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Andrew McGarva: Orchestrating Education – A Maestro's Transition from Music to Mastery in Academia
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When the stirring sounds of a violin give way to the commanding presence of a head teacher, it's clear that a remarkable story awaits your ears. Andrew McGarva, rector of Morrison's Academy, joins us to share his symphonic journey from a music lover to a maestro in education. As we unravel his early days dabbling in banking to mastering the art of leadership, you'll discover the importance of seizing unexpected opportunities and learning from every twist and turn life offers.
Our conversation with Andrew isn't just about leading a school; it's a deeper look at the heart behind the role. From genuine job applications to the interview process, he underscores the power of authenticity and adaptability—traits that resonate beyond the walls of any institution. As he reveals the pleasures of engaging with students and the art of balancing personal interests with professional obligations, his narrative becomes a lesson in finding harmony between the demands of a headmaster and the simple joys of life.
Finally, Andrew offers a candid reflection on the challenges educators face across all sectors, the importance of collaboration, and the value of pushing boundaries for personal growth. His closing advice to students on kindness and mindful news consumption is a poignant reminder of the life lessons that matter most. So, settle in and prepare to be inspired by a tale that harmonizes the passion for music with the rhythms of education—a theme that resonates with anyone tuning into the symphony of life's stories.
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Good evening everybody. Welcome to another episode of Insert Busward Podcast, delighted to be joined by Andrew MacGarver this evening. Andrew, it would be lovely to get a quick introduction as to who you are and what you do to kick us off, please.
Speaker 2:Hello, I'm Andrew MacGarver, as you say, and I am the head teacher, or, as we call it, the rector, of Morrison's Academy Independent School in Creef. I've had a bit of a journey to get here. My trade is music, or it was music, and now it's being a rector. So yeah, that's just a quick hello.
Speaker 1:Amazing. And when you say music, what kind of music or instruments do you play, please, andrew?
Speaker 2:I'm a violinist babe. That's my weapon of choice. I went to RSAMD, as it was known then. It's now RCS in. Glasgow and study violin performance and then became a music teacher but also do a lot of Scots fiddle. That's really my main playing, I suppose these days. I don't get as much chance to play these days, but it's usually Scots fiddle and also a bit conducting as well. So yeah, and then I also sing, play the piano, saxophone and just dabble a little bit, I suppose.
Speaker 1:Oh, amazing. So I say from the start, as we have a mutual interest in music as well Andrew it was piano, trumpet and drums. For me, dad was flute, bassoon piano, sister violin, guitar piano. Yeah, amazing. So I guess, yeah. First question so how do you go from RSAMD to music teacher to eventually head teacher? It's quite a journey.
Speaker 2:It is quite a journey. It has been. It's been quite a weavey one. Actually, when I was at school I went to music school. I went to Douglas Academy up in the Mulgani Bears Den and I really didn't like it and I left after second year and just went back to my local school, keil Academy, and had decided I was never going to do music. And then I left school, got a job in the bank. I also had a place at Strackley University study economics. I deferred it while I worked in the bank and I went four weeks into the banking. The bank manager took me into the office and I'll always remember this, mr Davidson. He says Andrew, what are you doing here? It wasn't the best.
Speaker 2:It wasn't the best sort of thing, but he meant it in the nicest way. He just said you know what, andrew? You've got a brother and sister who are graduates. I think you could do more with your life. And I sort of thought oh it comes. And it was really more or less the next day I remember going out to bed thinking what am I doing? This is the rest of my life, this is miserable, you know, I realised it was the wrong decision and at that point I realised it wasn't going to be economics at Strackley either.
Speaker 2:So it was going to be music. And so I was still doing violin lessons and I did my audition for the RSVD and got offered a place. So I ended up at the bank for just over a year and I always say it's the best mistake I ever made. It gave me direction and every time at a bad day in music it was still better than the best day in the bank. So I was really fortunate in that way. So then I did RSVD, did a performance degree, then did a year of peripatetic teaching, but violin teaching around schools, and then I practised my piano so I could get into teacher training and I went to St Andrews College in Beersden and qualified as a teacher and then I started off in Shawlins Academy and Air Academy and then after three months I was offered the role of acting here in music at Air Academy.
Speaker 2:So that is a bit of a story. I don't know if you want me to go into it or not, but it was just, please, right place, right time it was. This is back in the 90s and it was when we had Strackley. Regional Council was split at that point until the different ones, so we have North Ayrshire, south Ayrshire, east Ayrshire. I was working in South Ayrshire and I knew a friend who was teaching music for two or three years and they had said, oh, I'm going to go for that job. They had heard there was a maternity leave coming up at my school at Air Academy and the head of music said Andrew, you know I'm pregnant and also her assistant was pregnant, so there's going to be a full time teaching job here for the year and I thought that's brilliant.
Speaker 2:And then I thought I'm going to apply for the head of music to get some interview experience. And I put in an application and because the regions have changed, for a temporary post, if you were outside of South Ayrshire you weren't allowed to apply. So there was no one in South Ayrshire who applied and the head teacher, mr Moyer wonderful man, two of these into the office says Andrew, I'd just like to let you know you're the only applicant for this job. Oh right, okay. And then he said and I suppose county buildings. And they said you can't have it. And I said oh no, that's fine, I was just looking for an interview experience. He said but you know what, andrew, I'm going to be a line manager and we're going to appoint you as assistant head of music. But you're running the department, so go for it and enjoy. And really, from that I then got offered the. I did that for a few months and maternity. Then the head came back, head of music came back and I got offered the role of Wellington School and Air as director of music there. So that was really just right place, right time and just giving it a go. So, yeah, and then I was a Wellington School and Air for 10 years as director of music and during that time I also had a Kaley band coiler.
