Henllan teadteacher simply ‘one of the best’

Jun 17 2009 by Andrew Davies, Denbigh Visitor

A HEADTEACHER has been celebrating after receiving a top award last week.

Geraint Williams from Henllan near Denbigh was honoured to receive The Ted Wragg Lifetime Achievement Award at the National Teaching Awards.

He has enjoyed a 30-year career as a headteacher, the last 11 of which have been at Ysgol Cynfran, Colwyn Bay.

Judges said they felt a “real buzz” on entering the school and said Geraint’s enthusiasm “immediately shone through”. “We were left in awe of an amazing man,” they said.

Mr Williams has been known to fix the computers, repair leaking water pipes and even to climb on to the roof to retrieve misplaced shoes and toys.

One colleague described him as “one of the best headteachers I’ve known in my life”, while a parent said he had “a big, soft heart”.

Mr Williams ensures staff are supported and coached to develop their skills, and rewarded for their contributions, and given a say in the way it is run. He has successfully initiated a number of projects such as targeting able and talented pupils; healthy living; and international school work.

The school was selected by the Welsh Assembly to be visited by the First Minister, Rhodri Morgan, to see how it was implementing the Safe Routes to School scheme. But he is also wary of over-loading staff and encourages them to develop their own teaching styles.

Mr Williams is constantly seeking ways to improve the school. As an Estyn-trained inspector, he is aware of the changing demands placed on staff and how this impinges on teaching in the classroom. He has been asked to put his many years of experience to use as a part-time ‘associate headteacher’ for the Welsh Assembly Government on the School Effectiveness Framework Project, with responsibility for four Welsh medium rural schools in Anglesey and Gwynedd.

Parents and pupils respect Geraint for his hard work and total commitment to the school, and the dynamic way he runs it. Pupils find him approachable, and love the way he eats his lunch with them, gaining stickers for eating all his food.

A former semi-professional soccer player Geraint remains a keen sportsman. He plays football regularly, and is a member of the ‘Dawnswyr Sir Conwy’ Dawnsio Gwerin team (Welsh folk dancing) practising with them weekly.