Jonathan Travis appointed as new Deputy Head (Academic) at Westonbirt School

Summer 2025 will see a new face in the leadership team at Westonbirt School. The key role of Deputy Head (Academic) will be taken up in July by Mr Jonathan Travis. He joins the school from the British School of Guangzhou where he is currently Assistant Head of Teaching, Learning and Assessment. Below follows an in-depth interview with Jonathan.

How did you begin your teaching career and what have been the highlights so far?

“It is a genuine honour and a privilege to introduce myself as the new Deputy Head (Academic) at Westonbirt School. I started my career in the international development sector, helping refugee academics and students continue with their studies despite a loss of academic freedom in their home countries.

This was a wonderful role; however, the pull of teaching led me to Teach First and the opportunity to work with disadvantaged students in two very challenging UK settings. It was then an interest in world history and the allure of foreign travel that took me to the British School of Tokyo, where I spent five years cutting my pedagogical teeth as a leader of High Performance Learning (HPL). Further opportunities to develop my leadership credentials resulted in senior leadership posts at St. Paul’s School, the British International School of Ljubljana and most recently the British School of Guangzhou. All were wonderfully enriching experiences in very diverse schools and have shaped the teacher and leader I am today.”

What are your first impressions of Westonbirt School and what are you most looking forward to about your new role there?

“Beyond the fabulous setting and unique building, Westonbirt is a wonderful blend of tradition and modernity, with eyes firmly on the future. The school has soul and you can feel it the moment you step over the threshold. A place where every child counts and nobody is lost and where every member of staff is totally committed to helping children flourish. There is widespread wisdom that while good grades are incredibly important and provide students with choice, it is the cultivation of life skills which enable students to succeed when they get to their destination. This holistic philosophy runs deep in the veins of the entire institution, giving students the confidence to live an authentic life. I’m delighted to be a part of such a culture and relish the opportunity to develop a genuine love of learning for its own sake, amongst students and staff alike.”

What’s your approach to achieving success in teaching and learning?

I fundamentally believe that education has a moral purpose – to help students develop their identity through purpose and passion and equip them with tools needed to thrive in uncertain and unfamiliar situations. I am a passionate advocate of research-informed pedagogical practice, encouraging teachers to draw on recent cognitive research about how children learn, and adapt their pedagogical practice to suit the needs of learners.

Improving teacher effectiveness is the best lever we have for improving student outcomes, for both academic grades and life skills. Great teaching and learning inspires, challenges and intrinsically motivates; it develops curiosity, scholarship and divergent thinking. I also believe in the power of curriculum – a constantly evolving and intricate web of powerful knowledge, domain specific skills, threshold concepts and high performance competencies. What we teach and how we teach it is our core purpose and will ultimately determine a student’s life chances.

What will you focus on first at Westonbirt School?

I can’t wait to get started and settle into the Westonbirt community. It is important to remember that everything works somewhere, but what will work here? A thorough evaluation of teaching and learning and the curriculum will be an essential first step in determining a clear strategic plan. Building relationships, getting to know the students, staff and parents and involving them in the process of change is equally important. Leadership is fundamentally all about people – developing, supporting and empowering. Building trust and connection, listening to truly understand and engaging in rigorous debate are key fundamentals that allow for meaningful and lasting change.

And finally, what do you enjoy doing when not at school?

Looking after a three year old! As I’m sure many a parent will attest, this is no easy feat, but an incredibly rewarding experience. Aside from little Luca, I love everything about the outdoors – skiing, climbing, mountaineering, hiking. I hope the Cotswolds will provide ample opportunity to indulge my love for exploring! When the weather closes in I can normally be found listening to ‘The Rest is History’ podcast, reading spy novels or watching the news with a cup of Brazilian coffee. We’ve done a lot of travelling over the past decade and so looking forward to rediscovering everything the UK has to offer.

Westonbirt School looks forward to welcoming Jonathan and wishes him the best in his new role.