Speaker 2:I was a founder member from school days doing weddings, functions, parties, all the things, and we did some great events and big, big events through Celtic Connections, shetland Folk Festival, and on top of that was also conducting the Scottish Fiddle Orchestra, john Mason, who was musical director. He was unwell and it was what was it? 30th of October 1992, I got a phone call, said Andrew, you come to the concert tomorrow. And I said, hey, possibly. No, I need to come and see me. And I went up to see John and he was in his bed, couldn't walk or anything. Something had happened. And he said could you conduct tomorrow night? So I ended up at the Usher Hall with the Scottish Fiddle Orchestra conducted. So these were all sort of things that were happening while I was doing my music and everything. And then I was a wee bit.
Speaker 2:Some things happened at Wellington School that changed my outlook and my wife and I decided with our young daughters to go to Japan or to go international teaching. And I got a job in Japan as the head of music at British School in Tokyo. So there for two years. It was two year contract and we wanted to come back. Our daughter was now six. We wanted to be back in Scotland, so I got a job at Coal Graston School in Perchage, direct from Music, and then I also got the additional role of a deputated prep school, and so I was at Coal Graston until 2016. And I then moved to Jersey where I was assistant head teacher at Jersey College for girls for five years, and so that covered a bit of COVID and this serial potted history. Oh, this is okay. And then through.
Speaker 2:COVID, we're basically Jersey closed, the island closed, and it was a lovely place to live at the beach, the sea, it's just brilliant.
Speaker 2:But I realized during COVID, when I didn't see my parents for 15 months or my family or my friends in person, that maybe, maybe I wanted to be back home or closer to home, and the role of of rector Morse Academy appeared and applied for it and I was successful, which again is a strange story because we were still doing COVID lockdowns.
Speaker 2:So I had to fly up. I had to leave Jersey, fly to London, fly to Glasgow, wait two and a half hours for a rental car because it was closed and it was just one person doing all the different places around Scotland. And then I drove up from interview so I had to go on the Sunday because that was the only day there were flights. The interview was on the Tuesday, so that my interview on the Tuesday some in person, physically distanced, and then, of course, with children, online and so forth, and then I had to drive all the way down to Thampton Straight after the interview to get a flight in the Wednesday, flew back to Jersey and I had to isolate for 10 days and I will, you know.
Speaker 2:So my headteacher in Jersey, carl, was amazing because he liked me go for this, knowing that I would actually be having to work from home in isolation for two weeks. And then, of course, I got back and I got off at the job. So I'm now in my third year at Morse Academy, and there you go. That's a real potty test of how it got here.
Speaker 1:Yeah, wow. And so we end on forgetting that we were going through that COVID nonsense for so long, so nicely, and wow, that feels like yesterday, but also a lifetime ago. Jeez, I know.
Speaker 2:But thank goodness it's over.
Speaker 1:Yeah, goodness gracious Japan. What was Japan like for two years, andrew?
Speaker 2:You know it was amazing If I was going to choose a city to live in, choose Tokyo. It's enormous. It's highly populated by the people, respect your space. Even when you're up like this in a train with someone, they still, bizarrely, respect your space. And everyone, everyone's got purpose. It's something I really noticed. Everyone has purpose and has a drive to get the job or to do this or to do that, and during the week you've all the salary men and they all wearing gray in their black suits.
Speaker 2:And then during the weekend you'll go to all the parks in Tokyo and they're wearing the most outrageous outfits you can get in terms of dance under a tree, Someone with a drum kit sitting in a park, so of course he's probably in a flat that's too small and he's just drumming away. And it's the most vibrant city and I really, really recommend going. And then you head outside of Tokyo and it's beautiful countryside. You can get an hour and a half north to go skiing. You're going down south to Hiroshima, Kyoto, it's just yeah, I would really recommend.
Speaker 1:Are you a skier yourself, Andrew?
Speaker 2:Yeah, no, yeah, I haven't skied properly for a week while, but yeah, I do enjoy skiing.
Speaker 1:So what was the? What were the Japanese Alps like?
Speaker 2:Like the powder looks amazing Really good yeah, I didn't get to Hokkaido, unfortunately, the North Island where the skeins meant to be phenomenal. But, no, we were able to get some really good places and again see you living in a city like Tokyo as a Scott, and so you go to the Scottish Society, you go to the Highland Games, you go to the British Embassy, and just by being slightly different, you get to meet lots of people, so. I ended up conducting the Tokyo Philharmonic Orchestra for a big, a big Gala event for Scottish development.
Speaker 2:And then I ended up singing the Scottish National Anthem at the Scotland Japan Football International in 2009. And you know, in the big World Cup stadium with 64,000 people in the national teams, and it's just amazing. You just get to speak to people and I was able to find some opportunities and make the most of them.
Speaker 1:Wow, I could keep going, tristan, so I'm conscious that you might want to ask.
Speaker 3:I'm being being very respectful to you, jeremy, so I didn't want a button there, appreciate it. You know, from from what you've shared so far, there seems to be to me, anyway, a theme of kind of taking advantage of opportunities. They've come and almost being thrown in the deep end quite a lot. Is that something that came natural to you? Is it something that you developed over time? What, what? How did that come about, especially in your younger days?
Speaker 2:do you know? I'm not really sure. I was always quite gallous, I suppose, and willing to give things a try, and that very much came from a big brother, my sister, my parents, my friends and even my school. I was really lucky for our primary, some great teachers, kyle Academy some really influential people who and it was a case of, yeah, you just got to give it a go and I've always felt that you can. You can be the right place at the right time, but you can still mess it up. But if you're in the right place at right time, then the challenge is to make the most of it and make it work and make it happen.
Speaker 2:And and I have to say, that's probably been my mantra throughout my life and if I hadn't been, I would have missed out in so many amazing opportunities and I would even say this this opportunity just now. You know, morris Academy is the first headship that applied for, but I was quite clear about my educational philosophy and how I wanted to lead and I think what was what was important was when I saw the role I had to decide it was at the type of school for me that would suit me. It wasn't just a headship, it was just in an area where I was really fond of, in a school which remind me very much of Wellington, where it was for ten years, where I got to know everyone and really had a great time and really enjoyed my journey. So these, yeah, making the most of these opportunities and I've always thought I'll throw my hand there in you never know what happened, what's the worst that can happen. I stay where I am and that's okay interesting, interesting.
