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Richard Grout and then Education Secetary Margaret Thatcher at the opening of the school's junior department in 1972 |
Richard Grout – a passionate headteacher
RICHARD Grout, who has died aged 85, will be remembered as a headteacher whose drive, energy and passion revolutionised St Michael’s Primary School in Highgate.
“Gaffer Grouty,” as friends and colleagues affectionately called him, joined the school in 1969 and worked there until his retirement in 1981.
Perhaps one of Mr Grout’s biggest legacies at the school – apart from the hundreds of children who benefited from his expertise – was the vastly improved school buildings he left.
He was a tireless fundraiser, and turned a draughty Victorian primary school into a modernised and enlarged building.
He is remembered for his incredible school fetes, which saw him call on the support of the entire school to make the day a memorable annual event – and raise vital funds for the coffers at the same time. Among the visitors he persuaded to come and help were world-renowned violinist Yehudi Menuhin, who not only opened the fete twice and then manned the record stall but performed with the school orchestra.
Others who appeared included the then Dr Who, Tom Baker, who brought with him some Daleks and a 20-foot polysterene monster, courtesy of the BBC props department.
Richard Grout was born in Southgate, north London, where his father owned shoe shops. During World War II he served with the RAF as a fitter – there were armaments and plane factories near his home in Tottenham.
After the war he had to decide between joining the church and teaching, and, after studying at Goldsmiths, chose to enter the classroom.
He said in The Grout Years, a book he wrote about his time at the school, that he found “a well-run, happy if old-fashioned school with an atmosphere and good discipline… but there was one aspect I felt had room for improvement. On my first visit, I was shown round by my predecessor – and on our way round the infant department we met a lady and child coming out of a lassroom. She looked very embarrassed and apologised because she had to go into the school after 3.30pm as the small boy had forgotten to bring his plimsolls home. My predecessor looked very sternly at her and said: ‘You should have come to my room first.’
“I found this attitude was turning away a wonderful source of help and educational strength. I found that some of the parents had better educational qualifications than mine and it seemed rather stupid not to tap this pool of knowledge and assistance.”
When Mr Grout took over St Michael’s, bringing parents into the school to help was virtually unheard of. According to former staff member Bob Williams, who worked with him, he made parents feel welcome. Mr Williams said: “He made it easy for people to drop in and help whenever they were needed. It was one of those things that made the school such a welcoming place for pupils – and their parents. He was an inspiration to work with and great friend to have.”
He is survived by his wife Pat and their three children, and his actor brother James.
DAN CARRIER |
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