Arnold Worton-Geer is Headteacher at St John's VA C of E Primary Digswell
Can you describe your journey into teaching?
I started off as a one-to-one Teaching Assistant in a school in Harlow. I worked with children with autism and noticed that I wanted to do more than just help one child. I wanted to develop my skills to support a class. I moved swiftly into becoming a teacher, doing my training in Harlow and landed my first teaching job in a two-form entry school. There I grew my skills to become a deputy headteacher in a one-form entry school for 5 years.
By year 5 I was acting headteacher and knew that I wanted more. I knew many headteachers in Hertfordshire and was worried about taking the leap from county to county. I spent a long time doing research on the differences. It was a no brainer. Hertfordshire has an incredible team and system to support new headteachers, they support local schools in a very different way to Essex and I knew making this decision was an easy one. I have now been a headteacher for a year and I feel that I have joined a family of headteachers who really want to make a difference.
What support do you get as a headteacher in Hertfordshire?
The first year of induction as a headteacher is incredible. I strongly urge new heads to go on this course (Moving to a New Headship) and make sure you make this a priority. Advice on wellbeing and workload is shared. It is vital that we reflect where we are and these sessions throughout the year were the best thing to prepare me for headship. My School Effectiveness Adviser (SEA) - Kate Beaumont - has been a huge support to us as a School. Unfortunately, we had a few difficult situations at the school including members of staff (including myself) losing loved ones, a SIAMS inspection 6 weeks into the role, losing a member of staff to cancer who has been at the school for 25 years, restructuring the school and many other unplanned situations that just happen. Kate and the HFL team were supportive and helpful throughout the difficulties. The network of local headteachers are incredible - in particular Jan Martin who has supported the school, creating a partnership between two primary schools trying to do the best for our children. The network family of professionals we have is the best in the country.
Why did you want to become a headteacher?
I wanted to make a difference for children. Understanding how it is for children and coming into a difficult world that changes every 5 minutes is hard enough. The curriculum changing and expectations increasing, I wanted to make a difference. Having my own class was not enough. I needed to have my own school so that I can impact as many children as possible, giving them all a brighter future. I now manage people to be able to allow my dream to come true improving more and more children's lives.
As a headteacher, what are you looking for when recruiting new staff?
Qualifications are important, but I also want to make sure they will work well with my family of staff. I do not see SLT and teachers as separate to TAs and support staff. We are one unit and I want to ensure that recruitment benefits our children but also works with the dynamics of our school. It is important that we consider carefully who is recruited to ensure that they are valued and bring to our family another new piece of the puzzle to strengthen our vision.
What support is available to staff at your school?
We do a variety of things around our school to support staff. We offer every member of the team a wellbeing day that they can take during the year for supporting the running of the school. We give additional leadership time to staff, PPA on a Friday afternoon where staff can go home at 12pm if they wish to do this. We have a wellbeing team who organise events around the school. One INSET day is based on wellbeing and jobs around the school. Equipment is bought when needed even when budgets are tight, no equipment means reduction in teaching quality. We are very open and we do have difficult conversations but these are always constructive.