not expected?

I did a lot of research before I applied for the job, so there have not been too many surprises! I also knew the School a little through friends who are OSE and through Michael Gray and Chris Pollitt, who were teachers at Teddies and with whom I worked at Harrow. Sometimes there’s a gap between a school’s reputation – and what it says about itself – and the reality of living and working there.

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