Mr Matthew Routledge

What is your professional background?
I entered the teaching profession after completing my undergraduate degree in Latin and Ancient History at the University of Nottingham, followed by a PGCE at King’s College, London. I began my career at Merchant Taylors’ Schools in Liverpool, working at both the girls’ and boys’ schools for six years. I joined The Royal Hospital School in 2014 as the Head of Classics, and was given the task of growing the department and introducing classical civilisation as a subject. After four years as Head of Classics, I was appointed Director of Learning, responsible for teaching and learning throughout the school as well as pupil attitudes to learning and elements of staff development. I completed a Master’s in Learning and Teaching at the University of Oxford in 2018 and am excited to join Wycliffe after ten happy years at RHS.

What is important to you in a school, and how do these align with our values?
I’m a very strong believer in education being about ‘people’, and trying to know each person as an individual with their own unique values, aims and aspirations. In a school, I look for examples of teachers really knowing their pupils and being professionally and personally invested in their success. In my research of Wycliffe, as well as when I visited for interview and for my orientation, I saw evidence of this in abundance. The way that Wycliffe emphasises developing the pupil as a whole, with academic success being one part of a bigger responsibility, is something that resonates strongly with my own values, and so I am excited to contribute to the School’s future success.