Our ‘Conversation With…’ this week is with Shiplake’s resident Ironman, Mr Tom Walter. As Head of PE, Mr Walter spends a lot of time overseeing the College’s GCSE, A Level and BTEC courses in the subject. In his spare time, you will either find Mr Walter playing for Henley Hockey Club, or in a lake, on a bike or pounding the pavements, working towards his next Triathlon.
What roles do you currently perform at Shiplake?
Probably too many, I have often been (playfully!) criticised by my colleagues for my email signature!
I am Head of PE, overseeing GCSE, A Level and BTEC Sport although I am fortunate to have a great team of capable colleagues to work with. I also teach a lot of Biology, so I am in the Science Department regularly. I am Assistant Housemaster in Orchard and also Head of Hockey, so the Spring Term is always a busy one. I also coach the girls' hockey teams and will be involved in the cricket in the summer.
What does a usual day look like for you at the College?
There is no usual day! Aside from my usual lessons, anything can happen. Generally I will try and fit some training or a dog walk in early if I can, before getting in around 7.45am to check that I am ready for the day before heading to Orchard or Chapel. I will then teach a mixture of PE and Biology throughout the day, before coaching sport in the afternoon. There will then be lots of planning and marking to do and emails to respond to, or I will be on duty in Orchard House.
How long have you been in teaching, and what inspired you to become a teacher?
I actually never thought I would be a teacher, and tried a few different things first! I was convinced into teaching by a number of close friends, who are also teachers at other schools and it has worked out well. This is my sixth year and Shiplake is my first school. Shiplake supported me through my teacher training and it has been a great place to take on new challenges. I enjoy the less predictable nature of the job, as well as the variety that every day brings.
What would you say is the best thing about Shiplake?
We work in a great environment with lots of fantastic people who are all passionate and dedicated. Shiplake is also a school that is keen to develop and learn. There is always a welcoming vibe around the school, even on 'bad' days. The food is fantastic too!
You obviously have a love of sports and hockey in particular, can you tell us a bit more about your sporting background?
I would spend every spare minute of my time playing sports when I was younger. Break time and lunch time at school was always a football match of some sort. I was always driven to get my academics done because it meant that it would get more time to play sports. I would have training almost every evening of the week and then play football and hockey matches on the weekend. Hockey ended up being my chosen sport because I was getting more success from it. I am lucky to have very supportive and patient parents - there was a lot of driving and washing to be done!
I played hockey at Exeter University and ended up as Club Captain before joining Henley when I arrived at Shiplake. I still play on weekends if work allows.
What do you like to do in your spare time?
Aside from sport, I will regularly head into London or home to catch up with friends and family. I also love travelling and will regularly set off during the holidays with a couple of good books and enjoy some downtime. I've been known to dabble in a bit of painting and drawing, I love a good box set and my partner and I also recently got a dog, Vixie, who needs plenty of walking and attention.
Being a sports addict, training features heavily. Over the past few years I have taken to triathlon and so as the hockey season winds down and the weather improves, I will get back in the pool and on the bike. I completed my first full Ironman last year and there is a temptation to sign up to another (I can't explain it) but somewhere prettier than Bolton this time, so I can enjoy it a bit more.
If there is one place you could visit in the world, that you haven't been to, where would it be and why?
It would be close between South Africa and Japan, but I would probably go for Japan. The Rugby World Cup last year put Japan in the spotlight and really showcased the country, so it would be good to go and get stuck into the culture, history and sushi.
What does the future hold for Mr Walter?
I'm heading into my 30's, so probably a large commitment of some sort, another stupid physical challenge and a sports car/motorbike mid-life crisis.
