New headmaster to take over at Reading Blue Coat School

A new headmaster is set to take over at Reading Blue Coat School.

Peter Thomas, the current second master, was chosen following an extensive interview process and will take over duties from Tuesday, September 1 2020, following the departure of outgoing head Jesse Elzinga.

The 46-year-old, who has been at the school for five years, teaches geography, PSHE and games and has previously taught geology at the school.

Mr Thomas said: “It’s a place that I enjoy working at and I think the staff and the pupils are great fun and sparky and committed and so actually, I suppose this was a natural opportunity for me to try and take.”

Mr Thomas, who has a degree in geological sciences from The University of Durham, is a former police officer and took up teaching in 2001.

He said: “I loved policing but there was more that I wanted to be able to give to a job than I felt able to as a police officer and teaching is such a positive job and gives you the opportunity to build a positive relationship with a young person over a number of years, which I wasn’t able to do in the police.”

As headmaster Mr Thomas aims to ‘know each member of the Blue Coat community’, making sure the ‘pupils continue to be stretched and engaged in the classroom’ and
are provided with ‘opportunities to try many things and to give back to the community’.

“I feel honoured that they’ve put their trust in me to take it on,” he said.

“It’s obviously a great responsibility.

“There are a lot of great people working here and it’s also a team effort so I’m looking forward to working as part of a great team to develop the school.”