Role reversal pupils are class act

Alan Thompson IT was a dream come true for two pupils at a Great Yarmouth school - when they swapped roles with their headmaster for a day.For 12 year olds Liam Robinson and Georgina Smith it was their turn to tell students not to run in the corridor and to be quiet at St Nicholas Priory Middle School.

Alan Thompson

IT was a dream come true for two pupils at a Great Yarmouth school - when they swapped roles with their headmaster for a day.

For 12 year olds Liam Robinson and Georgina Smith it was their turn to tell students not to run in the corridor and to be quiet at St Nicholas Priory Middle School.

But they made it clear none of their friends would be excused any lessons, despite some persuasive requests.

Meanwhile for headteacher Mark Adams it was back to class 7S to answer questions and write essays.

Liam was acting head teacher for the day on Wednesday, and Georgina was deputy head and together they ran the school.

Georgina said: “We had to visit every classroom to see how lessons were going and also visited the cook to ensure the catering was being done properly for school dinners.”

An hour before going home time, she told the Mercury neither she nor Liam had told anyone off, but added “the day was yet young.”

Liam enjoyed the experience even if it did mean getting up an hour earlier to go school.

He said: “I had to be in at 8am and I was a bit nervous to start with. I also had to give an assembly and act of worship, where we talked about Noah's Ark.”

A plan for bad behaviour while he and Georgina oversaw the day's activities was also put in place.

Year seven pupils who were interested in applying for the position had to complete a genuine headteacher application form and say why they ought to be considered for the role. They also had to provide a referee. Mr Adams said it had been hard to pick one person.

He added it had been an experience for him to go back to the classroom and compare teaching methods.

“There's not a huge difference but of course today there is more effort focused on literacy and numeracy. I was practising my times tables the night before although I knew tables probably wouldn't be needed.

“I did have to answer a couple of questions in class and I was rather concerned at one point I may not know the answer!”

He hoped the day would plant a seed that might one day see Liam and Georgina as teachers - and it could well be. Liam wants to teach food technology and English, and Georgina would like to teach English and art.

Liam, Georgina and Mr Adams will be appearing on today's edition of BBC TV's Newsround to talk about the day.

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