SpeakerNet

Face to Face presentations are available in Yorkshire and Humber, and the North East

John’s talk ‘A Village Headmaster’ is set against a backdrop of rapid and unrelenting educational change following the 1988 Education Reform Act. The establishment of Ofsted, the National Curriculum and compulsory testing for primary school children, redefined what was expected of teachers. Even with these pressures village primary schools continued to nurture their pupils and provided first class education which allowed children to grow and yet retain their individuality. John spent twenty-one years in a small village primary school and, through his stories, told with gentle humour, takes us through his experiences as a village headmaster. In his first term as head, and on the day of his first parents’ meeting, he discovered that the father of two of his pupils was not only an HMI but also Ofsted’s senior staff inspector! John tells of early pioneering links with city schools in Birmingham and Newcastle, working with and firing clay, making a BBC TV programme for schools, his love of outdoor education, the murder of Saint Alkelda, the legend of the Phantom Bagpiper of Great Fryup Dale and, of course, the amazing things that children say!

Comments:

'Thank you for the wonderfully entertaining talk you gave us on Tuesday afternoon. You took us from your heady student days at Ripon College, and then on the journey towards your ultimate role as Headteacher at Middleton Tyas Primary School. Everyone was captivated by your humorous stories and the slides depicting many of your innovative projects with the pupils. Your passion for integrating artwork into other topics of education, being put to good use by both the children, and a BBC TV schools programme. The week long “outdoor education” trips, allowing the children to learn in so many unexpected ways – collecting and dissecting owl pellets being high on the list. Chris Packham couldn’t have taught them better, and I’m guessing he wouldn’t have sung them to sleep under the stars either! Listening to you talk of the pioneering project of twinning your village primary school with large city schools in Birmingham, and then Newcastle, was both heart warming and inspirational. John, you spoke with boundless warmth and passion, about the ‘art’ of teaching all subjects creatively and I think all of us learnt something new during the afternoon. We look forward to you returning to us at Leeds u3a, for another of your wonderful talks.' (Leeds U3A, February 2023)

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John's teaching experience has been in primary and secondary schools and in April 2009 he retired after twenty-one years as a primary headteacher. He trained at Ripon College (Leeds University) and completed an MA in Primary Education at the University of York. As a Research Associate with the National College for School Leadership, and with their sponsorship, he completed his Doctorate in Education in 2010 and worked for the Open University, tutoring 'Children's Literature' and 'Learning and teaching in the primary years', until 2020. Now fully retired, John volunteers for the National Trust and enjoys cycling and sailing. Through his talks in 2023, John raises funds for One World Mission School in Manak Village, Pakistan.

Face to Face presentations are available across Yorkshire and Humber, and the North East.

Talks are available online and include PowerPoint presentations.

Comments:

'Our audience was captivated by humorous stories and slides depicting many innovative projects with the pupils. His passion for integrating artwork into other topics of education was put to good use by both the children and a BBC TV schools programme.' (Harlow Men's Forum, Harrogate, October 2024)

'Thank you for your excellent talk [A Village Headmaster]. It brought back memories for the teachers in the group and some of us as children. You had wonderful photos of your student days to your teaching days. A wonderful piece of history.' (Fresh Start Ladies, Bawtry, July 2023)

'Thank you for the wonderfully entertaining talk you gave us on Tuesday afternoon. Everyone was captivated by your humorous stories and the slides depicting many of your innovative projects with the pupils. You spoke with boundless warmth and passion, about the ‘art’ of teaching all subjects creatively and I think all of us learnt something new during the afternoon. We look forward to you returning to us at Leeds u3a, for another of your wonderful talks.' (Leeds U3A, February 2023)

'Dr John Ridley gave us a talk on “A Village Headmaster”. Clearly, a very gifted, creative teacher, John revelled in initiating projects in primary and secondary schools. He encouraged children to be artistic, making pottery models as part of historical projects. He twinned his classes with schools in more deprived urban areas, and with children from Islamic and other faith backgrounds – giving his pupils personal experience of very different ways of life. A number of members in the audience expressed the wish that they’d had a head teacher like John!' (Harrogate Probus Club, January 2023)

2025 Bookings 10.02.25 Brayton WI, 'A Village Headmaster'; 27.02.25 Thirkleby Local History Society, 'A Village Headmaster'; 20.05.25 Summerbridge WI; 08.09.25 Scriven WI, Knaresborough; 16.09.25 Wombleton YCA;

2024 Bookings 05.01.24 Darlington U3A, 'Tales from School'; 24.01.24 Phratry Dinner, Ascot House, Harrogate, 'A Village Headmaster'; 28.02.24 Wetherby U3A, 'Tales from School'; 07.06.24 Richmond Methodist Church 'Fountains Abbey'; 11.06.24 NSPCC Ladies, Bramham, 'A Village Headmaster'; 03.07.24 Scorton WI, 'A Village Headmaster'; 08.07.24 Darlington Probus, 'A Village Headmaster'; 12.08.24 Richmond WI, 'Arthur Ransome: Author and Adventurer'; 12.09.24 Cawthorne Ladies' Society, Barnsley, 'A Village Headmaster'; 17.10.24 Harrogate Forum, 'Arthur Ransome'; 29.10.24 Harlow Men's Forum, Harrogate, 'A Village Headmaster' 15.11.24 Scorton Buddies, 'Tales from School'

2023 Bookings: 04.01.23 Harrogate Probus Club, ‘A Village Headmaster’; 18.01.23 Bedale U3A, ‘A Village Headmaster’; 07.02.23 Leeds U3A, ‘A Village Headmaster’; 16.02.23 Huby near Otley, ‘Fountains Abbey and Studley Royal’; 22.02.23 Thirsk Mowbray Probus Club, ‘A Village Headmaster’; 17.04.23 Saltburn Retired Men's Forum, 'A Village Headmaster' (Zoom); 25.04.23 Harrogate Brigantes Rotary Club Dinner, 'A Village Headmaster'; 19.05.23 Richmond Methodist Church, 'A Village Headmaster'; 06.07.23 Cononley WI, near Skipton, 'A Village Headmaster'; 17.07.23 Doncaster Fresh Start Ladies, 'A Village Headmaster'; 12.09.23 Thirsk U3A, 'Tales from School'; 10.10.23 Harlow Men's Forum, Harrogate. 'Sir Joseph Swan'; 26.10.23 Harrogate Forum, 'A Village Headmaster'; 09.11.23 Driffield & Wolds U3A, 'A Village Headmaster'; 15.11.23 St Mary's Ladies' Group, Barton upon Humber, 'A Village Headmaster'.

A Village Headmaster

Dr John Ridley

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