Described as a true champion of girls' education', Michael Tippett has been appointed as the new Head of Newcastle High School for Girls (NHSG) by the Girls' Day School Trust.
Following his selection for the top job after a rigorous process, Michael will take up the role formally in September. He will be the first male Head teacher in the 140-year history of the school and its predecessor schools, Central High and Church High.
Michael, 47, who is originally from Plymouth, studied Classics at Oxford University. After teaching in Greece and completing his PGCE at Queen’s College Cambridge, he took up a post as Classics Teacher at the former Central Newcastle High School.
With 16 years’ experience in senior management roles, Michael was instrumental in the strategic leadership of Central High and was appointed as Senior Deputy Head of NHSG when it was formed in 2014, following the merger of Central High and Church High. He has played a key role in setting the strategic direction for the new school, formulating its ethos and culture, and maintained his responsibility for pastoral care and pupils’ personal development. The result has been the creation of a school community where outstanding pastoral support is a central pillar and where girls are able to explore their individuality and feel valued for being themselves.
We ask Michael more about his new role and plans for the school.
How do you feel about being the first man to lead Newcastle High School for Girls?
I am tremendously proud to be the first male Head of Newcastle High. There is a healthy precedent of male Heads at other schools within the Girls’ Day School Trust and I am delighted to follow this lead by being the first at Newcastle High. I also feel the time is right in education, as in all walks of life, we need more men championing gender equality. Men make up 50% of the population and we need to demand equality for the other 50%; equality means equality.
What are you most looking forward to in your new role?
I am looking forward to continuing to work with staff, girls, parents and the wider school community to shape the school and the educational experience it delivers for the benefit of the girls now and into the future. I am also excited by the prospect of working more closely with my colleagues from the Girls’ Day School Trust to deliver stimulating educational experiences for girls across the UK in a supportive and dynamic teaching environment.
What changes do you intend for NHSG in the short, medium and long term?
It is very much business as usual at Newcastle High. One of the huge benefits of me being an internal appointment is that I know the school, and the school and the wider community know me. As a member of the senior leadership team that founded Newcastle High, I was focused on shaping the ethos and culture of the school as well as setting its strategic direction. I am now looking forward to continuing the hard work and significant impact made by the teaching and support staff since the formation of NHSG in 2014.
Where do you see NHSG in five year’s time?
In five years’ time, I envisage a stronger, more consolidated Newcastle High, one performing extremely well academically and in all external measures such as league tables. Although league tables don’t adequately reflect the added value girls gain from being at NHSG, we will work to ensure that our results continue to be among the best in the region.
NHSG moved into an award-winning building in 2016, any plans for more additions to the school?
We are extremely fortunate to have outstanding buildings at both our Junior and Senior schools. Our Junior School setting is unique and enjoys fantastic outdoor learning spaces and our Senior School has just been awarded the Lord Mayor’s Award for building and design. We are now entering a period of consolidation and will continue to ensure our facilities offer the very best learning environment for girls so that our spaces and resources, combined with excellent teaching, provide the best possible educational experience.
What are the challenges facing girls’ education in the north-east and how will NHSG deal with them?
The fact that we are a single sex school for girls is one of our greatest strengths, with the educational experience we offer uniquely tailored to the needs of girls. In the current climate where gender equality is still being fought for, there is a crucial role for a school such as NHSG to give girls the strength, skills and confidence to challenge inequality wherever they encounter it. In that respect being girls only” is something we are very proud of and it is something which will help us deal with other challenges as they arise. Many of these challenges relate to the changing educational landscape, with the new qualifications at GCSE and A Level still bedding in: our curriculum is broad and balanced and will need to be continually reviewed to ensure we are offering the girls the best possible preparation not just for these new qualifications, but also for life.