FEATURES - INTERVIEW
HEAD OF YEARS 9 AND 10 , EMMA
GATES , CHATS WITH STUDENTS .
OPPOSITE : EMMA
WITH GREAT SCOT EDITOR , CHRISTOPHE
TAYLOR
INTERVIEW WITH OUR NEW HEAD OF YEARS 9 AND 10
Great Scot met Emma Gates to ask her how she envisaged her new role as Head of Years 9 and 10 , and took the opportunity to find out more about her .
You have been a member of the Scotch Family for several years . Could you tell us about your history with the school as well as any relevant prior experiences ?
I have been blessed to be part of the Scotch Family for eight years , the longest I have worked in any school ! I have finally found my place and passion in teaching fantastic students in such beautiful surroundings . I am originally from the UK , where prior to teaching I worked for Rhone Merieux producing vaccines as a Scientific Officer .
Knowing that I needed more in my life , I embarked on a career in outdoor education for three years and had the opportunity to interview many teachers in my role as School Liaison and Program Manager , before embarking on my teacher training
at Exeter University . For my first five years I was a Science and Maths teacher on the pebbly south coast of England at Cams Hill , a co-educational school in Hampshire .
Yearning for a more outdoor lifestyle and travel , my husband and I embarked on world travel that unexpectedly included teaching in New Zealand for a year . We then landed in Melbourne where I worked at Star of the Sea , Ivanhoe Grammar School and Ivanhoe Girls ’ Grammar School , with roles in teaching and pastoral leadership . I then started at Scotch ( my second home ) as a Psychology and Science teacher .
Starting in 2016 with 8EG , a very excited form of potential CEOs , I knew that I was in for a treat , learning about young men , finding out about their passions and dreams , as well as inspiring them to be adventurous , to challenge themselves and to be curious about how and why things are as they are .
Then I was fortunate enough to officially step into the Head
18 Great Scot