Andy Childe

Andy Childe graduated from the University of North London in 1994 with a degree in Geography. After graduation, Andy lived in Romania for a year, where he volunteered as an environmental consultant in Retezat National Park, monitoring bears and wolves and helping to develop sustainable tourism, During his time in Romania, and also worked in hospitals, orphanages and in a secondary school as a volunteer teaching assistant. It was this final experience that convinced Andy to that he wanted to pursue a career in teaching. Therefore, upon returning to the UK, Andy completed his PGCE in Geography and Physical Education (PE) at the University of Leeds and began teaching as a Geography and PE teacher at Dyke House School, Hartlepool in 1997.

During his eight years at Dyke House School, Andy supported the school on their journey from ‘Special Measures’ to ‘Outstanding’, taking on additional areas of leadership including Year 6 Transition, Duke of Edinburgh (becoming the largest unit in Hartlepool) and Head of Year. Whilst teaching, Andy also began marking for an exam board to further his own professional development. Andy is now the Chief Examiner for GCSE Geography (Pearson Edexcel) and a Senior Examiner for AQA.

Andy then spent the next decade working in various secondary schools in the North East (Darlington, Spennymoor and Barnard Castle) as Head of Geography and as Head of Humanities. During this period, Andy’s leadership helped to enhance the curriculum that was being delivered (both inside and outside the classroom), motivating and inspiring students to maximise their outcomes.

Andy ‘came home’ to North Yorkshire in 2016 where he led the Humanities and MFL Faculty at Bedale High Scholl for several years before being appointed Assistant Headteacher in 2022, leading Personal Development. This is the area of school that Andy feels very passionate about – ensuring that every single student in our school community has best experience possible during their 5-years at Bedale, and is in the best possible for further success when they leave us. Under Andy’s leadership, Student Leadership, PSHE (Personal, Social, Health and Economic education), Extra-Curricular and Careers education (with, most recently, the re-introduction of a formal work experience in year 10) have been strengthened – something that was recognised in recent Growing Up in North Yorkshire surveys and the most recent Ofsted report.