FEATURES
his way to Morrison Street . He took time to understand the School , as it was , and then considered how it could be improved , thinking particularly about what was best for the boys . A strong leader who has not been afraid to take a stance on issues , Tom has spent time thinking about implications – both at the micro and macro level . He has welcomed other points of view and has been keen to consider other stakeholders in decision-making .
Tom ’ s messages at school Assemblies have ignited boys ’ minds to consider their place in the world and provoked them to form opinions on current affairs or social trends . Questions or poems have opened the conversation , which boys have been able to consider , and some have continued through Tom ’ s open-door policy before school in the mornings . Under his tenure , the boys have become more considerate , broader minded , and overall the School has become a kinder , happier place .
DAVID BROWN , DEAN OF STUDENTS
Tom ’ s legacy is , to my mind , grounded fundamentally in his ability as a teacher . His leadership strengths ; namely , his
capacity to distil complex , often conflicting inputs to the crux , his inclination for seeing beauty in the ordinary , and his almost pathological unwillingness to ‘ level reduce ’, to gloss over the important and the difficult , are also the hallmarks of any master of our craft . Tom has fostered learning relationships that allow all of us ( boys and staff ) to question , to debate , and to see rules and conventions as servant not master . His approach conjures this thought from eminent Master of Magdalene College , Cambridge , and former Eton Master , A . C . Benson : ‘ I am sure it is one ' s duty as a teacher to try to show boys that no opinions , no tastes , no emotions are worth much unless they are one ' s own .’ By giving boys a voice in their school , Tom has given them a voice in their world .
PETER COUTIS – DIRECTOR OF RESEARCH , TEACHING AND LEARNING
In 1997 my family and I set off on a year ’ s exchange teaching at Eton College – an unforgettable year , but not without its bewilderments . Very few schools are like Eton ; the need for a friend and guide there was a high priority . Fortunately there
was an Australian couple on the staff who understood exactly what we were going through – Tom and Lee Batty – who swiftly became valued friends . We kept in touch and I was delighted when Council had the great good sense to appoint him Principal at Scotch .
Tom brought with him a robust yet friendly focus on individual students , injecting into the School an enhanced pastoral concern with his reshaping of the House system . At the same time he strengthened staff accountability for engaging student learning . I am not sure we were always quite comfortable with this – no bad thing in a good school . But it will be his gift of generous friendship that I will remember .
SYD BOYDELL – FORMER DIRECTOR OF RESEARCH , TEACHING AND LEARNING ; SCOTCH STAFF 1976-2011
Tom ’ s chief characteristic as Principal is that he puts the interests of the boys at the centre of all that he does . Tom ’ s ability to know the boys is also obvious , and this is clearly evident on a Saturday morning , as he attends fixtures of boys in all year levels
22 Great Scot Issue 165 – April 2022