Speaker 3:What's the maybe not the specific process, but what's the when you apply for these positions in schools is a very small kind of network, is it? What's the actual process? Like I know, you'd obviously have to apply formally and all these things, but yeah, do you generally know if you would be considered. Is it that close a network, or is there still a bit?
Speaker 2:no, no, I've applied for many jobs and not an interview and a lot of schools are really over subscribed in applicants. But I mean I would always apply. I think there was one point in my career where I was just really unhappy where I was and I was just applying for anything, and it really taught me that you're gonna apply for a job, apply when you're happy, because you're a wee bit more level headed about it. But as there was one, so I won't mention it. But there was one school got an interview for and I remember it's the strangest interview experience ever and I arrived home to my wife and I said I hope they don't offer me that job. I just don't want to work there, and that's something.
Speaker 2:It's always a two-way process when you go for it, when you go for a job interview, you might think this is a job that really suits me or whatever. But if you go there and there's a nickel or there's a hunch you've got, you've got to listen to that and think maybe this isn't the right move because being in the wrong place you know, we talk about having the right people in the bus, but imagine being in the wrong bus completely. That's just, that's quite a scary prospect. So I mean the process is usually you'll have an interview and then you have an initial interview. You're usually a tour of a school. You meet some pupils and I always think if you don't meet the pupils, there's something wrong. A school should be happy for candidates to meet their pupils, because they're the most important part of any school, and if you're not willing to let your candidates meet the pupils, then you're trying to hide something and they give some great insights. Even if it's just as a tour, we'll always get feedback from pupils after they've seen a lesson or been part of a lesson and we'll also get feedback from the pupils about the tour.
Speaker 2:How interested were the candidates in the school? How interested were they in you as a person? You know what's what's, what sort of feelings did you get? And you know they'll come in for the interview and they'll sit with my PA in her office before they come into my office and my PA is always on it. She's a brilliant. She's a brilliant person for just sizing someone up so that every, every touch bar you have as an interviewee is important and and I think if you're not committed and you're not really interested, you'll slip up at some point, and you you know, because you can't just wear a mask all at a time.
Speaker 3:I would always want someone to be themselves now, now you've been in that role for a few few years, as you're building or growing, I don't know what, how to frame it, but developing, developing the culture in the school, what? What do you look for when you hire higher people? Now, what are the kind of? What's the most important quality that you would?
Speaker 2:but I want to know that. A lifelong learner, and that's really important, and I have worked. I remember working in one school where we would do our inset every you know beginning of every term and we would all tick boxes. But I'll be honest, it was when I went to Jersey. I found out what lifelong learning really is, and when I did my master's education leadership masters it was on teachers as learners, because education has changed so much and it will continue to change.
Speaker 2:You know, with artificial intelligence will always need humans, but you, you need to be willing to learn, you need to be a sponge, because if you're not willing to learn and this is for any job, I say regardless of, not just for a teacher I think if you're in a role where you're not willing to learn and grow, how are you going to find nourishment in that role? Are you going to make yourself better? How are you going to be able to to deal with people and be able to to really grow your skill set so that you're actually successful in that role? So for me, the most important thing is a lifelong learner. And then, of course, I'm always looking for people who who are really interested in in schools and education and they want to give something of themselves, what was of co-curricular interest to the half, to the enjoy sport, enjoy music, enjoy outdoor activities, because we want to make sure for me at school.
Speaker 2:So I'm digressing, but for me at school, some of the most important times I had when I did the school show, when I played in school orchestra, when I played in the rugby team these were the things that shaped me as a person and I will always want that in any school that I run or that I lead. So I need the people that work with me to have that same passion, because that's what makes I was, that's what makes a well-rounded person these different opportunities. If all you want to do is come and teach in a classroom, it's not quite what we're after, because we need more and we want more because I think hopefully you would agree that if all you ever do is work in life, my goodness me, you're going to be miserable and I think COVID is that you need to have.
Speaker 2:You need to have your hinterland, you need to have your passions, and it's our job as educators to really plant the seed of those passions. So, yeah, they're the two most important things for me really I've got one moment.
Speaker 1:Take that way and give Catherine notes on my wife. Catherine's a teacher. Yeah, she is interviews, but that is some useful advice for her for the next one.
Speaker 2:I mean, interviews are really hard, but I always, I always ask. I always want to ask a little bit about the person. I think that when you're in the state system they seem to have, you've got to ask these questions. You can't veer off these questions. You've got to give them a score. I'm sorry, you have a start to question and you funnel, you funnel, you funnel and you find it more about the person and more about the passions and it really is you know all of these touch points as well a part of the process. So it's never, it should never just be the interview. If it is, you're going to stop it.
Speaker 1:Find good people agreed, perfect, sorry to us and I cut you off. That's right.
Speaker 3:I just can say I've got one more question on on I guess education and and and I guess Morrison's and in particular.
Speaker 3:So I've. I've worked in to give you a bit about going to be a work to retail customer service and management effectively and worked in various industries but laterally kind of more health care. But I'm not clinical, so I always find the dynamic of the kind of patient health care side with the business, commercial side and and to a certain extent the kind of retail side, depending what you do, a work not to shins where you've got the three, where you're looking at people's health. There's the business side and then there's almost just the aesthetic retail. You know people want to feel good elements. So what is that environment like in education and in independent schools now, because the primary focus naturally has to be on on, you know, people welfare of the education side, but there there is ever increasing pressures, I guess, and in today's society. So what? What is that leak as the head of an independent school?
