Mr Andrew Gordon-Brown — Headmaster and Principal of Kingswood School — on holistic education, curiosity and the joy of leading a modern independent school.
Headmaster and Principal, Kingswood School, Bath
I would advise my younger self not to worry about what others think or compare myself to others. Instead, follow my passions and have the courage to stand by my beliefs. I loved music, singing, and drama but was too 'cool' to embrace them. Now I see that it was actually uncool not to pursue what I loved. And of course, I'd tell myself to buy shares in Apple!
Now in my fifth year as headmaster, it has been exciting to see Kingswood grow across all areas — nursery, prep, and senior — following significant capital investment to expand our capacity. While the school has grown and we continue to seek improvements for our pupils, our core belief in the power of holistic education remains unchanged, positively impacting the lives of our young people.
Leading a school and being surrounded by bright, compassionate, enthusiastic young people is immensely satisfying. I never stop learning from their diverse activities. A real highlight is seeing school leavers on A-level results day, marching toward their first-choice destinations, ready to change the world. A tongue-in-cheek answer would be 'school lunch' — our chefs make sure we're spoiled with delicious food every day, proving that a school marches on its stomach!
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