| Description | Track 1[00:29:30][Session One: 9 August 2018] John Parry [JP], born Newport, 1938. Mentions father’s work in Newport steel works, previously a miner in Tredegar. Mentions mother was a dinner lady in a local church primary school. Mentions having a younger sister and the local Church of Wales School in Malpas. Remarks that parents were non-conformists. Remarks passing the eleven plus exam to go to St. Juliens grammar school in Newport. Comments on St. Juliens Grammar school: the distance away from home, 500 plus all boys’ school. Comments on career advice at St. Juliens was lacking and ending up in the wrong vocation as a transmission technician trainee engineer with the telephone and cable company in Newport. Remarks achieved nine General Certificate in Education – “ordinary” level ( GCE “O” level) results and keen to be a teacher. Mentions in 1950s National Service was compulsory before going into teaching. Describes his National Service at Pembroke dock with influence of educational officer helping with “A” level studies. Comments on doing his teacher training at Monmouthshire Teaching College, Caerleon, qualifying as a teacher in 1961. Describes first teaching job at Bell Vue Secondary School, Newport. Comments on interest in students with behavioural challenges during these three years at Bell Vue Secondary school which lead to having a year’s secondment to do a diploma in educational psychology. [00:06:03] Comments on re-organisation of grammar and secondary modern schools in the early 1960s. Comments on promotion to Croesyceiliog County secondary school, Cwmbran, describes working as a history teacher at Croesyceiliog County Secondary School and comments on how different this secondary school was run. Comments on attaining his History degree at this time. [00:07:21] Describes his teaching attributes. [00:07:58] Describes the running of Croesyceiliog County Secondary School and the streaming of student admissions. Story of the lack of understanding of where children had come from in their junior schools and remarks that a closer working relationship was needed. Mentions the Raising of School Leavers age (ROSLA) introduced 1st Sept 1972, meant many more students in schools. Describes the negative effects of amalgamating the old grammar schools and secondary schools into a comprehensive school. Mentions losing his job status in 1969/70 during the restructuring of comprehensive schools. Mentions big senior jobs becoming available. [00:11:57] Comments on his appointment as Head of the Rhymney High School, lower school, Cardiff where he was involved with the set up of banding pupils. Comments on the re-structuring of schools at this time was untested and experimental. [00:13:24] Describes his move to Dwr y Felin school, Neath in 1976 as a deputy head, as it had a sixth form. Remarks that West Glamorgan had gone “Comprehensive” in 1973. Mentions that there were 2000 pupils at Dwr Y Felin school (an amalgamation of two former grammar schools and four secondary higher schools in that catchment). [00:14:24} Describes move to Head of Tonyrefail School, Cwmbran, three years later and experiencing a school set up and challenges similar to that of Dwr y Felin school. [00:15:01] Describes contacting Prof Pritchard, Swansea University (SU) in June 1976, to set up a part time MA in education studies course that would further investigate working practises in comprehensive schools. Mentions meeting with Professor Pritchard and Harold Rothera to set up part time MA in Education Studies. [0:17:05] Remarks on recognising a void in how to organise a comprehensive school. Mentions progressive heads, Rhodes Boyson developing the comprehensive idea and some work into education was being carried out in London by Caroline Benn, especially on the groupings or banding of children. Describes the MA in Education Studies course structure involving topics on the history of education and the 1870 Act on Welsh Education, sociology mainly culture and group dynamics, the importance of the involvement of pastoral ideas in the comprehensive system and being able to discuss this with heads from across Wales. [0:20:19] Describes MA in Education Studies being held at Hendrefoilan campus, Swansea. Describes the quiet site, remarks that Dr Button was tutor. [00:24:33] Remarks that the MA in Education Studies course became important in spreading the word about the development in the education system and how that was being carried out in Wales, SU was getting the kudos. [00:25:35] Describes the course timetable, with guest lecturers invited to speak. Comments on 4 people were supervised by Dr Button (Sociology) and other topics included some psychology and learning development aspects to course. Describes the course as being mainly essay based and assessment by eight two hour exams at the end of the second year and a dissertation.
Track 2 [00:28:44] [Session One: 9 August 2018] Describes structure of MA in Educational Studies classes: 1 to 1 tutorials with Dr Button, with guest lecturers making appearances for subjects within their expertise. Remarks that Howel (?) [Harold] Rothera (Head of the Post Graduate Certificate in Education- PGCE program) would speak too. Mentions examinations after the first year. Humorous discussion of Head teachers needing to pass exams. Remarks on having 5 years to complete a dissertation in a linked subject. Description of JP’s dissertation topic which focused on how to get comprehensive schools established. [00:04:06] Comments on eight Head teachers/ deputy heads enrolled on this MA in education course at SU in 1970s. Comments MA in education course was theoretical and could have had a more practical bias. Mentions that it was important to be aware of adolescent development, important to measure and group children in a defensible way. [00:06:35] Story about the impossibilities regarding logistics and practicality of streaming 320 plus children into 12 classes. [00:09:59] Describes the positive changes in teacher training and how the new teachers today are more able to contribute to teacher development. [00:10:26] Story of JP’s teacher training tutor (65 year old) at Monmouthshire training college whose experience of schools were “Edwardian” and its failure in relating to a more modern classroom. Comments critically on MA in education course being retrospective. [00:12:23] Discusses how post-graduate study is overwhelming. [00:12:47] Comments on the logistics of producing a thesis before computers, SU provided no administrative help. Mentions that SU didn’t even have a photocopier and mentions Gustetner machines were used. [00:14:39] Describes the impact the MA and busy working career has had on his health and family. Describes that he was focused and completed his MA in educational studies for his academic merits. [00:16:14] Describes the benefits the MA educational studies course at SU had on him and subsequently for the schools in Wales. Describes a number of notable heads from schools at Bishop Gore, Aberaeron, Tonyrefail and Rhymney that qualified between 1975-1980. Remarks on SU developing a symbiotic relationship between itself and these Heads. Mentions MA Educational Studies course at SU being out in front of other universities at this time. [00:20:32] Describes latter part of career: retirement from Tonyrefail School in 2000 and receiving OBE from Queen. [00:21:21] Humorous story about retirement. Remarks on being an Inspector of Headteachers in Wales until 2008/9. Comments that since 2013 has been a Governor at Dwr Y Felin School. Comments on the change in school structure over his career since 1961. Remarks that staff are more aware of pupil development today and how education has improved immensely since 1961. [00:27:06] Amusing story taking a PE class and the lack of health and safety. Mentions closer relationship between teachers and with pupils today which is to the benefit of all. |