Two stalwart members of the teaching staff at Tenby’s Ysgol Greenhill who have played a significant role in the improvement journey of the secondary school have been given a fond farewell by staff and students.

Celebration assemblies were held at the end of the summer term for long serving members of staff - Matt Davies (Deputy Head) and Nick Jones (Assistant Head) who are moving on.

“This term we say goodbye to very long standing senior members of staff Matt Davies and Nick Jones who have played a significant role in the improvement journey of the school,” said headteacher David Haynes.

“Their commitment to Ysgol Greenhill has been outstanding and their combined service adds up to over sixty years.

“Their experience and wise counsel will be sorely missed by everyone associated with the Greenhill community.

“We are very grateful to both for their outstanding service to Ysgol Greenhill and wish them the very best for their future endeavours,” added Mr Haynes.

Nick Jones completed his PGCE training in 1991 and joined Ysgol Greenhill as an NQT that September teaching Maths and Design Technology.

The following year he became a full time member of the Maths Department. In 1997 he took over leadership of the Maths team. During this decade he also represented the teaching body as NASUWT rep and school governor.

In 2000 Nick was seconded onto the school leadership team as an Associate Assistant Head with particular responsibility for data analysis. The leadership team was restructured in 2003 and Nick became a permanent member of the team at this time.

During the 2010's Nick's experience with both data analysis and Maths teaching (he was an early adopter of online support, developing his JonestheSums website) led to two secondments to the Local Authority which allowed him to work with leaders and teachers in schools across South West Wales.

Nick returned to Greenhill full-time in 2018 as Assistant Headteacher and contributed greatly to the school’s improvement journey.

Matt Davies joined Ysgol Greenhill in 1996 as a 22-year old teacher, after graduating from what is now known as Cardiff Metropolitan University with a BA honours and PGCE.

“I was appointed by Chris Noble as a teacher of Physical Education, and it was my intention to stay in Pembrokeshire for one year, but twenty seven years later I'm still here!” he laughed.

“Career progression was plentiful at Greenhill. I was afforded strong professional development throughout my career, allowing me to take on roles in leadership such as Head of Physical Education, Associate Assistant Headteacher, Assistant Headteacher, Deputy Headteacher, Acting Headteacher for two terms and then a return to Deputy Headteacher in the role that I now fulfil.

“In twenty seven years at Greenhill, I have been extremely privileged to have worked with incredible students from our communities, some magnificent staff with a huge talent for the profession, governors who have worked tirelessly and a body of parents who have given everything for their children.

“Working with young people is a genuine privilege and it has provided me with huge satisfaction, meeting pupils in year six at their primary schools before they join us and seeing them mature through their time at school is amazing.

“It is also incredible to see former pupils as adults and parents in our community, it both shows me what great people there are in our society and also reminds me that I'm getting older. I have also been very fortunate to have contributed to a great deal of sports in my time as a teacher of Physical Education, coaching and working with some phenomenal sporting talents.

“I have also been part of many life changing trips for pupils across the world to destinations such as Canada, South Africa , America and a range of European countries,” continued Matt, who has also played a key role in the recent fundraising activity for the school which included a sponsored walk and cycle ride to Paris recently, in support of former pupil Craig Maxwell who has been diagnosed with a rare form of genetic terminal lung cancer, with Greenhill helping to raise over £12,000 for Cancer Research.

“The school has provided me with great progression to lead and I have valued that opportunity, particularly in the last four years which has seen great change and validation from external bodies such as Estyn.

“I always said that I would look for career opportunities when our work with Estyn came to an end. I thank the headteacher and governing body for granting me that opportunity with voluntary redundancy, and I am delighted that the next generation of leaders are now in post to continue that development to the next stage.

“My next role is yet to be decided, I would like to explore a career outside education in school in the first instance to see what else there is to achieve, I have plenty to give.

“I am extremely thankful for what the school has given me, and I extend my thanks to the pupils, families, governors and staff of our school community,” he added.

Ahead of the new term in September, farewells were also given to further members of the teaching team at Greenhill.

“We also say goodbye to Krystal King who has been an outstanding art teacher over the last ten years and Anna Shankland, who takes up a new post in Swansea from September,” continued Mr. Haynes.

“Hayley Evans, our long serving senior science technician, has also decided to move on to pastures new, and we thank her for her excellent work during her time at Greenhill.”