Widening Worlds

“I will miss the climate, but I won’t miss the chicken feet.”

 

LWC’s new Senior Deputy Head, Tom Hicks is in reflective mood as he sits, admiring the College’s emerald cricket pitches, under forget-me-not skies and Hampshire spring sunshine.

 

He is, but a few weeks into his new role, having arrived from Hong Kong where he was Principal Deputy Head at Harrow International School. For five years there, he oversaw the day-to-day running of a school which spanned age groups ranging from 3-18 years.

 

“Hong Kong is a very different lifestyle,” he admits. “It’s interesting and not all city. There’s a lot of green space and sea. You can do anything from eating street food to dining in high-end, rooftop restaurants. Living in a different culture is just great. It opens your mind to seeing the world differently. It helps to challenge your own expectations and deeply held beliefs. It made me think about everything differently and now I’m bringing that back to the UK.” Although very much without the chicken feet, which he admits to being a ‘one-time only’ experience.

   

“I love LWC’s vision of giving people limitless ambition and a belief that they can go and change the world for the better.”

— Tom Hicks, Senior Deputy Head

   

An accomplished cricketer and published author, Mr Hicks is passionate about developing a global outlook; whether it be in himself, his children or the wider student body at LWC. “I want them to feel that they can go anywhere in the world and be just fine,” he points out. But this sense of widening worlds is as important to Tom as establishing roots in a place and being part of strong sense of community.

 

He is certainly no stranger to LWC. He first arrived in the 1200 back in 1995, when he joined Sixth Form, as a result of his teacher-parents relocating to the College from Dorset. Having progressed to Oxford, he then returned to LWC and became Head of Sixth Form for just under five years.

 

So this is, in fact his third chapter of LWC life. “I think it tells you something about roots,” he remarks. “If you have really solid foundations, you can go off and explore the world and feel safe doing that. I think that’s what we’re trying to do at LWC; giving these young people a solid platform to leave and explore without fear. Coming back, if you want to and seeing a place you know well, with fresh eyes, is really exciting.”

 

Tom is clear that whilst the surroundings may be familiar to him, his new role at LWC in 2025 presents a completely different challenge to anything that has gone before it.

 

“I love LWC’s vision of giving people limitless ambition and a belief that they can go and change the world for the better,” he explains. “This place has a sense of respect for other people and a quiet self-assurance, which is an educational vision that I share. I think it’s exciting to see what this school can do in the next five to ten years, because the sector is changing hugely and I think what people want is something a bit different to what has been offered up to this point. I think people are yearning for a sense of belonging and community, but also a sense of adventure and a belief that there’s a different way of doing it. There’s no solitary, single path.”

 

At the heart of Tom’s approach to education is providing an opportunity for children and young people to shine. He alludes to this sense of ‘service’ and helping ‘others to flourish’ as being in his DNA and the reason why he ever wanted to be a teacher in the first place. Indeed, he remains keen to continue teaching in the classroom, despite his senior leadership role.

 

“Having a real belief in young people and an excitement about being around them, sharing their enthusiasm and seeing the world through their shining eyes is great. Adults can become quite jaded with life and I would encourage anyone to go and spend some time with young people. We’re very lucky to have a chance to walk alongside them, to support, celebrate and champion them. Sometimes we need to bring them back in line, but we can help them to find their own space.”

 

Wherever in the world that may be.