EDUCATION
View – Huw Williams on an outside balcony .
Riverside – Huw on the banks of the Tees , which flows near the school .
FEELING RIGHT AT HOME
Adopted Teessider Huw reflects on five years in charge at Yarm School
WORDS : DAVE ROBSON PICTURES : CHRIS BOOTH
When Huw Williams travelled north for interviews to be Yarm School headmaster , a walk down the High Street helped convince him this was the place he wanted to be .
Having worked at schools in London and Kent for 11 years , and in Cambridge research labs for 10 years before that , he was used to a certain way of life . What he found in Yarm was an eye-opener .
He says : “ Having been in places where people sit on the Tube and don ’ t even look at each other , it felt so friendly . People were saying ‘ good morning ’ and ‘ hello ’ to a stranger – but it ’ s normal up here , isn ’ t it ?
“ It shouldn ’ t be a surprise , I guess , but I was absolutely struck by it . Now we ’ ve settled as a family and we ’ re thrilled to be here .”
Five years into his Yarm School headship , it ’ s clear that this son of Cardiff is already an adopted Teessider .
Married to lawyer Laura and with children aged 11 , seven and nine , he talks fondly of the area ’ s sense of community and even , as a keen surfer , its welcoming surfing scene .
But when he talks about the school he ’ s in charge of , with its 250 employees , 1,100 students from three to 18 and annual income of £ 15.7m , fondness turns to obvious passion .
“ This is an academic school but almost more importantly , this is a school that ’ s absolutely committed to the extracurricular opportunities pupils have in sport , music , drama , outdoor education , debating , coding , languages …
“ It ’ s about the different ways we give children opportunities to explore , expand , learn about themselves and even fail , but in a safe environment .
“ We allow them to develop life skills that employers need and that means they leave as confident , capable young people .”
Growing up in Cardiff , Huw attended a Welsh-speaking school until he was 15 , when he moved with his family to
128 | Tees Business