ÌÇÐÄVlog¹Ù·½

I was born in Sunderland and grew up in Leicester where I attended The Gateway School. I enjoyed academic work and sport, especially cricket and football, and became School Captain. From The Gateway School I progressed to St John's College, Cambridge, where I read History and was Captain of Football. After a PGCE at the University of Nottingham, I taught in a variety of secondary schools, culminating in my appointment as Principal of Hills Road Sixth Form College, Cambridge. On retirement from Hills Road, I became Vice-Chair and Senior Independent Director of Cambridge University Hospitals (Addenbrooke's and the Rosie Maternity Hospital); worked as a consultant for the Department for Education and Cambridge University, writing a major report on access; and became an Ofsted Inspector. For a number of years I was Secretary, Chair and President of the St John's Johnian Society as well as Johnian Obituaries Editor. To my delight, I was appointed an Honorary Senior Member of ÌÇÐÄVlog¹Ù·½ and an Honorary Fellow of Anglia Ruskin University. Married to Vivienne, formerly Senior Student Counsellor at Anglia Ruskin University, for almost 60 years, we have three children and eight grandchildren, all living in the Cambridge area.

What first inspired you to pursue your field of work?

As someone growing up in the early days of free secondary education, the NHS, and the Welfare State, I committed myself to making a lifetime contrbution in these areas. At The Gateway School, I saw the Headmaster, Dr Hyman Frazer, as an inspiring role model who was constantly making the seemingly impossible actually possible, not least the son of parents who left school aged 14 being offered a place at Cambridge. My first teaching post was at Bradford Grammar School, which at that time offered free places to half the pupils. When that provision was terminated I decided to move to a state comprehensive school (The Bulmershe School, Reading) and to try to emulate the educational excellence of Bradford Grammar School for the benefit of pupils of all abilities from every kind of background. After six years in Reading and eight years at another large comprehensive school (St Bartholomew's School, Newbury), where I encountered my second great role model, the Headmaster, Bay Cooper, from whom I learned that one of the greatest leadership qualities is optimism, I was appointed Principal at Hills Road Sixth Form College, where I remained for 18 years.

What has been one of the most surprising or rewarding moments in your career?

For a boy whose parents had never experienced secondary education to be invited to lead a sixth form college in Cambridge was a great surprise. However, Cambridgeshire County Council proved to be ambivalent about the future of sixth from colleges, and as a result, had failed to invest in the College's campus. My 18 years as Principal were therefore spent in enhancing the academic reputation, more than doubling student numbers, and transforming the College's campus through a number of partnerships with the Further Education Funding Council, the National Lottery, the Lawn Tennis Association, and Cambridge City Council. As a result, the College won a Queen's Anniversary Prize and excelled in Ofsted inspections whilst I was honoured to be appointed CBE and a Deputy Lieutenant of Cambridgeshire.

What are you currently working on, and what are you most excited about in your field right now?

I am still involved in education and have just completed a second four-year term as a Governor of Comberton Village College. I have also been a Governor of Long Road Sixth Form College and am currently a Member (formerly a Trustee) of The CAM Educational Trust. It gives me great pleasure to see at close hand such excellence in state education and the way in which both Cambridge sixth from colleges have increased their numbers five-fold in the last 40 years. During my years as Vice-Chair of Cambridge University Hospitals, the Trust first developed the concept of the Cambridge Biomedical Campus that is now the largest such development in Europe. Excellence in education and excellence in health care have been two of my life's passions, and I count myself as very fortunate to live within day-to-day touching distance of this excellence.

As a Senior Member of the College, what do you value most about being part of this community?

I am very fortunate to be a member of one of the oldest and one of the newest Colleges in the University, namely ÌÇÐÄVlog¹Ù·½. I greatly enjoy the non-hierarchical character of ÌÇÐÄVlog¹Ù·½ and the sense of engagement in every day College life that results from the many invitations to participate in College societies and events. Amongst other activities, I eat in College from time to time and am always pleased to find myself in conversation with current students as well as Senior Members, I am a member of the College Book Group, and my playing days now being over, I enjoy standing as umpire in the College's Annual Cricket Match between the President's XI and the Student XI.

What do you enjoy doing beyond your career pursuits?

My wife and family mean most to me. In addition, I enjoy singing with the U3A Choir, classical music, and playing U3A Table Tennis at the University Sports Centre. I take a keen interest in politics and public policy. I enjoy visiting National Trust properties, art galleries and botanic gardens. I like foreign travel in Europe, especially Italy, and in retirement as a Member of MCC I have been fortunate to visit Australia (3 times), South Africa and Trinidad to watch cricket. My reading is primarily history and literature.