Speaker 2:It's a quite challenging role and what I always have to remind people is I don't have to remind them, but I always do say the most important thing is the education of the children and the most important thing we do in a school is safeguard our children. So the welfare side of it is crucial. But then you know, behind all of that you have a team of operational staff who are not in the classroom, but actually a lot of the operational team. They do get involved in a lot of activities. Some of them run co-curricular clubs, which is really brilliant, and it's really about investing in our pupils.
Speaker 2:We've got the challenges of every business over the last two years in particular. Well, after COVID there was a massive challenge and then, following that, we've had the cost of living. So we're very aware of our parents who are paying for an education. They've decided to pay to send their child to our school and what we've got to remember is we've got to try and be as efficient as we possibly can because we've got a husband or resources to make sure that our parents are getting good value for money. But yeah, it's always a tricky one. I would say being ahead of a real privilege because I'm able to shape the direction, I'm able to shape the culture, I'm able to shape the interactions with our pupils, and then you have to make sure that all the adults in the room are also creating these same relationships with the pupils. So I think a proper answer for this is going to take an awful long time.
Speaker 3:Is it one cast in itself?
Speaker 2:Yeah. So I mean you're wanting to mark at the school, you're wanting to make sure that you've got the messaging right. But again, you've got to make sure you've got the messaging that's authentic, because if you're marking yourself as something that you're not, you're going to attract the wrong families and they're not going to be happy and we're going to really struggle to cater for these young people and that would be wrong. She's got to be authentic in whatever you do. You know we do talk at the worst as I can. We're very much a family school and we know everyone and it's true I pride myself on getting to know every single child that's in my school and as many families as possible, and it's a really small thing, but I've got a birthday list and I will go and every day I'll go and find the pupils whose birthday it is and members of staff whose birthday it is, so that I know them and they know me. So that was something I did from day one. So I've got to make sure that I know everyone because we say we do and that's authentic because it's the relationships that are the key.
Speaker 2:You can have schools with massive swimming pools, tennis courts, squash courts, equestrian centers, all of this. But if the people aren't doing it right and if the relationships aren't there, then you're doing something wrong. So there's quite a lot of things wrapped up in all of that. People say, oh, you've got to remember you're a business. Well, yes, we are, but the business of education. So the front line of teaching, we need to make sure the resources are there, and that's always a challenge. But again, if teachers are learning and teachers are being learners, then that makes a massive difference because it's very nourishing and helps move us forward as an educational institution.
Speaker 3:I imagine as well. If you're building the kind of the culture you want, then people will reinvest in that culture with time and energy and they will you know, to use a cliche give the extra mile and all these other things.
Speaker 1:So when you're teaching Cochrane.
Speaker 3:They're wanting to give you more because they're getting. They've got the natural passion and desire because that's wider than the rule. They'll get even more out of it once they develop even further.
Speaker 2:Yeah, no, if they're enjoying their job, then the pupils will enjoy it, and I make sure I try and get as many activities as possible. We're a busy school, lots of things after school weekends, and I will try and go to a lot of these, not just to be seen, but actually because I really enjoy them. And I really enjoy seeing the pupils outside of their comfort zones very often, and a lot of our staff outside of the comfort zone too, because they're really growing and loving it.
Speaker 3:I've heard you mentioned the birthday list. I've heard of this before because I know one of your staff members who was talking about it and how impressed or proud she was about it, so can you tell our listeners about the birthday list initiative that you started from Dylan?
Speaker 2:Yeah, it's a very simple thing, like I want to know that. I mean in my first year it came as I want to make sure that I get to speak to every child in the school. So if they've got a birthday, then I will. I mean, I'm the weekend my first year. If I'm the weekend, I'm going to find them on Monday, and it was a great way to get me out of my office because you can be really stuck in your office. So my PA asked her can I get everyone's birthday? So she's amazing, april, she does a fantastic job of keeping me up to date, and then on top of that, so we're just going to fight. Oh, excuse me, I've gone to find pupils and just knocking the door. Now it's a little bit more organic. I won't always go. The primary ones love it, so I'll go and find them or anything like that.
Speaker 2:The second ones. I'm usually wandering around at lunchtime or a break or as they come into assembly and I say, oh, happy birthday today and it's really good luck Coating on an lovely day. But then for the staff, everyone gets a card from all of us at the schools, not just from me, it's from all of us because we're all part of the community. So it's quite a small thing, but I think it's an important thing because everyone needs to know that they're part of our community and I think that's really important. So, yeah, that's all it is.
Speaker 3:The fact that I've heard about it means that it's working or it has the positive impact intended, so definitely.
Speaker 2:But do you know, it's really a nice thing to do. Actually, it's one of my most enjoyable moments of my day, because you'll always get a nice smile from someone.
Speaker 3:So you can be able to have people wish you a happy birthday, though. That's the question.
Speaker 2:Yes, yes, my birthday is also several holidays, so it's my senior team will send me a message or something. So, but no, no, it's nice and I think it's important. We're all people and we all come to work and we need to know one another. Yeah, yeah, I love that.
Speaker 1:I could, like my son and daughter would be so excited if the teacher came around to you, or some happy birthday. Imagine what it's like for the P ones.
Speaker 2:The primary ones are really funny yeah.
Speaker 1:Love it. Do you miss the frontline teaching, andrew? So I know that I come from a family of educators and teacher chat is basically the only chat that I have to suffer. I suffer through, but yeah, I know that the role is obviously very different. I guess how do you deal with that sort of missing from the teaching? Well, do.
Speaker 2:You know the birthday list is a great thing because the thing I'm enjoying most about teaching was the interaction with pupils. So that enables that. But I also do a little bit of teaching still. So I do an hour in the nursery every week, I do half an hour with a primary choir and on a Friday after school I've got a fiddle and recording group that I work with. So these are things that, and it's all through music.
