Peter bids farewell to King’s Hawthornes

Peter Gaul is stepping down after 12 transformative years as Principal at King’s Hawthornes.

We spoke to him about his time at Kings Hawthornes and the transformative legacy he leaves. Walking to the bus stop at 3.10 pm on 6 January 2025, King’s Hawthornes students will look around and see someone is missing. And they’ll be right.

At the end of the school day, Principal Peter Gaul walked with students to see them safely on their way and then nipped into the local newsagent to pick up his daily newspaper to read later. That routine ended with Peter retiring at the end of the autumn term.

As he steps away from Hawthornes after 23 years, he leaves a school that has transformed from the one he joined in 2012.

Then, it had just 199 students on its roll, a Year 7 intake of fewer than 40, and threatened with closure because of the low numbers.

Now, with 725 students, a waiting list for places and a 2023 Ofsted inspection that recognised the school as “Good,” Hawthornes is an embedded school in its local community.

Peter has come to know that community well, having joined what was then Hawthornes Free School as a senior English teacher. It was formed from two schools, St George of England and St Wilfrid’s, which the Council had earmarked for closure.

Unfortunately, it initially struggled and with the threat of closure, Great Schools Trust took over in 2014. A year later, Peter was appointed as Principal.

His teaching journey began in 1993 in what he describes as a “bit of quandary.” He had taken an English and French degree at Birmingham and Montpellier Universities and was initially unsure about the subject he wanted to teach before “English and literacy got me!”

He started training in Bootle before moving to St Cuthbert’s in Sutton, where he became a literacy coordinator and second in English. He returned to Bootle in 2000 and became a senior teacher overseeing teaching, learning, and behaviour management in 2003 before his move to Hawthornes in 2012.

Road to Success

As Principal, Peter has seen King’s Hawthornes achieve hard-won success, which he attributes to applying an ethos that focuses on community, inclusivity, and high expectations.

“Our student roll is up by 350 per cent. It’s a phenomenal achievement resulting from great perseverance and hard work by the fantastic team here.

“The school has not just survived; it has gone on to prosper. Moreover, we have taken the community with us.” T

This comes from Peter’s firm belief that a school should be an integral part of local community:

“We are at the heart of the community and can improve the lives of our students and their families. Our impact can go beyond that of what a league table or GCSE results say. We must never forget that what we do matters.

“While we might be in an area which is in the top 1% for deprivation in the country, everybody is welcome to Hawthornes regardless of background or ability.”

“Our belief in supporting the community goes beyond the school gates, and we work with external partners, such as universities and local charities, to contribute towards creating a positive impact within the community."

Understanding the community

A good gauge of the school’s success is the open evening and Peter takes an approach which focuses on the Hawthornes’ experience and reflects an understanding of its community: “It’s simple and works. We don’t do big presentations; we simply let parents and prospective students walk around and talk to us. We explain what we do and what’s on offer. The feedback is that our community appreciates this approach, and it is great that some parents leave concerned that their child might not get a place here.”

This response vindicates Peter’s desire to provide a good school for this area of Liverpool. As he retires, he knows he is handing over a school that has been officially recognised by Ofsted as good.

Having chosen Hawthornes, Peter ensures the school gives students personal and academic resources which range from free computers to the Duke of Edinburgh awards. “It is our job to extract, develop, and enhance students’ talent and ability and build their confidence, oracy, performance and leadership skills so that individuals can prosper. “Their experience is more than about the lessons or the exam results; it’s about the wider experience, the extracurricular activities, the trips, the cadets, the school show and the overall enrichment we offer.

Creating a positive future

Having been at the school for so long, Peter has come to know children of children, although he is not yet old enough to have taught past students’ grandchildren! He likes to track former students and looks fondly at achievements such as when they go on to perform on the West End stage or become doctors and lawyers: “One of the proudest things is when students return to work at the school. Several former students hold various teaching and administration positions, including the Head of Science, the Head of Geography and the school’s Office Manager.

“When students you taught return as colleagues and then become senior figures in the school, it is genuinely brilliant and shows we have real talent.”

He also welcomes the sense of continuity around Hawthornes. In addition to teaching different generations of the same families, many long-serving staff members have been at Hawthornes for 10 or 20 years or more.

He knows that the school can bring a huge sense of professional and personal satisfaction. “I’m honest enough to say to people in interviews that it is not an easy place to teach and is not for everyone. There is no shame in saying it isn’t right for you. “However, come in with your eyes open and grasp it for what it is. You’ll get a massive sense of personal and professional satisfaction from what can be achieved here, as our work matters, still matters, and will continue to matter.

“Sometimes it is good just to remind yourself that teaching is a vocation where you can positively shape the lives of future generations and the communities you serve.”

Continuing to serve the community

Now that Peter is stepping back, he certainly won’t be simply putting his feet up. He will continue working and supporting communities by promoting place-centred activities.

He supports a local charity called Right to Succeed, which has a project called Cradle to Career. This school is recognised as a national leader in careers. It sees schools as community hubs and works with children to help make their journey towards adulthood easier.

“It is work I enjoy as it stretches beyond school into adult lives. Now I have the time I look forward to getting more involved.”

When asked to reflect what has been achieved in his time in teaching and what words of advice, he might have Peter said:

“There are three things I would say. First, realise what we do here really matters and is important. “Second, be present in young people’s lives and be there for them. “Third be humane and keep it kind. “These aspects can be underrated qualities in life today, but in communities like this, they are vital as people want to know you and, importantly, be known.”

One crucial part of retirement Peter is particularly looking forward to is not having to wait until the end of the day to read his daily newspaper!