In this week's 'A Conversation With...', we caught up with Housemaster of Burr and MFL teacher, Mr Rey Guillaud. In the feature, we find out how he got into teaching, why this year has been an incredible one for Burr House, and also why he won't be on cooking duty come Saturday 11 March!
What is your role and how long have you been at Shiplake?
I joined Shiplake College in January 2022 and I am Housemaster of Burr House. I am also part of the MFL department and I coach some sports (currently with the mighty U13B football team, and with the tennis squad in the summer).
What were you doing before you joined Shiplake?
I started my teaching career in the UK about 20 years ago, and I have worked in both prep and senior schools. I was lucky to teach at Westminster Abbey Choir School in 2012, and to be part of the group of staff invited along with the choir by Pope Benedict XVI at the Vatican. After that, I was a Housemaster at Worksop College before coming back "down South" as Head of Boarding at the Prebendal School in Chichester.
What inspired you to pursue a career in education?
Before going to university in the lovely Loire valley town of Angers, I spent five years at the Prytanée National Militaire of La Flèche, a military boarding school. Even though my baccalauréat (the French equivalent of A-levels) was all about maths and science, I eventually started studying for a degree in English. I then worked for a couple of years in the sales department, in a company called Rivard, before going back to university to start a Master's in French as a foreign language. One of the components of the course was to teach French to foreign refugees who had just been granted asylum.
A year later, one of my former lecturers mentioned to me that a representative from Oxford Brookes University was in Angers, interviewing and recruiting for French students who may be interested in doing a PGCE and teaching in the UK. I applied, accepted the offer, packed my Renault Clio and crossed the Channel in September 2003.
In my first boarding job at the Oratory School, I was fortunate to work alongside a fabulous Housemaster, Mr Pat Thomas, who inspired me to follow the pastoral care path. It is such a privilege for me to be back in the area, and to be the relatively new Housemaster of Burr House.
What is a day in the life like for you at Shiplake?
During the week, I share wake-up duties with Mr Heaney (our new Burr Deputy Housemaster). It takes a while to get 50 teenage boys up! Check and notices at 8.00am, followed by assemblies or Chapel services. Like all my colleagues, the rest of the day is a mixture of lessons, meetings with colleagues or parents, and either games or extra-curricular activities. My break times are usually spent in Burr, in order to catch up with the boys or with Matron.
In the evenings, we have a fantastic team of tutors helping out with supervising and supporting the boys, until Mr Heaney or myself go around the House to say bonne nuit. Weekends are a more chilled affair: there are about 15 boarders staying on-site; they do activities on both days and we often have some sort of treat on the Saturday night. And then it's time to start another week!
What have been some of your highlights from this year (from September 2022)?
Seeing the Burr boys more united than ever this year has been incredible. It clearly showed during some of the inter-house competitions. Bringing home the two House Ergo trophies, and finishing second in both House Singing and in the Year 11 House Debate. This is only the start, I believe, of what will be remembered as one of the best years in Burr history. Bring on Sports Day!
What do you do away from work?
When you work where you live, or live where you work, you can't really switch off properly during term time. But my wife Leesa and my son Lucas make sure I find the time to go for walks around Lower Shiplake with them and our two dogs, Melody and Jessy.
If I have a spare hour to myself, I go grab a book, put a jazz record on and the world becomes a better place - until I check the FC Nantes results! We usually spend holidays catching up with friends and family, both in the UK and in France.
What does the future hold for you?
I am really excited about what's in store for Burr. The current senior cohort is full of ideas and they really care about the House spirit and their legacy; the younger ones are also loving being involved and flying the Burr colours whenever possible. We have recently decided to support a local charity (Brain Injury Charity | Headway Thames Valley) and we can't wait to start our fundraising efforts. Every day is different here. They occasionally drive me mad, but overall I am very proud to be the Burr Housemaster.
What are your thoughts on the 6 Nations and the upcoming England v France match?
In my household, we love watching the 6 Nations, but separately. England vs France is the worst - Leesa is on one side of the room, I'm on the other side, with both of us cheering and booing in our own language (Lucas is neutral, bless him!). The loser ends up on dinner duty - and I am confident enough to tell you that I am not planning to cook next Saturday night!