Speaker 2:I'm very lucky that my subjects music because it means I can do these types of things. So that gives me real nourishment. It's, it's my. You know. It can be really some of the most enjoyable time of a week where you just come in and all you're doing is teaching children and I'm working with them, so it doesn't matter what else is going on. It can be a really challenging situation is happening, but I've got to focus on teaching these children and that's a really good mental wellness for me and it also keeps me grounded because you can still have terrible lessons. You know it's very hard to get a perfect lesson, so that's, that's how we do it. And then, when it comes to school concerts and things and sometimes the head of music allows me to to play in the orchestra as well, which these are just really good things to do. And it's the response again from pupils and even parents.
Speaker 2:I remember that in my first year it was really hard to to serve. You know, get myself out there in my first year because we were still wearing masks, we were still doing physical distancing, we were still doing so much. And it was the Easter concert where restrictions had just changed so we were able to actually not wear face masks, we were able to have the concert with enough people in the room, but we still have lots of people catching. Covid and it was the enemy said oh, andrew, I've lost one of my science phone players from Jazz Band. Would you be able to play with them? I said oh, okay, right, okay, I haven't played science phone for a while. Get me an instrument and give me some music. So I had to practice that.
Speaker 2:And then, oh, were a few down in the choir. Could you sing? Yeah, sure, sure. Oh, the string orchestra's missing a fiddle. Could you do that? Yeah, sure, so. And then, of course, I had my fiddle group as well. So it was really funny, because until that point no one had seen me do anything. And it was the next day, it was some of the pupils and some of the parents were saying oh, my goodness me, you were like a jack in a box. One minute you were there. When you were there playing a science one, then you were singing and it was just, I was just being me, but they know who I was, and then that helped. So, yeah, I do find it hard sometimes not being in the classroom, but I do try and find ways to do it.
Speaker 1:Brilliant. What part do you play in the choir?
Speaker 2:I was just singing a tenor. I was singing tenor.
Speaker 1:Tenor Tenor. Okay, I'm based by. I recently stepped back from my community choir. The commitment became yeah, no cut it. And sure it was that mental wellness, mental wellbeing thing, but yeah, they got me in the committee and then the hobby turned into a chore and then the work commitments changed and it's like you know what something's going to give. Unfortunately, it's going to be the choir to allow the next season. Yeah.
Speaker 2:You need. These are things you need to enjoy and if they do become a chore, then you know these are the things that and this is why I say that I want teachers who are able to light that spark, because you know it's maybe you're an aquire now because of a music teacher from years ago and you're finally enjoying, and then you're getting into all this stuff, which isn't much fun, but these are things that make a difference and they can help you people in new areas and it's a great thing, a whole new generation.
Speaker 1:I was the youngest member of the choir, about two or three decades Andrew, my pal Charlie. I'm very fond of him and he's been texting me when I come in. I will go back after the summer. But I said I'm sitting down choir ready to start singing and I've got the committee coming asking me you've done the website, you've done the banners of my. This isn't why I was coming here.
Speaker 3:Yeah.
Speaker 1:Yeah, anyway, we'll give each other a break, I guess. Yeah, I was keen to ask around this sort of. I know that my wife it's St Kansas. She works in the state of sort of like high deprivation, so I guess the demographics would be a bit different. Like the behavioral issues in the classroom do you find that a lot of the senior management time is taken up with that kind of stuff at your school, or is it less so?
Speaker 2:It's definitely less so. I know we're very fortunate in our school that teachers are able to teach their subjects. We're not having to deal with high level behavior issues. You know children are children. They will misbehave, they will do silly things and that will happen and sometimes some can really push the boat too far and they will have to. You know parents will have to be brought in, they'll have to meet the rector, etc. But in general we're very fortunate that we don't have massive behavioral issues and the classroom is a place of learning and a 50 minute lesson is pretty much a 50 minute lesson of learning.
Speaker 1:Wow.
Speaker 2:And the beauty is, as a teacher, you've got that space to be able to go off-peast on a topic you don't. You know I'm to rush through the syllabus quite as much as you are when you're maybe waiting for 10 minutes to get class settled and then we Jesse decides to pop up and tell it to F off and someone else does this?
Speaker 2:You know, I, I I'm very, we're very lucky in that sense, but there are a lot of pressures for the staff. It's so funny because I think, I think teachers in the in the state sector look endlessly at the independent sector because, oh, you've got all these lovely things and all that. And then teachers in the state and the independent says oh, you've got all that. You know you, you don't have to do all these extras and whatever. And marking, it's not quite the same, it's the do you know what? Every one of us in a school has to work really hard and move all the way.
Speaker 2:We all get different challenges and we have to adapt to them. So it's it's one of these things that the state system is is under resourced, definitely. I think there's been far too much governmental tampering as well, across the country and not just Scotland. I think if, if they could make it an independent body that's led by teachers and educators who have a long-term view instead of trying to play politics with it, I think it would make a massive difference. And I mean we do try and partner with with our local schools.
Speaker 2:So in my first year, once I was able to get out and about and we weren't all masked and not allowed in places, I visited all my local primaries. I've got a really good relationship with my fellow head, john and Creief High School. You know we're in contact regularly and it's how can we work together. It's very much about collaboration and we're trying to create events a big STEM event in May, where it was the first time we did it last year with over 300 children coming from schools all over Persia to an event there. And in September we did the Scottish Schools Mountain Bike Championship and again over 300 competitors from 40 old schools across the country state and independent and we actually won an award for that from the Scottish Cycling, which was pretty pretty cool. But a team you know a team of my staff pulled this together and we'll be doing it again.
Speaker 2:So we're trying to make sure that we're finding ways to give back to community as well and be involved in collaborative projects. So we're always trying to make sure for me we've got to be part of our community. And also, how can we provide opportunities for children whose parents maybe can't afford to send their child to a school that might? How can we do it so that they can? So we're always trying to find ways to increase our bursary program and give those opportunities because they are life changing and there's no doubt a child at Morrison's is very privileged because of the opportunity that they have and the enriched learning and the friendships that they make and the love that they have for their school. It's amazing meeting former pupils who are such a big place in the heart for Morrison's Academy and it's trying to make sure that we're using that to make our community stronger and also to give back to our local community too.
