Interview with Mr Hughes
Thank you for meeting with us. We have a few questions for you.
How many schools have you worked at?
I have worked at five different schools, and I’m hoping this is going to be my last. I like it here and hope to stay at Haute Vallee until I retire.
How long have you had a teacher, head teacher career?
So, I’m probably going to give my age away now, but I’m very, very old. So, I have been working in education for over 30 years. Okay, so that’s a long time, isn’t it?
What inspired you to be a teacher?
That’s a good question. After I’d finished my degree, I wanted to be a computer programmer, because my degree was in maths and computing, and one of my friends, Jim, had just applied to be a teacher. Teaching was something that I had never considered before, and I researched a little bit into it, and found there was a course in Aberystwyth University which offered teaching through the medium of Welsh. Since Welsh is my first language, and I hadn’t spoken Welsh for a long time. I thought it was quite interesting and put in an application. I didn’t think anything would come of it. One day, I was contacted and asked to attend an interview. I took the interview, started the course, started some teaching and I thought, oh, actually, quite enjoy this. And that’s how it all it started. Thanks to my friend Jim.
So how long have you worked at Haute Vallee?
I joined Haute Vallee School in January 2018
So what are we now? January, 2025
No January 2026. 8 years? Is that right, and I am supposed to be the Maths Teacher?
If a student wanted to be a teacher in their career, what would your advice be?
I think my advice to them would be, whatever career you want to go into, follow a path that you think you are going to enjoy and really do your best to try and get into that career, profession, or job. I think enjoyment and happiness should come first and this will bring with it the motivation that you need to be successful. Irrespective of what that job is.
When you were younger, did you enjoy going to school? If so, what was your favourite subject?
Yes, I did. I know I may be getting old, but I can remember my primary school, which I really enjoyed, had a really good set of friends in my primary school and we used to play a lot of sport. I also remember my time in secondary school. My favourite subjects were maths, science, computer studies and PE I used to play a lot of rugby when I was younger and fitter and slimmer, and those are the things I enjoyed.
Okay, can you please tell us about the other job that you have been doing for some time?
Of course. In February last year, I had another job working for the Education Department. The job was called “Policy Advisor”. This meant that I was working for the Education Department four days a week and then working in HV one day a week. That’s probably why you didn’t see very much of me. I was working with a gentleman called Mr John Baudains, Head Teacher from La Moye Primary School. Mr B and I were asked to carry out a project to look at how the Education Department could work differently to work more closely with schools. That project finished in December, and that’s why I’m back now in HV for most of the time. I am still being asked to do a little bit of work for the Education Department, for one day a week. That is where I’m going after this meeting. It’s only a short walk down the hill.
Have you seen any changes from the work you were doing with the Education Department?
That’s a good question. I’ve seen there have been some changes, but some of the recommendations that we are making haven’t yet been shared with everybody. So, we’re looking forward, and, by the end of January, beginning of February, we’ll share all the work that we have been doing, and positive changes will follow that will make a difference to all schools in Jersey.
Okay, where else did you say you worked before Haute Vallee?
My last job was at Hautlieu School, Jersey. I worked in Hautlieu for 17 years. I started there as Director of Information Technology and an IT and Maths Teacher. After some time, I became Assistant Head Teacher, then Deputy Head Teacher, and then obviously, I came here because I wanted to see if I could make a positive difference to the education of the young people who attend our amazing school.
With the different schools you’ve been at is there anything that really stands out to you that is special or different?
Wow, another good question. I think schools are very similar and very different in different ways. What I really like about our school is the character and diversity of our students is really strong. As I mentioned earlier, many of us are from different backgrounds and have different experiences and I think this makes a good mix for learning. Having different people who can speak different languages, who come from different backgrounds, I think that really gives a strength to the school. I like to see the students who have really strong relationships, good friendship groups, students laughing, students making noise because they’re excited and chasing each other and having a laugh. I am really proud of how our students have done academically over the last few years. Our students, when they leave in Year 11, do really well with so many of them moving on to their chosen pathways and I am really proud of that. I’m really proud too of the staff team here and I realised when spending a lot of time at the Education Department that I missed spending time with all the 800 people that we have in our school. I’ve really missed seeing all the people, all the staff and all the students.
Okay, what was your favourite job?
I think my favourite job was my first job as a teacher, and I was teaching Maths through the medium of Welsh in a school called Aberteifi which is translated, to Cardigan Secondary School. That was my first job and learning how to be a teacher was exciting and enjoyable. But then as you get older, then your jobs change, you have different responsibilities, and it gets a bit more complicated, still enjoyable, but in different ways.
So, because you said your favourite job is as a teacher, would you prefer to work in the classroom more?
I think the answer sometimes is yes, it would be nice to be able to enjoy being in the classroom more, but I also feel that being a Headteacher brings some special rewards with it. For example, when you see your Year 11 in their leaver ceremony, and you see all of the students who have changed over the last five years, and you see them getting ready to go on to further education or employment, and you see them becoming young adults, that is really rewarding, and makes me so proud of what we have achieved as a school.
Anything else?
How do you see Haute Valee in 10 Years time?
I hope that Haute Vallee school will continue to be a place where young people come to school to learn and grow and achieve their potential. Where young people can believe in themselves and others, that they can change the world to be a better place and most importantly a place where we support young people who can care, not just for themselves, but other people around them and the wider community.
A question for the students now….
What things do you think we need to do in the future? If you were able, what changes would you like to see made in our school?
Maybe even more extra curricular activities, not so much competitive activities but where you can go and do things that you purely enjoy. Back to Mr Hughes:
What was your favourite school to teach at?
To be honest, I am not sure. I think they all bring different things, you know? For example, when I was in Wales, I really enjoyed teaching rugby as well. I was employed as a Maths Teacher but ended up doing some PE lessons and I really enjoyed that. Taking advantage of the opportunities that come, even though a bit scary at times really can surprise you. At Hautlieu, I introduced professional qualifications that were taught to students who had completed their A Level in IT a year early. This was very interesting and also gave students employment opportunities that I had not considered. I don’t think I have a favourite, if I’m honest. I think that all the schools that I have worked within have good and not so good elements, but I have very fond memories of them all
Thank you.
