After teaching at Moulsford for 21 years, Jess Roberts is leaving school to pursue pastures new in Wales. She has made an invaluable contribution to school life since she started in 2001 in so many ways. Jess has headed up Design & Technology, been a Year 8 form teacher for numerous cohorts, and has been heavily involved in drama productions. In that time, we estimate she has taught over 1200 boys, designed the stage sets for over 50 drama productions and accompanied dozens of school trips. With so many years of service and a multitude of experiences, we caught up with her to ask about her reflections on two decades at Moulsford.

You have been heavily involved with the drama production sets at Moulsford, which links to your theatre background. Can you tell us a little about your background, and how you came into teaching?

My background was theatre and set design. My first degree was in set design, and then I went on to work in a theatre in Millford Haven in Wales. I also worked in film on a number of projects, one of which was making fake dead animals for filming, when they couldn’t use live ones. Whilst quite difficult and interesting, I did think after a while I needed a different challenge and wanted to try teaching. After completing teacher training in Design & Technology, I was recruited by Mike Higham, who fortunately for me was specifically looking for someone with a theatre background.

It must have felt like fate to end up at Moulsford?

Well actually, if it hadn’t been for my forgetful mum, I might have gone to work on EastEnders instead. At the time, my friend had just landed a job with the BBC working on EastEnders and phoned my house (this is a time before mobile phones really) and left a message with my mum to call me because she wanted me to work alongside as her assistant. I didn’t get the message till after I had accepted the Moulsford job offer, which I think was the right choice for me. Well, I stayed a good long time anyhow!

The boys will remember you very fondly as a warm and supportive Year 8 form teacher. What has been your philosophy in that role?

My approach as a Year 8 form teacher has always been to allow the boys to be themselves. I like to get to know them first, so they learn to trust me, and then they really open up and then I can help and support them. School life is fairly regimented, and the boys are so busy at school, that I like to give them some freedom in form time, and create a space for them to be more relaxed and to be themselves. How you are as a form teacher is different to how you are as a subject teacher. As a form teacher, you really get to know them better, and you’re the closest thing to a parent to them within school.

What has been most rewarding for you about teaching?

I’m really privileged to teach the boys from when they start all the way through to Year 8, so I can see them develop. I enjoy seeing them learn to be more independent and grow in their DT skills, as well as seeing how they change and mature over the years. Fortunately, I’ve had no accidents with equipment during my time involving the boys, although I personally have drilled through a finger and put a stick through my hand! It is sometimes quite nerve-racking, as I do allow them lots of freedom with the equipment, and I need to have eyes everywhere to make sure everyone’s safe and happy of course.

What have been some of the highlights of your time at school? Are there any trips or events, which spring to mind?

The trips have been a real highlight for me. I used to organize and lead the Elan Valley trips to Wales for Year 5 and 6 every February for many years, and they were great fun, although exceptionally cold! I went on the South Africa tours in 2012 and 2014, and they were an amazing experience! There were starlit dinners, breath-taking scenery and wonderful wildlife to soak up, although I remember one time was fairly terrifying, when we encountered wild elephants! But we survived…. Then there was the time when we were asked to build an ark in one of the villages, and we all worked hard to come up with something that looked a bit like one. The trips were about the friendships and camaraderie amongst the group. It was about so much more than rugby. Some of the happiest memories of my life were probably from those trips!

What aspects of school life have you enjoyed the most over the past two decades?

We are really lucky here at Moulsford, the staff are so lovely. I have lifelong friends from my time here, and memories and bonds, which I will cherish forever. It’s a very special place to have worked.

Are there any school memories, which will stay with you forever?

Of course, I will never forget all the funny moments we had with Monstrosity. We came up with the idea in order to bring more families to watch Moulsford Got Talent, and I’ve been organizing it for six years now. It’s great to see the staff happily making idiots of themselves on stage. The whole school and staff enjoy coming together for some silly fun at the end of the school year.

Are there any aspects of your role or life at school, which you think you will miss in the future?

I think I’ll really miss both the staff and the boys when I leave. The staff have been like a family to me almost and I will so miss them. I know I will also miss having a form to look after, and that special relationship built up with 8R each year. Form-time is a special time, and almost an escape from everything else going on. It’s a time to be in the moment and focus on those boys. The change I see in Year 8 in the boys is huge, and they are ready to leave us by the end of the year. I hope that over the years, I have helped give them some special memories to take away with them, through the times we spent together and especially the leaver’s trip.

Could you tell us a little about your plans and hopes for your new life in Wales?

In September, I’m going to start a Masters degree in Illustration at Swansea Art College whilst at the same time completing a BA in Graphic Design. After the studying, I’m hoping to go freelance with my skills and see where it takes me. I have loved teaching at Moulsford, and helping the boys develop their creative side, but now it’s my time to develop my skills and get creative. I’m also really looking forward to being back in Wales, my home, and where lots of my family live. Having said that, after 21 years, part of me will always hark back to Moulsford!