Speaker 1:My sister. She works in an international school in Milan, and I think it would be fair to say that my wife and my sister are equally stressed for different reasons.
Speaker 2:Which school is it in Milan?
Speaker 1:Oh, she tells her all the time, Clearly not paying attention, but I don't know if she's was. She's like the PT of the young ones, so like the nursery and first or second year primary school. Yeah, it's lovely. I mean like I don't speak out of tired. I don't know what it's like for your teachers, but the end of year gifts are always surprising and the opportunities to go and yachts in the Riviera over the summer are very I'm always very envious of her.
Speaker 2:I'm not sure if those are the gifts that are coming. No, I must admit, because when we went to Tokyo, the other place we looked at was Italy. My wife and I it was either going to Japan or Italy. I've always got a soft base in my heart for Italy.
Speaker 1:So, like I said, I enjoy the food. Yeah, yeah. Speaking back again, Japan, I will bring the Star Wars at this point. Yeah, I'm keen to be in Japan next year, but for one reason and one reason only Star Wars celebration 2025. Since Tokyo, Commitments have been made to a seven year old boy.
Speaker 2:Oh, we've got a triangle so you've made a promise.
Speaker 1:Promises were made when we were in London to see a celebration there last year. Right, yeah, I'm keen. One more question around the Tokyo, like the culture shock yeah, I just said what was it like teaching like the kids out in Tokyo? Like, was there a big difference in the sort of the way they approached their learning? I guess there are some stereotypes around Asian families and sort of. Drive towards academia.
Speaker 2:Yeah, there was a makeshift. It was a British school, so it was a very much an international community. I think about 30% of our children were Japanese and Troubles was it. 40 odd percent were British and the rest were various internationals.
Speaker 2:And I mean, there was one young lad to remember who I think is a good example of some of the you know what you're talking about, the academic pressures. He came to us but on Saturdays and Sundays he went to a Japanese school and in holidays he went to Japanese school and he got new year off pretty much and that was about it. He was a great lad, but he was. He was being driven hard by his parents for academia because he wanted to get into the best universities. He wanted to be the best of this, best of that. That was the one I encountered, one like that.
Speaker 2:But I know that there is that there is a culture there of really, you know, pushing through, doing extra studies, doing extra revision, working hard till midnight, one in the morning doing your homework, very competitive, what I would say the British school it was. It was excellent. We followed the English curriculum and Definitely, like, there was a lot of young teachers who it was really funny I went from being one of the youngest well into I have the oldest in Tokyo in my school, and it was. It was amazing. I was a wise old man for some of them, which was crazy you know 35 Um, but it was. It was great because they were all learning, you know. They were all wanting to read about the latest research and try it in the class and I would have people walking in and out my lesson to observe and I would be allowed to walk in and out.
Speaker 2:There's had never encountered this before every door was always closed in my previous school, just because that's the way it was. So that was a rely opening in a positive way. Um so, yeah, it was very much an international, international way community.
Speaker 1:Tristan, what is?
Speaker 3:what is? This is a complete tangent. But what is your kind of perfect weekend? What would you be doing? What would it involve?
Speaker 2:Yeah, To know. Well, every weekend is just time away for time with my wife and my daughter. I actually I'm family and friends, so a perfect weekend. We'll be a Friday night, meeting up my best friend's William Gavin and Glasgow for a pizza and a drink. Get the late train home, do the wee bit of gym in the morning. Early in the morning, do the wee bit of gym and then, coming home, making a special coffee, having a cinnamon roll, and then take the dog for a walk with my wife and my daughter. Good for a nice lunch. Maybe go to the cinema on the Saturday night, maybe see a Star Wars movie or something similar.
Speaker 1:Please.
Speaker 2:Go to theater. It was great a couple weeks ago where NC James, a cast and my wife, my daughter and I and it's just these kind of social things I really love going to see in comedians and go to the theater, maybe seen a show or an opera and and Sunday, I suppose, would be having the time to sit and read. It was, do you know? It was funny. Every time at weekends I would also think I need to do something. I need to do something. And then COVID hit and I realized how important it was to I see, stop and how nice it was to read a paper in the garden and a sunny day. So, yeah, yeah, the variety of those kind of things really Would be perfect.
Speaker 1:Sounds place.
Speaker 3:Yeah, yeah, it's a, you know obviously referenced Earlier that Jeremy, I both share, share an ability to to make ourselves too busy and then so it is undervalued To find that balance and just, you know, I don't know if it'll be different for different people, but for me, you know, I think for a long time it was about kind of almost proving or validating Self-validation, that you know what I was doing was worthwhile, or my own personal value. Yeah, you know, always need to be doing something to show that I was, you know.
Speaker 2:Oh, You're right.
Speaker 2:Yeah you're absolutely right and I would say it's similar. It's similar work as well, and you know there's definitely this sort of thing that I'll go in a lot longer, work longer, a lot longer, and that'll prove that I'm really good. And I do remember I would be a weekend and I'm thinking I can't do nothing. I need to do something and, as you say, it's very much proving myself and For what I have realized in my deputy, david Morrison's, on a Friday We'll take turns going into one another's office and saying we're not the point, you're diminishing returns, it's time to go home because there is a point where you become less effective and you reach a point where maybe you're going to do a task.
Speaker 2:It'll take you maybe half an hour and you'll do it. I've written an average way, Whereas if you're fresh on Monday they'll tell you 10 minutes and you do it to a high standard. So you do the point of diminishing returns, and I think that has to be for life, in our own energy as well, and it's why it's really important to be able to just say it's alright to stop and do nothing, or it's not doing nothing, you're actually doing something, you're resting and you're recharging.
Speaker 1:And that's all I mean.
