Spread Like (Shrinking) Jelly

Our Lord and Saviour, the Head, seems to be going the way of George Osborne when it comes to jobs (and let's hope he doesn't end up editing the Trash). According to his LinkedIn page, as well as the many assemblies he has chaired over the years boasting his many conquests, being Headteacher of Hampstead is just one of a miasma of jobs.

As we have already reported, Jacques has the wonderful pleasure of disappointing other schools as an Ofsted inspector. He is also the chair of the London Heads Steering Group of the Specialist Schools and Academies Trust (SSAT) and has been involved in the Association of School and College Leaders (ASCL) as a Council Member, Executive Committee Member, Chair of the Pay & Conditions Committee and, most recently, Chair of the Curriculum Committee.

The fun doesn't stop there - Jacques also finds time to apparently be a fellow at the Royal Society of Arts, which seems odd since he has shown all the artfulness in the past few years of an AT-AT walker. In fact, as a physics teacher by trade (although the last time he taught science seems to be 1999), he couldn't be further from the arts; the systematic quashing of any creativity or individuality at Hampstead, as well as the numerous extra-curricular activities that promoted creative learning, stand testament to this.

Then again, the Head's LinkedIn profile may be, naturally, a little inflated beyond reality. Not only does he list things he is good at as "School Improvement", "Curriculum Development" and, confusingly, "classroom", he apparently also has "professional working proficiency" French, which seems hard to believe since anyone who has taken French at Hampstead has never heard him say more than 'Bonjour' as he sticks his head round the door.

That said, if what his profile and past experience says is true, it is a wonder how Jacques could do so many things, be spread across so many time-consuming things, and still be able to competently manage a school...


P.S. His LinkedIn profile also lists "Causes Jacques cares about: Civil Rights and Social Action, Education, Politics, Science and Technology, Social Services". Civil Rights and Social Action, oh the irony.