Mr R P Thornton
-
Member of Education Committee
- Member of Appointments Committee
Bob attended school in Dublin and London before reading for a BA (Hons) in French and English at London University.
He spent three years as an airman in the RAF and another three in various occupations before deciding he wanted to be a school teacher.
Bob was appointed to his first headship in 1986 of a catholic comprehensive school in Bristol where he remained until 2004. During his 18 years in this post he was asked on several occasions if he would seek permission from his governors to be seconded as temporary head teacher to a number of secondary schools in Bristol that for various reasons were experiencing some difficulties. When he resigned his substantive post in 2004, he was invited by the Director of Education for Bristol to take on the leadership of Withywood School which was designated to become the Merchants' Academy in new buildings in September 2008.
Bob retired in August 2008, a few months before his 65th birthday but after 13 months of ‘retirement' he was engaged by Oldham Education Authority to do some school leadership development and support in that part of the world. He was all ready to return to Somerset in July 2010 when he was again approached by Oldham to undertake a new project, this time to step into the role of ‘interim head teacher' in a co-educational 11-18 comprehensive school with over 1200 on roll.
Bob is not too certain how long this venture will last but hopes not to be absent from Somerset for too long. He has been a governor in a number of secondary and primary schools including one of Bristol's oldest independent schools.
He is a very keen rugby fan and also enjoys fishing, travelling and walking. He is married to Veronica and has a daughter Claire who went to school in Wells.
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