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Shrewsbury, Shropshire, United Kingdom
FSC Preston Montford has been an outdoor classroom since 1957 and is a Field Studies Council centre. We deliver curriculum related outdoor education by the experts; from pre-school to Masters level; for infants, school students, undergraduates and enquiring adults with an interest in the natural world. Courses for schools and individuals. A venue for others to use; with bed space for 130, catering facilities and 7 fully equipped teaching and meeting spaces.

Monday, July 29, 2019

Hello from Arran...



How long have you been working at Preston Montford? Hello, my name is Arran and I started at Preston Montford on May 1st this year, as Education Team Leader. I soon discovered that May was the busiest time of year to join the FSC Education Team and found myself immersed immediately into the variety of challenges that face me in my new role. It has been a bit of a ‘whirlwind’ start, but I must say, I’ve enjoyed every minute of it due to the fact that I have joined a very competent and knowledgeable team, who have been answering my many questions and providing lots of valuable support.

Favourite subject in school? Geography was always my favourite subject at school, particularly physical geography…learning about the landscape of rivers and hills near where I grew up in Clitheroe, in Lancashire.

What did you do after leaving school? I took a year out and cycled to France with very little money, a small tent, and my guitar on my back, and spent the year in the Alps working as an au pair, a waiter and washing up in a hotel… and busking every now and again when funds were low!

Where did you go to University? I went to Birmingham University and studied Geography and Sport. It was a great 3 years where I met some very good lifelong friends and following many visits to the University’s outdoor centre in Coniston, I became hooked on mountaineering, climbing and kayaking.

What did you do after university? I started as a Trainee Instructor at The Kent Mountain Centre in Llanberis. I was out with groups each day, learning from some great outdoor teachers, and out climbing or running in the mountains every evening. Every group that came to the centre wanted to climb Snowdon, so after nearly 2 years of working at the centre, I think I must have climbed it at least 100 times!

When did you become a teacher? Whilst working at the centre, I decided to apply to Leeds University to do a PGCE in Geography and Outdoor Education. I found myself teaching Geography in an ‘inner city’ school in Leeds, cycling in each morning whatever the weather, and sitting up each night planning lessons and marking books. That then became my life for the next 4 years, as I started teaching Geography at Shire Oak school in Walsall.

When did you move to this area? I met my wife whilst teaching in Walsall and after spending nearly every weekend driving up to Snowdonia to go on climbing or walking adventures, we finally decided to move to Wales in 2001. We have been here ever since, and we are now a family of five.

Where have you worked before starting at Preston Montford? When we first moved to Wales, I returned to working in the outdoors and started teaching at Bryntysilio Outdoor Education centre in Llangollen. I was there for almost 10 years, and for the last 3 of those, I took on the role of Deputy Head of Centre. When another organisation took over the running of the centre, I decided it was time to move on. I did another year teaching Geography in a school in Oswestry and then started working with the British Red Cross, delivering Humanitarian Education sessions in Schools for 3 years across Herefordshire, Shropshire and Worcestershire. Following an organisational restructure at the Red Cross, I moved on again and became Head of Land Based Studies at Derwen Specialist College in Oswestry, where I was teaching woodwork, conservation and horticulture sessions with students with additional needs. When the Land Based Studies department amalgamated with two other departments at Derwen, I left and taught for a term in another specialist college near Shrewsbury. That brings me up to the present and starting here at FSC Preston Montford.

What do you like about working here at Preston Montford? I have had quite a varied career to this point, but certain themes have always run through the things that I have done… geography, teaching, and outdoor education. I have enjoyed each in different measure, at different times, and in different settings. I now find myself in this role, enjoying them all in equal measure, which is great.

I have a lot to learn, but I am looking forward to developing my knowledge of the range of subjects that we teach and working with the education and wider centre team, to continually develop and improve the learning experience that we provide. I am a passionate advocate for the benefits of learning in the outdoors and having the chance to be part of a team that delivers high quality outdoor learning experiences in such a fantastic setting, is a real privilege.

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