Tourism Queensland advertised a job sometime ago, claiming to be “the best job in the world”. They were seeking an Island caretaker with a handsome salary. Some 34,000 people applied and the successful candidate was eventually announced as a Brit named Ben Southall. It sounded fantastic, but people look at me quizzically when I say that I’d prefer the job I have now. I’m blessed to be the Head of John Kyrle and really do think I have the best possible job. It gives me a real sense of purpose and I have genuinely found my “why?” in life.

We have 1400 amazing young minds in our care here at John Kyrle High School. The huge task we face have is to equip them with the skills and knowledge to find their place in the world. It’s a complex job and one I think starts with belief in them and their abilities. Young people between 10-19 number some 7.6 million in the UK- about 11% of the population. That’s an enormous amount of potential. I spend a lot of my time with young people, and I am very confident about our future in their hands.

How do we help them find their place in the world? There’s a lot to cover. There are exams to pass which serve as keys to doors for young people. But there’s also the need to teach them about life, careers, friendship and how to know themselves. We’ve a huge push on rewards at the moment. Recognising how our students succeed every lesson of every day. At the end of last term we had a whole afternoon of Silent Discos, bouncy castles and fun. That’s important too.

Who would be a headteacher? Sometimes its really hard. Balancing budgets, planning for the future and day-to-day demands. I always find something unexpected in school to challenge me. Often extremes of human emotion. Do I have the best job in the world? Most days I really do.