A Day in Arlesey with …
. . . Derek Archer
Questions by Jodie Chillery
Originally from a small mining village in
the midlands, Derek Archer left his job
as Assistant Artistic Director at world
famous concert venue Wigmore Hall, to
pursue his passion for education. He’s
in his fifth year as the principal of Gothic
Mede Academy, and now lives in Bedford.
How does the typical school day start for a head teacher?
There are never two days the same so generally I’m in before 8 o clock.
I get up at 6 o clock every morning to the Today programme (Radio 4’s
flagship news and current affairs show) and have breakfast at home. I’m
hopeless if I don’t have a coffee to start the day too.
Usually the caretakers open up, but there have been occasions I’ve
had to open up. Some teachers get here before the caretaker, they have
their own keys to school. I have to travel in from Bedford but Tom
(Mr Clarke vice principal) only comes here from Hitchin so he’s normally
here by 7.30!
From the moment I get in the questions start, that’s how it is as a head
teacher. One of my things is for people to take responsibility and be
autonomous, but sometimes we are dealing with quite specific issues and
colleagu