An Introduction: Mr Derek Champion

Acting Deputy Head of Pastoral Care

It is great to be back at Shore after 26 years. It is certainly a unique experience to be back in a School that was once very familiar to me. I have been made to feel very welcome, and it is terrific to once again be closely connected with the Shore Community. As someone who is passionate about teaching Pastoral Care and Character Education, I’m absolutely thrilled with the opportunity to work with the exceptional teaching and administrative staff at Shore.

Over the past 20 years, I’ve worked in secondary education and spent 15 years at the neighbouring St Andrew’s Cathedral School, where I was Head of Wellbeing and Character, a Housemaster, and taught Psychology in the International Baccalaureate. I have also taught in the Geography Department, teaching Business Studies and Society and Culture for the Higher School Certificate and coached many Basketball and Rugby teams. This was a truly great experience, and I was fortunate to have many opportunities to learn and grow as an educator and leader in Pastoral Care.

I’ve been fortunate to have had excellent mentors and have worked in highly effective Pastoral Care teams. My focus is on ensuring that young people feel safe and well, so they can learn and grow. Although I’m new to the Pastoral Care team at the School, I’ve already witnessed the team working hard every day to build strong relationships with all our students and to understand them as individuals. I believe it’s essential that students feel valued and respected, not just for their achievements but for who they are as people.

In this context, an area of professional focus for me is the importance of initiatives to support the development of respectful relationships and resilience in students. At Shore, we want our boys to develop excellent social and emotional skills and to know how to work well with others. Character Education plays a vital role in achieving these goals, and the existing House system is an ideal structure to facilitate this kind of learning and growth.

To conclude, it is a source of pride for me to return to Shore. I look forward to working with the Pastoral Care team to help shape confident and resilient young men who are prepared to set challenging goals and engage purposefully in all aspects of School life.

Mr D Champion
Acting Deputy Head Pastoral Care