| Stephen Shaw is swapping the rectorship of Gairloch High School, one of Scotland’s smallest rural secondaries with a roll of just over 200 pupils, for an urban secondary with five times as many young scholars.
He is also exchanging his view over tranquil Loch Gairloch on the west coast of Ross-shire for the busy city setting of Stobswell, bustling with people and traffic.
It is a change that the 49-year-old father of four is eagerly relishing, and he believes there is an important quality that the two seemingly different schools have in common.
“One of the strengths of Gairloch High is that there is a strong sense of a community about the place, even though it is a small Highland school covering a large rural catchment,” he explained.
“One of the things that impressed me about Morgan, which is a quite different type of place because it is in the middle of a city and has a large urban catchment, is that it too has a strong community.
“I have seen that the pupils, staff, parents, school board and former pupils all work very hard for their school and are proud of the place.
“That is something I very much admire and on which I want to build.
“Morgan has also been impressively rebuilt after a serious fire, and it combines the traditions of a famous and historic seat of learning in Dundee with 21st century facilities.
“I think it is a marvellous school and I am very much looking forward to the challenge of becoming headteacher of the school, building on all the good work that is going on there and developing my professional aspirations.”
Mr Shaw knew of Morgan Academy before he saw the advertisement last summer seeking a replacement for outgoing rector Alan Constable.
He visited the school during a two-year secondment as a lecturer in the science education department at Northern College. His role was to carry out critical appraisals on student teachers, but the school made a positive impression on him.
Originally from Saltcoats in Ayrshire, Mr Shaw graduated with an honours degree in zoology from Glasgow University and moved to the Highlands 20 years ago as principal teacher of biology at Inverness High School.
He then became deputy head teacher of Gairloch High and five years ago was appointed to the headship.
His teaching qualifications include a master’s degree in education from Aberdeen University.
He takes over as rector on February 28 and intends to move his family to the Dundee area in the summer. |
