One of Radley’s longest-serving staff members, Niall takes up the post of Sub-Warden this term. We asked him to take us back to his first days at Radley.
I arrived at Radley in September 1993. While at university I’d really enjoyed sports coaching and leading children’s summer camps so I decided to write directly to schools enquiring about teaching posts. From my 100 letters, I had three responses! One of which was from Radley and I subsequently found out there was a last-minute vacancy in the History Department that needed to be filled. I met Richard Morgan for my interview in Cambridge over afternoon tea at the University Arms Hotel and then nervously awaited the outcome. I received a letter a few days later offering me a job in September as Teacher of History, with a starting salary of £13,700, so I promptly took the letter to the bank and extended my student loan!
I came to Radley after my finals to meet the then Head of History, Jim Summerly. I stayed with him for the weekend, met the rest of the department, watched some sport and found out what I was going to be teaching so that I could go away for the summer and swot up.
What does Radley mean to you?
Without putting too fine a point on it, Radley probably means everything to me. I went to boarding school while my parents were working overseas in Saudi Arabia and Indonesia. While I was at university they were in Brunei and they finally settled in Northern Spain. We had a house in Kent which acted as our base in the UK but I never felt as if I had a permanent home growing up. Radley is home for me.
Why is Radley a special place to work?
It’s the sense of community that one has and the people one gets to know over time; you make friends for life here. I include the boys in that sense of community – I’m teaching boys now whose fathers are Old Radleians. That was a bit of a shock the first time it happened a couple of years ago! I’m very close with certain groups of ORs – whether from K Social, or the 1995 season unbeaten rugby team – and I’ve been invited to 40th birthday parties, weddings, things like that which are very special.
Can you pick a highlight from your time so far?
Personally there are several: Ros and I got married here and our children, Niamh and Fintan, were christened and confirmed here. There have been tough moments, losing friends and colleagues in office, and really special memories like my surprise 40th birthday in K Social and my 50th birthday during Covid. And there have been too many funny moments to mention. For sheer shock and amusement, Nick Morgan’s speech to a very chastened 3rd and 4th rugby squad on a Sunday morning in Carcassonne was probably the funniest single moment of my working career to date.
How would you describe working at Radley?
The thing that attracted me most in the very beginning, and remains to this day, is the variety. Whether it’s in the classroom, on the pitches, in CCF or other activities. There are meetings, interviews, Council meetings – no two days are the same. If you add to that the context in which you see boys – in the JCR, Social, Chapel, Hall – the Radleians themselves make it enormously varied and interesting.
Tell us about becoming the first Tutor of K Social in 2008.
The College had plans to expand and Warden McPhail called me in to see if I would be interested in running one of the new Socials. At the time, I didn’t even know where K Social was going to be but it was to be built around what was then the Bursar’s House. We really enjoyed being ‘pioneers’ and were able to get involved in the design of the Social. It was a privilege to get to know so many boys and parents during our seven years in K.
What are your thoughts on your new role?
I’m hugely looking forward to it and indebted to BJH and JSM, they have both been wonderful to learn from. We have a very close-knit College Management Team and although these are undoubtedly challenging times for our sector, I know the College is robust enough to navigate its way through choppy waters.
In terms of my role, I will be focusing on the ethos of the College and the maintenance of high standards. I want to continue the process of integrating all staff at Radley. Everyone should feel valued in what they do, and everybody has their role to play in making this the very best school in the land, which I firmly believe it is. I see it as my job to ensure it stays at the top of its game.
