I first met Guy Holloway many (thirty?) years ago when I visited the Harrodian School on a newspaper assignment, probably the Telegraph but I confess I have forgotten the details. What I do remember vividly was sitting in on a lesson in which Guy, who had co-founded the school, explored a Winfred Owen poem with nine year olds. He was riveting. The children were entranced and I was bowled over.
Afterwards I realised that Guy, whom I’ve met many times since, and I share minority views about rigorous liberal education. For example: Poetry communicates before it is (fully) understood. Treat children with respect and listen to them. Ticking boxes limits education and tends to hold children back. There’s no such thing as a “bad” child but there are troubled ones everywhere. Head teachers should know their staff colleagues like family members. Extend musical knowledge through enthusiasm and exposure.
A bit random but you get the drift … and those are only examples.
Since our first meeting, Guy has co-founded another school Hampton Court House. He was headmaster at HCH for 20 years, has worked extensively in head teacher training, written many articles and engaged in widespread advocacy for what he believes. Today he runs a China/UK education business with his wife, Jasmine.
So he brings a wealth of experience to this wise, truthful, accessible book which I read like a novel. It’s arranged in shortish chapters each hung on a letter of the alphabet. The most serious is S for Safeguarding which he says is the very first heading which came to mind when he was planning the book. “If you work with children in any capacity whatsoever, your number one priority is safeguarding. No exceptions. No compromises” he writes adding that “There is no leeway and no room for anything other than to follow – to the letter – the mandatory reporting and referral arrangements pertaining to safeguarding.” He then goes through the detail of how you do this, stressing that there is no scope whatsoever here for the flexibility he usually advocates. Guy is equally unequivocal about the need for every Head to acquire financial literacy too.
His new book progresses from Advertising and Boarding all the way through to Yesteryear and Zeitgeist offering thoughts and practical advice at every turn. Personally, though, my favourite chapters though are C for Culture and L for Latin because they encapsulate most of what I believe and practised in my own 36 years at the chalkface before mainstream teachers were tightly tied down to three part lessons, every word dully pre-planned.
He wants teachers to be the sort of people who cheerfully discuss amongst themselves books which aren’t on the curriculum. Books on a teacher’s desk (I always did this) provide talking points with students too. And play them music – the Western canon, of course, but also world music. Widen the horizons of students and encourage, within reason, quirky teachers because they are often the most effective.
And as for Latin (of which I used to teach snippets in English lessons) it is now seriously out of fashion but it teaches learners how language works and deepens understanding of English and most other European languages as the connections come into focus. It’s a great loss but Guy suggests a few practical ideas for keeping awareness going. He also wants every student to know at least 50 words of Greek which gave me pause for thought because I have never formally been taught ancient Greek but, after a lifetime of reading, writing, talking and thinking I have probably picked up at least 50 words which definitely help with lexical unravelling.
Above all Guy argues that Heads must role-model what they want from students and staff so that the school becomes “us” rather than “us and them”. And surely that applies to any organisation? Yes, there’s a lot of wisdom here which goes beyond schools irrespective of sector. Anyone leading any sort of organisation could learn from it.
Next week on Susan’s Bookshelves Rivals by Jilly Cooper
