Clive Thorpe

I have spent my professional career in education - 10 years at senior level [assistant head]. I have excellent communication skills and can establish good working relationships with students, parents, colleagues and outside agencies. In terms of sales I have had a great deal of experience of marketing schools I have worked in and have been responsible for delivering sales pitches of these schools both in the UK and abroad and so am used to listening to and satisfying customers' needs.

! am looking to move out of education as although ‘retired’ I have over the last six years been helping out modern language departments which have been short staffed and have found it difficult to recruit specialised staff.

I am a very keen amateur gardener and have experience of volunteering as a gardener / ranger and have worked in such places as Petworth and Bushy Parks and have been involved in projects which include heath and wetland renewal and management. I am au fait with environmental issues which impact on horticulture such as the climate emergency, peat-free usage, the increase of new pests and diseases in the UK and planting for a drier climate.

1981-date secondary education - positions have included:

Modern Languages Teacher

Head of Language Department

Director of Studies

Assistant Head

Loughborough Grammar School 1969-1976 A Levels

Wolverhampton Polytechnic 1976-1980 BA 2i Modern Languages (French and Russian)

Leeds University 1980-1981 PGCE (French and PE)

London University 1985-1987 MA (Ed) Modern Languages in Education

1985-1987 Institute of Linguists Higher Diploma in German