With the clock ticking on the school inspectors’ crucial verdict this January, it’s set to be testing times for Stranraer Academy. But its new head teacher Norman Dawson says he is confident that this year the school will make the grade. “Every year is a crucial year,” says Mr Dawson “Within a school you should always be looking at how it can be improved.”

Appointed earlier this month, the 47-year-old Glaswegian will take over from Joanna Pallet and head a school recovering from its damning inspectors’ findings in January 2006. Yet it was praised the following year by inspectors for its progress under the stewardship of Mrs Pallet.

In the initial report’s wake, the education authority had brought in Mrs Pallet as its trouble shooting “Education Manager.” But following head Jimmy Higgins’ surprise resignation announcement last May, Mrs Pallet took over the head teaching role while continuing to implement reforms.

When asked whether Mrs Pallet would be a hard act to follow, Mr Dawson replied that every head had their own unique style, and that he was no different.“Hopefully I can bring my enthusiasm”, he says. “I will try to adopt a consultative management style to try and reach a consensus, and do my best to move the school forward and everyone involved along with it.”

“Head teachers have to be good listeners, and I think empathising with people is important. And in doing so, you have to take on board what people have to say. Everyone wants different things for the school and you’ve got to try and juggle these competing viewpoints and try and find the best way.”

In February, school inspectors published an interim report, stating that “significant progress” had been made in key areas such as learning and teaching. Continuing this improvement would be his primary task, said Mr Dawson. But it was long-term results he said he was after. “We should be looking to have a steady improvement in the school, something that can be sustained in the long-term”, he said.

The challenge of keeping the school’s performance on track, had attracted him to the job. “I thought that the school had an awful lot of potential,” he said. “The school had advertised the post and I had a look round the area and liked it.”

Previously, Mr Dawson has taught in four other schools from Aberdeen to Alloa, teaching chemistry and computing since 1981. And he will be leaving a deputy head post at Alloa Academy, in a town he said which was similar in size to Stranraer with similar issues. But after ten and half years in Alloa and successfully passing the rigorous Scottish Qualification for Headship exams, he said the time was right to move on.

And last Thursday he was shown round his new school and introduced to staff and pupils. He said: “I have been very impressed by the friendliness of the staff , but also the pupils. A number of pupils have said hello to me by name and I’m impressed by their openness.”

(c) Stranraer and Wigtownshire Free Press, 2007. Published by permission.