Letter to The Star: From Andy Vicars - former Sheffield headteacher

While surfing through The Star’s website looking for the latest news on a Blades new owner or even new players it was nice to see my old self recognised as one of the ‘Photos (that) show some of most inspiring headteachers at Sheffield schools during the 90s and 2000s.’

Of course we were only figureheads for the skilled and committed teachers that we had the privilege to lead (and who often led us) and I would like to recognise them also. Similarly, many heads who do not appear I regard as equally worthy of such recognition.

Yes, the responsibility was often onerous and the accountability challenging but with that responsibility came the power, and often resources (then) to do the things we passionately believed in. Of course none of us got everything right. Overall though it was a good time to be a head.As one of my former colleagues, Michael Lewis from King Edward’s, said ‘ We serve very different catchment areas and may have very different views but, in a city where most parents chose to send their children to state schools, we act as one, together, for the benefit of all the children in Sheffield’.

That inspired me and I hope that is the same today and that the cities Academies rise to that same challenge.

As for me. I am now a naturalised Irish citizen (those who know me will understand why) and I delight in walking a rescue dog every day on the cliff paths of the west of County Cork.

She is an old sheepdog who still has the skill and desire to round up strays when they are in the wrong place at the wrong time . I wish I’d had the forethought to have had one when I was a head!