Michael Marland: inspiring teacher

Michael Marland was an inspiring head teacher, an influential educationist and a passionate advocate of comprehensive schooling. In all he said and wrote, he reminded society that schools are about people, not systems, and that teachers have more influence than they sometimes realise to shape the lives of young people irrespective of their background, class or faith. Marland was first a teacher, then head teacher of Woodberry Down School in northeast London, 1971-79. But his greatest achievement was as the founding head teacher, 1980-99, of the ambitious three-site North Westminster Community School, where his blend of bow-tied charm, erudition and irrepressible enthusiasm for language, for the arts and for ideas would entice famous figures to come and share their thoughts and performances with students and staff. Keith... [read full story]