Speaker 2:In my role I'm not as frantically busy as I was when I was a director of music. I was running from one rehearsal to a lesson, to this to that to a concert. But in my role, the amount I have to deal with on a daily basis, actually the ability to to just switch off and and really just be present with my family, it's, it's worth a lot.
Speaker 1:So, yeah, I yeah, that was poignant. You need to hear that.
Speaker 3:Yeah, yeah, I think we can rule that all. Really, what's?
Speaker 1:there we can, tristan. Tristan, you're getting up for an all-night or tonight? Do you want to just leave it to tomorrow and be fresh faced in the morning?
Speaker 3:I'll stop after that advice I'll probably work till maybe 11 and then stop, because there is a certain thing you need to do.
Speaker 2:Yeah, try and get it to half 10.
Speaker 3:Yeah, yeah, there we go, that's a good compromise, I Kid. What? Is there any kind of Challenges or pivotal moments that you faced in your, your life or career that you know you look back on now and recognize a significant yeah, I would say so.
Speaker 2:Well, I talked about a couple of things earlier when I was in the bank Best mistake never made when I decided to apply for that job at your academy, thinking I wouldn't have a chance I Mean I would say that To. Two of my schools have left and I felt that things had changed. So I was very much set in my first school. I was there for ten years. I was very much set and thought you could be a job for life. But a lot of things changed in the serve above me in the school and and it really unsettled me.
Speaker 2:Actually, and I would say that that Made me realize it you can sit there and wallow in it and be miserable, or you can do something about it yourself. And I would say the same thing happened before I moved to Jersey. The life wasn't taking the direction I was expecting and Instead of just letting it rule you, you can actually take control and find a new opportunity. So I've been very fortunate that I've been taking those opportunities and made the most of them. So that way you took your. I made the most of that.
Speaker 2:Yes, you certainly made the most of that. I learned a lot, made some lovely friends, got the, got the joy of living in a phenomenal place five years of my life and great memories from a family, pivotal moments beyond that and I Suppose yeah, I think of what I talked with Scottish for Logistrate, again just getting that opportunity. And yeah, I'm sort of struggling to try and think I've made lots of mistakes I know that I make mistakes all the time Failed plenty and and it's it's finding those opportunities for growth actually and just, you know, by maybe getting a meeting wrong or getting a Saying the wrong thing and and you've got to try and recover. That I Do. I do genuinely believes everyone comes to work or no one comes to work to do a bad job. So I always because I always try and do my very best and, I think, the best of people so and I realize I've gone off, we've got a thousand here but I've been really fortunate in that things that have gone wrong and been able to grow from Things that seem bad at the time.
Speaker 2:I remember there was one point actually in Jersey we were creating a whole international project and then I was charged with this because I'm experiencing work in Japan. I worked in a boarding school and we wanted to do international programs and we had to get a governmental government agreement. In Jersey there's all Immigration, everything's gone through a lot of hoops. And then we were partnering with a homestay company who were coming out to Jersey and I, all of a sudden, I just fell apart and actually I'd sleepless nights. I was really worried and Actually we created something even better than this homestay company were able to provide From now.
Speaker 2:I mean that the person was really working hard. It was the engineering behind all. I was leading it, but he was the engineer. He just found so many great ways to make it even better and we actually had control of it and we weren't subcontracting someone. So that was a I was a really really good Lesson that you know sometimes things aren't just aren't meant to be and you can find a different way and it can actually be better. So, yeah, I Wonderful.
Speaker 1:Can I ask you a question around the moving to? So I guess, like you've got kids and whatnot, how did you find sort of moving from country to country or place to place and how did it affect the kids at the time?
Speaker 2:Yeah, so I've just got one daughter and she's now 20, so when we moved to Japan she was 4 and that was a really good time to move. Actually, you know children of that age, their life very much entered around the family, so wherever Mum and Dad are, you can make that work. She was 6 by the time we left, came back to Scotland and was able to work time with grandparents, aunts, uncles, friends, etc. Jersey was the hardest move. Actually, you would think Tokyo would have been the hardest move, but they were so slick. They had everything sorted. They were in international school. Every year they brought out new staff. It was really slick.
Speaker 2:Jersey was awful. It was a government school that I moved to Jersey College for Girls, but it was a fee paying government school. It was a different system to anything we've got here, but it was very much a key solve. Here's your allowance, here's a website, go for it. And it was probably one of the most stressful things and at one point in my move I thought I think I need to pull out. This is just not working, because it was just a really tough experience. There was no guidance, there was no support, so that was really hard and the biggest worry, I suppose, was from my daughter.
Speaker 2:So she was 13,. She was 13 and that was really hard for her because she was in a school where she'd been for 7 years. She had really close friends and we moved to an island where we knew nobody and that was her teenage years. But we did my wife and I we talked about it and we made sure that there was time for her and that we were always there for her. But a lot of children do move at that age. You know, you'll maybe move to a completely new school where you don't know many people. But I have to say my daughter was just amazing. It was hard and it was hard for her. You know, we were in beautiful days because she was missing friends and it was just me and my wife. But she made some great friends and she made the most of that. And then, when she finished school, we moved back to UK and most of our friends are Jersey friends now because they are the most formative friends in those teenage years. But she's a university now and again she's made good friends and she's been able to actually have these opportunities of change which I hope will keep her in good stead, because life is difficult and life is challenging and she has developed so much resilience and so much ability to meet new people and she's not gregarious and outgoing I mean she's very much an introvert but my goodness, she's a good friend for her friends and she makes really good friendships. So, yeah, that was probably the biggest challenge of the move completely and the biggest worry, and we still moved back in.
Speaker 2:My wife and I think oh crumbs, you know that's hard but it's okay. I think that these days were a wee bit worried sometimes to make her. We want to make her child's life easier. We love them, so we want to make it easier. But actually how are they going to cope when life throws them something out of the left field? It's so hard if we haven't given them these opportunities to face a challenge and grow through it. I think we've got to make sure that sometimes it's okay for our children to fail at something and let them fail, because they need to learn how to actually cope with that, because it's not easy.
