Martin Ashton, Deputy Head (Pastoral)

Martin Ashton, Deputy Head (Pastoral)

I look back fondly at my own school days which surely formed the basis for a career in education that I am so passionate about. I found a love for singing in my early days and involved myself in as much sport as time would allow. My English Literature degree at Leicester University led to a PGCE because of the many roles I took on involving young people and my growing love of learning. My first teaching job was in a large maintained sector school near Guildford in Surrey between 1997 and 1999. Two years later I applied for a job in Somerset at Wells Cathedral School as a way of expanding my horizons and gaining further independence – and I’m still here over two decades later!

At Wells I was immediately struck by the beautiful learning environment, the tangible warmth in relationships between pupils and staff and the breadth of co-curricular opportunities open to staff outside the classroom. Since September 1999 my primary pastoral roles have included Assistant Houseparent in Shrewsbury House, Head of Years 7 and 8, Housemaster of Cedars House and Head of Boarding. In the classroom I have taught an eclectic mix of English Language and Literature, Media Studies and Film Studies across the senior school spectrum. I became Deputy Head (Pastoral) in the Senior part of the School and DSL for the whole School in Sept 2019. I am married to Anna who also teaches in the music department at Wells – and we are parents of four children who have travelled through their school years with us and with the Wells Cathedral School community.