We are delighted to welcome Mr Gracie to the BGS community, who started his role as our new Deputy Head of Student Engagement and Welfare at the beginning of the Spring Term.
Mr Gracie joins us from Bedford School, where he most recently served as Assistant Head Pastoral. As a committed member of the Senior Leadership Team and a Geography specialist, Mr Gracie will work alongside the pastoral teams across the school.
The Edit sat down with Mr Gracie to find out a bit more about his background.
What attracted you to the role at BGS?
I have met a number of BGS pupils through my time working at Bedford School and was always struck by their ability to engage others and act on big ideas. I have been impressed many times when encountering them through joint PSHE lessons or planning events between the schools, and my overlap with a number of staff at BGS through the years always affirmed that this is clearly a school living by its aims. Basically, I wanted to be a part of the mission to develop Bold, Imaginative and Reflective young people.
Can you tell us a bit about your educational, professional, and teaching background?
I have always been passionate about sport and a Geography nerd. I played a lot of Rugby when I was younger and studied a Geography and Sports Science degree at Loughborough University. When I started there, I had no idea what I wanted to do, but I knew the one thing I would never be was a teacher! I then got involved with a charity coaching Rugby in schools in difficult areas around Leicestershire called BOOST, and the experiences of doing that and then assisting some Rugby development officers in the Caribbean changed my mind completely about the power of teaching to give young people positive experiences and help them fulfill potential. From there, I went to work as a Gap Graduate at Sedbergh School’s Junior School and realised classroom teaching and Geography were what really gave me the buzz. After three years there, I was lucky enough to be given a job at Bedford School where I taught Geography and was a boarding Housemaster for most of the time. After living with teenagers for a decade, I progressed into my first management role there with a responsibility for pastoral care and safeguarding, which I have found to be an enormous privilege, and I feel really lucky to be extending myself with a new challenge at BGS.
What are you looking forward to contributing to your role as Deputy Head of Student Engagement and Welfare?
I am excited about promoting the voice of the students, who already influence so much of what we do. I have already encountered some members of the Girls’ Leadership Group (GLG) and have been impressed by the openness of students in helping me understand their journey. A recent video from some of the students connected to the Diversity and Inclusion Group about their experiences in school and how we can evolve to be the most inclusive school we can, was very powerful. It seems to me that there are superb staff at BGS who are really committed to the students’ welfare as well, and I am looking forward to working alongside them to ensure every student at BGS has the conditions to thrive.
How did you develop a love of Geography?
Since a young age, I have loved maps and flags. They stimulate wonder and questions and help us connect with places we otherwise wouldn’t have as part of our consciousness. Understanding more about different places and experiences helps us be more thoughtful and open-minded people. I also think we are inherently place-tied in our identity as human beings. This can bring us security, comfort, and passion but can also lead to conflict, so the story of what places mean underpins our understanding of who we are. As a teacher, I love the fact that what we see and read every day exemplifies what we study, and saying to A level and IB students that the case studies they write about in their exams may well be things that haven’t yet happened is an exciting realm to be in.
What do you like to do in your spare time?
I enjoy spending time with my family and walking our dog Cooper, who is a Labernese that is now in his second decade. We’re also quite into different board and card games, though it is rare that I ever win these! I have always been a keen runner and try to keep this a regular habit. I find getting out in the lovely countryside around me is so good for my mental as well as physical health. I enjoy reading and trying to stay up-to-date about leadership and fulfilling potential and education. An unusual hobby I currently have is playing Pokémon cards competitively; it's a really inclusive and fun game to participate in!
Finally, if you could recommend one book, what would it be and why?
One plug would be When Girls Fall Out, which a lot of staff have read at BGS and links to the Girls on Board approach we are developing. It describes excellently for adults the complexities of social interactions between adolescent girls and how we can equip them with the skills to own and resolve challenges in friendships. One book I found really stimulating in the last year was The Gender Bias by Dr Sabrina Cohen-Hatton, who is one of the UK’s most influential fire chiefs. It discusses overcoming social hurdles and challenging the world to have greater equity. Her personal story has amazing examples of resilience and toughness as well.