Speaker 1:Yeah, again, this might be the episode time darling. You need to listen to this one specifically. These are very targeted questions, really no they are. I'm getting the answers that I was hoping to get to you with Andrew. Thank you very much. You're welcome. No, listen, we'll. I would agree that we want to the door the kids to suffer about the same time. We need to be well-rounded people with. Adversity builds character, so we don't want to put too much. I'm certainly the let them try and if he falls, he'll be okay.
Speaker 2:We would never set them up to fail absolutely not. We set them up to succeed, but sometimes setting a child up to succeed, they need to actually realise the struggle that they've got to go through. It's something that I say at school and the pupils get hit up with me saying that it's about life starts at the end of your comfort zone, if all you're ever in is your comfort zone. If humans had only ever stayed in the comfort zone, we'd still be in a cave and pretty hungry, you know. So yeah.
Speaker 1:Awesome. So you're pretty well embedded where you are now, andrew, but what are future goals and future plans look like for?
Speaker 2:you Future goals. Well, I'm the custodian of a great organisation and a school that's central to its community, so my goal is to make sure that this school's here. It's been here for around 64 years, make sure it's there from other end of 64. There's a lot of challenges in all schools, but then, depending on the sector at the moment, there's a lot of political challenges and societal challenges where we're there to be shot at. I think you've definitely got people having an impression of what an independent school is, but actually all of us in education are just trying to make children grow and make the world a better place. That's our purpose and in regards to what sector you're in.
Speaker 2:So for me, the goals I would like to be a little bit more involved as a trustee or a governor of a charity. I do want to give back and a lot of what I've learned through my life and in my current role, I've got an awful lot of skills and knowledge there that I think could benefit. So for me, that's one of my key things. I'm looking to see if I can become a governor or a trustee of some charities. I'm a trustee of Creative Creek, which is a local charity, but I would like to do something with a more national charity as well, so that for me, would be a real growth.
Speaker 2:I would like to go back to a bit more music if I can. I'd love to do a bit more conducting again, but again it's the timing commitment. So I've got to be very careful because my core role is my main function is being a leader of Morrison's Academy and also being a good husband and father, so those are the most important things that I have. Do you know? I've not ruled out an international adventure again at some point, but that's quite a long time away.
Speaker 3:There's a lot of water to go into the bridge before then, is there any target countries in whatever time frame, in ten years time? Is there someone? You'd like to go. He mentioned Italy before.
Speaker 2:Yeah, it would probably be Italy. You know, some are European. The thing I like about Italy is it's foreign, but it's still western. Tokyo was great because it was very foreign but you could still get a good quality education, good quality healthcare, good quality shops. So it was a really different culture, but it's great just embracing a new culture and it's just an amazing thing to be able to do so. Yeah, maybe ten years time are we three or four years leading an international school in Rome or Milan or somewhere like that? But we've got a bit of time for that though.
Speaker 3:We have a question we normally ask about. It's not this one, jeremy, it's the other one what advice would you give someone starting out in your field? But I feel it's maybe more appropriate to ask you what advice you give to pupils that are leaving your care as morasonians and starting their journey post-education or post-secondary education.
Speaker 2:My advice is to embrace opportunity. Don't run from it. It might be scary, but that's okay. I think of the things that scared me in my life and actually it's amazing the opportunities that I've had, from when I was standing in the tunnel waiting to go out to sing on live television in front of six, four thousand people. I was standing there thinking, oh my goodness, what have I done? What have I done? And actually I was singing through flowers calling in my head and I suddenly forgot the words for the second verse in my head oh no, oh no.
Speaker 2:So I'm quickly in there writing a few words in my hand and basically, when I was standing on the pitch about to go out, the Japanese girl sang. She was amazing, she was this big superstar from Japan. And there's me, andrew, and it's about to take flight of Scotland. But on the television when I watched it back when I came home, you see me just before they announced my name, andrew Mikagawa-san.
Speaker 2:You know, just before they say that you see me actually just quickly look at my hand into the mind of the words, and so I absolutely embrace every opportunity. But actually I'm just be kind. I think I do say that every single person has a wee battle going on and if all we can do is be kind to everyone, then the world should be better.
Speaker 2:So embrace opportunities to be kind, because I do think we all want what's best and you've got to realise that there's always two sides to every story and you've got to appreciate that other people can be challenged and you're there to help them if you can, and to collaborate with others. To you know, just make things better. We've got. We've got to. The world is such a tough place just now. I say one piece of advice don't watch the news too much.
Speaker 1:It's not good for your head it really isn't.
Speaker 2:You've got to be aware of the news, of course, but if all you do is scroll and scroll and scroll and do it and scroll, yeah. So really I think, just to reiterate embrace every opportunity, because you never know what can come from it. I've been so fortunate with the opportunities I've had, the friends I've made that I'm still in touch with from all over the world, because I haven't thought, oh, that's too scary. I've just thought, okay, how it goes to you, it happens.
Speaker 1:I can feel the channel in Peltic, the prospect of 64,000 people. Yeah, that is quite some crowd and with that, just to do you want to close us out.
Speaker 3:Yeah, of course, jeremy, we'll just thank you. Thank you so much, andrew. It never ceases to amaze me how quickly time goes when we're speaking to our guests, because you know, like I said, our motivation is to find out kind of a bit about people's journey. Everyone's got an interesting story to tell, whether they realise it or not, and it's been a pleasure to hear here yours. I hope we can continue to learn more, hear more and keep in touch, and thank you so much for giving up your time this evening.
Speaker 2:No, thanks Tristan. Thanks Jeremy, I've really enjoyed that. I hope I haven't walked too much.
Speaker 3:No, don't no, I've really enjoyed it.
Speaker 2:Thank you.
Speaker 3:Thank you so much and to our listeners. We'll be back next week with another episode. Bye for now.
