For most the thought of 21 years at the Grammar School would be too much, but retiring head teacher Dennis Balls considers himself lucky. He talks to Nigel Baudains about the joys of being involved at the birth of a new school THE school bell is set to ring for the last time on Dennis Balls’ career as head teacher of the Grammar School and Sixth Form Centre.

He said his job had been a privilege and he had never wanted to do anything else.

‘There’s never been a day when I haven’t wanted to get up and go to work and I’ve had no regrets throughout my teaching career,’ he said.

‘I consider myself very lucky.’

He said education standards in Guernsey had risen immensely during his time at the Grammar and he was delighted to have played his part in it.

The school became co-educational when its current building opened in 1985. Mr Balls had been appointed as its first deputy head teacher two years earlier in anticipation of the fundamental change when the former Boys’ and Girls’ Grammar Schools merged.

‘When I saw the chance to become involved and put some of my ideas into the setting up of a new school, it was very appealing and coming back to Guernsey was a bonus,’ he said.

Mr Balls was promoted to head teacher at the school following Alan Bisson’s retirement in 1996.

He said a dozen or so of current staff members have worked at the Grammar since it opened.

Mr Balls was born in Watford, Hertfordshire, during the Second World War. He moved to Guernsey in 1953 when father Eric gained a teaching post at the Castel School.

Mr Balls junior passed to Elizabeth College where he eventually became head boy.

In 1962 he went to Durham University, where he gained a degree in German and French. While there he met wife Vera, who hails from Gateshead.That led to him beginning his teaching career in the north-east where he taught for 15 years, mostly in Hartlepool and in comprehensives.

He started teaching at a time when corporal punishment of pupils was a daily part of school life and he said current teaching methods were far removed from those bygone days.

‘The whole nature of schools everywhere, but particularly in Guernsey, has changed a lot over that time,’ he said.

‘Modern schools are much more about supporting children and encouraging them to be responsible for themselves.’

Earlier this year, a female student who was leaving the Grammar approached Mr Balls, thanked him for what he had done and gave him a big hug.

‘It demonstrated to me the contrast that has taken place during my time in teaching.’

Another change is that nowadays the vast majority of children succeed academically, whereas previously it was only a very small number. But he does not consider that today’s students have it easier.

‘In those days it was about failure, but nowadays it’s about success.

‘Some wrongly believe that students have it easier, but that’s because they are still thinking in the old ways.’

He said the introduction of GCSE in 1988 had been a huge step forward. Prior to that, there was only O-levels, which were aimed at the top 25% of pupils and as a consequence, 75% inevitably did not reach the standard.

‘GCSE is accessible to everybody and it is an exam at which everybody can succeed at a certain level.’

As a consequence, increasing numbers of pupils have progressed to A-Level and post-16 education.For the past 21 years I have encouraged people to work harder, aim higher and go on to university and it has raised the standard of education on the island.’

The School’s Sixth Form Centre, which opened in September, is symbolic of that progression.

A total of 45% of pupils in all States schools now progress to A-level education, which Mr Balls said was tremendous.

‘The thing I’m most proud of achieving is leading the school to make it available to many more young people.’

He said the names of the school highlighted its historical evolution and progression. In the late-19th century it was known as the Secondary, which soon became the Intermediate Schools – one for girls and one for boys. In the 1950s they became the Grammar Schools and today the official title is the Grammar School and Sixth Form Centre.

Showing Prince Andrew around the new centre last July is one of many memorable moments in Mr Balls’ teaching career.

Others include the three musicals that the school put on: West Side Story, Les Miserables and Guys and Dolls.

‘It was a delight to see young people performing to such high standards.’

Another was the visit of a choir from the Oakvale special needs school to perform at a Grammar assembly about eight years ago.

‘The whole school was so moved and appreciative that at the end it spontaneously gave the Oakvale pupils a standing ovation and I thought their whole generosity was very moving.’

Two of the school’s former students recently asked if they could come and play music at an assembly for their former head teacher ahead of his retirement.

Nicole Wyatt, who now studies at Trinity School of Music, and Merrilees Harris, who is at Cambridge University, played a Bach concerto on violin and marimba respectively.

Mr Balls will miss the daily contact with the young people and the rewards it brought on virtually a daily basis, but he is excited about the future too.

He intends spending more time with his wife and doing more of the things they have always wanted to do but never had the time.

Travelling is high up on the list, with a holiday in Cuba likely to be the first stop.

They also plan to spend more time at their apartment in the south of France.

He is making no other commitments at present, but said that could change in future.

He officially retires at the end of August and will still be at the school next month to deal with exam results.

A total of 170 people, consisting of Grammar School staff and their partners, recently attended a dinner at St Pierre Park Hotel to mark Mr Balls’ retirement.