The new Headmaster of a prestigious Lancashire school has vowed to take the institution’s global reputation to the ‘next level’ – drawing on his experiences as a World Cup football coach.
Andrew McBride swapped the touchlines for the classroom in 2007 after receiving his Master’s Degree in Education, with his teaching career taking him to leadership positions at Westlake Boys High School in New Zealand and Royal Grammar School in Newcastle as Deputy Head, Co-Curricular.
He will now lead Rossall School on the Fylde Coast, renowned globally for its academic and sporting excellence – having significantly outperformed national averages in its recent A-level and GCSE results.
He said: “Rossall is a school on the up, in every measure.
“It’s a school trying to be the best it can be with a proven pedigree of really strong academic results and signature programmes in sports and performance arts.
“That’s what initially drew me to the school – that it mirrors my values around never settling for second best.
“My vision is very much around culture, connection and belonging. Research has shown us that when students feel connected to an institution, they do really well.
“Pupils can see that what they learn here can take them anywhere in the world and that they have a really fulfilling, bright future ahead of them.
“That’s the narrative we want to push. This is not an exam factory, we’ve got heart and soul and we believe in people.
“Yes, we have high expectations and standards, but we have an exceptional level of support to make that happen.
“Our incredible results this summer made for a fantastic welcome to Rossall and I’m both proud and excited to help our pupils achieve even more success stories in the years ahead.”
Having played in Premier League academies across his native north east as a youngster, Andrew’s footballing journey later took him to coaching the New Zealand U20 women’s team for their World Cup campaign in Russia, before taking up other roles for the U17 Men’s World Cup in the UAE and the Olympic Games.
Another draw to Rossall was the school’s world-first partnership with Manchester City, offering students unrivalled footballing education, alongside its other successful sporting programmes.
Andrew said he wants to share the lessons learned from coaching elite players on the global stage to encourage students to achieve their sporting and academic dreams.
He said: “Rossall has a fantastic programme with Manchester City. It’s got such value on and off the pitch.
“It would be great if we can make further gains in our football programme – we want to continue being part of the national conversation and be the first school people think of when they discuss the best football schools in the country.
“But we want that to be the case for all our signature programmes, too.
“Academically, we haven’t met our ceiling yet. There’s lots we can do to help drive those standards higher.
“The teaching staff here are so open and willing to really go to the next level – and that’s what makes Rossall such an exciting place to be.”
Categories: Rossall School School News
