The Quarterly Gazette is running a series where we meet the ‘Team behind the Team’ as we well know that no school runs on teachers alone. There is quite literally an army of staff members working tirelessly and, sometimes, around the clock to keep us all well looked after. And we are forever grateful for their efforts.
Next up is Mr Paul Curley, the Head of Facilities.
What is your job in the school?
Head of Facilities
What do you love about your job?
Both the working and school environment. I love how my job is varied; I get different tasks every day. And the opportunity to interact with students and staff. I also enjoy the problem solving that comes with my job.
How did you first get interested in your profession?
I’ve been here twenty-six years now. I actually first heard about the job from Mr Fox, he is my brother‑in‑law. He told me there was a role going that he thought would suit me perfectly. Funnily enough, I’d never worked in a school before, and I certainly didn’t expect it to become a long‑term career.
What are your most memorable achievements in your job?
So many! Revamping school prom, involved in the revamping of Annual; becoming the Officer Commanding for the Navy unit in CCF; getting commendation from the Headmaster.
Have you ever entered any events or competitions in your career?
Many. Mainly military – a recent competition I entered was last year. The school put together a team for the Tough Mudder in Windsor. All together we raised £5000 in sponsorship which was really great.
Have you faced any challenges working in your profession?
Being in education behind the scenes is very hard because we deal with the expansion of the school which brings issues that need to be resolved behind the scenes. Challenging situations across the board.
What keeps you going in this career?
I love the job and the environment; the people I work with are all so lovely. I love making a difference and I feel good doing my job. I especially love how each and every day is different.
Do you have any strategies or routines that help you in your career?
Yes. I first start with ‘What’s the question?’ and then I deliver the brief to the best of my ability which is important. Being in the service industry, I always have the mindset of how can we continue to help the first team, which for me are the teachers and students.
How do you plan your day?
Our work comes through an online booking system. Teachers send in requests and it comes up as the task we need to do. Sometimes we have alerts to fix broken things; removing things – sometimes changing vents. Every time there’s an exam we have to go to the hall and set up all the desks and chairs in the correct distances away from each other. We have new requests on a daily basis, and we try our hardest to fix it all as soon as they come in or book in appropriate times for more time-consuming tasks.
What’s a moment that almost broke you but pushed you harder to improve?
The job was divided into Head of Facilities and Head of Domestic Services. Before that I was the manager of both. I was offered redundancy if I didn’t want to take either – I chose to take Head of Facilities which gave me more time to concentrate on department improvement and that pushed me harder.
What do you enjoy or find challenging?
I enjoy when its busy and fast paced – we have a phrase in Well House: Fast balls coming in! Which means a last minute request has come in. However, sometimes that can be frustrating if you have to sort it fast!
What advice would you give to students who want to pursue your job?
You have to be used to physical labour; you must be able to problem solve and be flexible. You must be prepared to work hard under pressure at times.
Are there any other inspirational moments in your career journey?
I’m very lucky that when I came to the school, I was also offered a house on site. It inspired me to become a foster carer and I’m so happy and lucky to have had the opportunity to achieve that. Especially with the flexibility of my job and living on site.
- By Olliyah