Three long-serving members of staff at Marling School in Stroud will say their final farewells to colleagues and students today, on the last day of school term.
Nicky McDonald, Mark Nicholson and Frank Gann have a combined 85 years of service and told Stroud Times about their memories of life at school.
Office Manager and Operations Manager Nicky McDonald explained her role: “It’s about making sure everything is running smoothly under the surface so that teachers and staff can do their job. It’s all those things that keep the school ticking over that isn’t in the classroom.”
Nicky has spent most of her working life at Marling: “I came when my children were at primary school. I did a little bit of retail work before that, but I’ve done 35 years here.”
What makes the job special? “It’s the students, it’s the feeling of friendship and the commitment to each other, to support each other, particularly in my admin team. We’ve been through a lot together and it’s really important that you’re a team.
“The students are great – every now and again, you get a hiccup – but I don’t think we realise sometimes how lucky we are with the sorts of students that we deal with every day, they’re fantastic.”
What changes has she seen during her career? “The environment and children have changed, particularly with the introduction of the Internet and social media. I think children are ‘grown up’ sooner than they would have been years ago, they’re living in a different world now.”
One of the highlights of Nicky’s career was a school trip to China: “I was very lucky to be involved in a lot of school trips, and we went to China 12 or 13 years ago and took, I think, over 40 children. I was involved with D of E, that was something I really enjoyed.
“It’s getting stuck in for me, it’s that being able to be involved in things. I’ve done so much.”
Nicky now plans to spend more time to paint and work on her craft projects: “I have a little craft caravan at home. which I like to spend time in. So that’s what I’m hoping to do is perhaps develop that a little bit or just continue to do it as a hobby.”
Former Head of PE Mark Nicholson, also a former winger for Gloucester RFC, leaves after 29 years at Marling: “I was going to leave in three years’ time. Unfortunately, I’ve had some health issues, and it seemed about the right time now.”
Mark’s career began in the Royal Navy before training as a teacher at university. His career began at Newent Community School where he worked for three years before joining Marling.
“I just thought ‘this is what I want to do’. I remember, on a warm summer’s day like this, standing on the playing fields, seeing May Hill, the smell of grass and I thought, ‘do you know what, I’m being paid to do the best job in the world’.”
What makes Marling special? “It’s the students first, they are absolutely brilliant. It’s also it’s the staff, it’s the people. It’s like they say, a church is not just the building, it’s the people inside. That’s the same with the school. We’ve got great staff here, really hard working, enthusiastic, professional, and the students gain from it. That’s why you’ll find so many staff have stayed here for so long, because you just don’t want to go. We’ve got a community feel, which is great.”
What have been the standout moments of Mark’s career? “It’s literally seeing the success of individual students from a sporting perspective and what they’ve achieved. Also, the teams that I’ve been involved with that have gone on to great success, whether that be our back-to-back winning of the County Under-18s Football Cup or back in 2008, I can’t believe I’m saying this, we got to the national semi-final of the Rugby Cup.
“Seeing individuals get international honours, standing proudly on the touchline or in the stands with their parents. It’s not about us, we’re just part of a small cog and I think the biggest buzz is when students come back and they want to come and talk to you and they say hello to you.
“More recently – which is why possibly it’s time to move on – at a parents’ evening, sitting with a student whose parent I taught and they’re not sure how to address me when they actually sit down!
“Working with colleagues who I’ve actually taken through teacher training who are ex-students of mine – that’s the buzz – seeing all the success that we’ve been part of. And it is a humbling job. I think it’s the best job in the world. And it’s a shame I’ve got to leave.
“If you talk to any member of staff who’s been here a long while, when you leave you take a bit of the school with you.
“As long as I’m remembered for the right things, then that’s fine. I’ve got no qualms. It’s been a great place. Anyone else who wants to teach, I would say get into teaching and Marling’s not a bad place to start.”
German and French teacher Frank Gann leaves after 21 years’ service, previously teaching at secondary schools in Chippenham and Malmesbury. He has also been sixth form tutor; head of year; lead tutor for higher education and competitive admissions and has supported students with UCAS applications, former leader of the school Eco group, and a former trades union representative for the National Education Union.
One of the highlights of his career was a 30th anniversary exchange trip with a school in Munich, the Wilhelm Hausenstein Gymnasium, with students from Marling and Stroud High School hosting the German students.
“I organised a 30th anniversary celebration in 2014 with the guy in Munich who was the main lead there. We had lots of things going on – we were in Stratford Park for a big do with some councillors – I think the mayor came – and some people from the Goethe Institute in London. We did lots of celebratory things that week.
“I’ve got a colleague who’s taken the Munich exchange on now, so that’s really great.”
Frank is also proud of the environmental projects he’s been involved with, such as the one in 2011: “Working with some sixth formers on environmental campaigns, we had we started paper recycling in the school and we did the school travel plan, which got us a bike shelter.
“One of those sixth formers went on to win a competition, which made him International Climate Change Champion and we were invited up to Houses of Parliament to meet the MP and we went to Barclays and met the CEO – exciting times.
“I’ve been on phased retirement over the last five years, so gradually reducing my hours so I’ve had time for my hobbies, so it will be more of the same really – cycling, walking, I’ve got an allotment, so growing fruit and veg, and yoga. I’ve got grandchildren, so I’ve got a lot of things to do.”
