The first thing that strikes you on meeting Louise Ladds, our incredible new Deputy Head, is the warmth of her smile. She positively buzzes with the friendly and upbeat energy which has made her such an instant hit with both staff and pupils alike. Her warm and engaging manner is enough to put anyone immediately at ease, and when this is twinned with her impressive leadership pedigree, we certainly feel very lucky to have her working at Bloxham. We sat down for a chat to get to know her better and to find out more about what she hopes to bring to her new role as Deputy Head Pastoral.
what have your past roles been?
I started teaching almost 35 years ago in Lancashire at an 11-16 state comprehensive. Since then, I’ve worked in a variety of boarding schools and had many different roles, from being a resident to a Housemistress, teaching French up to A Level, teaching netball – I’ve turned my hand to all sorts. I did potholing with Third Form once which was not my strength at all but it has all added up to an eclectic and wonderful life. My time at Giggleswick School is one experience which reminds me a lot of this role because it’s a similar type of boarding school, except there were a lot more sheep, stone walls and rain in Yorkshire! But other than that, very similar. Most recently, I was at Wakefield Girls which was a very different kind of school being a day school as well as single sex. I enjoyed working there as an Assistant Head but it really highlighted to me the reasons I wanted to come back into boarding. A day school is very fast-paced and reactive, whereas in a boarding school, you have more time in the day to get to know people and to build up those relationships within a caring and dedicated community.
what do you feel you bring to your new school?
I think what I bring to my role as Deputy Head is an understanding of and a love for boarding. You don’t come to work in a boarding school unless it’s a vocation. It’s very different to teaching 8 – 5 in a different setting. To work in a boarding school, you have to really love it and you have to get it. I value relationships with students, staff and parents and I understand that you have to put a lot in to get a lot out. I also bring resilience because it’s really hard work and I’m used to hard work. I think I bring energy and enthusiasm. Bloxham has a reputation for maintaining a gold standard of pastoral care and my aim is to make sure that happens and that we’re the number one school for pastoral care for both boys and girls. If I can do that, that’ll be great!
what made you want to work at bloxham?
I think Bloxham is a very special place. As soon as you put a toe through the door, you can tell it’s a very warm, supportive, caring environment. It’s underpinned by Christian values which personally means a lot to me. I think doing the right thing because it’s the right thing to do is very important, and that message is placed front and centre at Bloxham. It’s a beautiful setting, it’s boarding, it’s co-ed – it felt really right. I feel very privileged to have this opportunity. I’ll try my very best to make it work and to realise the aims and values of the school.
what are you most looking forward to in your new role? and is there anything you’re nervous about?
I’m really enjoying getting to know the people and getting away from my desk. I like being able to go and visit the children on their expedition camp or to go into the boarding houses in the evenings. Having the time to have those conversations is what I’m enjoying most, and reaffirming pastorally what we do, highlighting that this is what we do and why we do it. I’m looking forward to getting involved in sport. Next term I’ll be doing netball which is something I was passionate about at Giggleswick and haven’t been able to do for the last three years. It’s great for the children to see you in a different role as well. Seeing me not just as a figurehead or title is important – they need to see the human side and the compassion in the same way that we should all see children as individuals. I think Bloxham does this really well.
In terms of what I’m nervous about, I think it’s fair to say that I’ve got very big shoes to fill. Father Michael had been at the school a very long time and was very knowledgeable and experienced. I can’t be Father Michael, I’ve got to be myself. I’m aware that I haven’t got that background knowledge of Bloxham but I’m doing my best to learn. I want to get to know everyone’s names by Christmas – that’s my current goal!
what do you think makes co-educational boarding schools special?
I think in a co-educational setting, boys and girls can be themselves more without having to fit into a mould. We don’t have expectations of what we expect boys or girls to like, they’re all young people who have the same opportunities in a co-ed setting. Schools need to be a positive reflection of society and it’s important that teenagers have the experience of how boys and girls relate to each other. They need to work on those respectful, positive relationships now while they’re growing up and finding out who they are.
do you have any particular pieces of advice or wisdom by which you try to live?
Yes, two. The first is, try and be the best version of yourself. We can’t be perfect, but we can be the very best we can be. And the second is that time is short – enjoy it while you can. Time whizzes by and you should try to take up as many experiences and opportunities as possible.
is there anyone from your own time at school who you remember as being especially inspirational?
Yes, my maths teacher. At the time, I didn’t enjoy maths, I think I was a challenge for her! I loved languages and humanities. But my teacher was incredibly patient, and she brought humour to lessons knowing that it wasn’t a subject I was ever going to particularly enjoy. That said, I’d love to go back and do it properly now and challenge myself in that way! I think she always had high expectations and believed that everyone can succeed if they put their mind to it. I think having that belief and faith that you can do it helps you to achieve and I did achieve through hard work. I still think of her sometimes when I’m interacting with children myself – she was kind and respectful. She never spoke down to students and that was the key to it really. It’s an important trait of being a teacher to be able to work alongside everyone. As a language teacher, I know languages aren’t for everyone, but you can learn to appreciate a subject even if you don’t ever learn to love it.
We all wish Louise the very best of luck in her new role and look forward to getting to know her better.