Having swapped the desert climate of Dubai for the humidity of Hong Kong, Discovery Bay International School’s new Principal, Marc Morris, is happy to be back in the SAR.
Susannah Wood Reports / Photos courtesy of Discovery Bay International School
Ask Marc Morris, principal at Discovery Bay International School (DBIS, www.dbis.edu.hk), what drew him to education, and the answer is simple: “I wanted to do a better job than had been done to me. Teaching is my passion – it’s all I’ve ever wanted to do from a career perspective.”
Originally from the north west of England, Marc, whose father was a physics teacher, spent his early career teaching history at local authority schools across the UK. A natural leader, he quickly rose through the ranks gaining his first head-teachership at Westlands High School, Congleton in 1996. He continued to work at top-performing schools in the UK until 2011, when the opportunity to move to Hong Kong presented itself.
GLOBAL PERSPECTIVES
Marc’s international adventure began at Sha Tin College, where he spent six years as principal. From there he moved to Singapore to take up the position of Chief Education Officer for Dulwich College, where he was responsible for overseeing the work of nine heads of college in four jurisdictions: Singapore, China, South Korea and Myanmar. “It was interesting work,” he says, “but it wasn’t satisfying in the way that going into a school is. I missed the community, the regularity, the warmth, and I was keen to get back to that.” When the role of principal and CEO of Jumeirah College, Dubai, came up, Marc took the chance to return to a school community environment.
Now Marc is back in Hong Kong, leading what is arguably one of the most community-centric schools in the region. Was that one of the things that attracted him to DBIS and DB? “Absolutely!” he says. “I’d spent some time in Discovery Bay before, at conferences and visiting friends. That gave me a good sense of what it was like, and I felt a connection to the school. A good school is an asset to a community.”
DISCOVERING THE BAY
For Marc and his wife Tanya, a major part of DB’s appeal was its family-friendly environment – perfect for them and their one-year-old daughter Lana. “It’s a nice area for Lana to grow up in,” he says. “You see lots of happy children here. DB has an awful lot going for it – open space, access to greenery, minimal traffic, peace and quiet – and all within close proximity of the city.”
And what are Marc’s first impressions of DBIS? “From the outset, it’s been very obvious that the children at DBIS enjoy their schooling; they’re well cared for and the staff genuinely want to work with them – it’s authentic,” he says. “One of the most interesting and enjoyable parts of the recruitment process was meeting the students and hearing about their experiences. Students at DBIS feel confident to express their views, they’re enthusiastic about their learning, and these are essential parts of creating a flourishing school.”
Marc’s easy rapport with students complements his hands-on approach to day-to-day school life. “I’d rather join the children in class and read to them than walk around with a clipboard,” he says. “You can learn a lot by listening to what children think about their learning; they’re disarmingly honest.”
EDUCATING THE WHOLE CHILD
One thing that’s abundantly clear from speaking to Marc is how strongly he believes in providing a holistic education in order to nurture well-rounded students who are ready to take on real-world challenges. While academics are important – and Marc’s track record from his previous schools speaks for itself – there’s more to life than grades on paper and today’s students need to be prepared for a future that is, as yet, unwritten.
“I always say to students: ‘So you’re healthy, you’re happy, you’ve got top grades, but how many thousands of other people in the world have got top grades? What else are you going to offer an undergraduate programme or an employer?’” he says. “The important thing is to find something that draws the children in, something they’re passionate about. If that means they’re involved in clubs a few nights a week, that’s fine; it just has to be something they want to do, and it needs to fit in with their learning.
“Children being happy, safe and healthy is the first tier to achieving academic potential. It’s about balance. There’s far too much to do and learn in any single lifetime, and it’s important to get that across to children. Education doesn’t finish when you’re 18; it’s about keeping that inquiry mindset because who knows what you’ll want to do when you’re 30 or 40 – don’t ever let anyone tell you it’s too late to start something.”
When it comes down to it, Marc is more interested in adding value to his students than getting more A* grades. “It’s about meeting the children where they are and adding value to their potential,” he explains. “My previous school, Jumeirah College, Dubai, is in the top 1% in the world in terms of the value it adds. That means you could have gone to any other school in the world and you statistically would not have done any better than you have done at that school.
“If you ask them, most schools won’t tell you what their value added is because it doesn’t make for headline figures. My argument around the extracurricular, the breadth, the holistic is that it incentivises students’ academic work; it provides fulfilment, enjoyment, interest and friendship groups, meaning children are happy to go to school and are more likely to be able to battle through when academics become challenging.”
LEADING BY EXAMPLE
Marc doesn’t just talk the talk when it comes to holistic experiences though – he walks the walk too. A keen musician, he not only plays a number of instruments but also makes them. “One of the things I most cherish about my time in Hong Kong before was when someone left a leaflet on my desk – to this day I don’t know who it was – about ukulele making. I ended up doing a nine-week course then taking some private lessons, and before I knew it, I had a workshop.”
Ever the educator, Marc went on to use his new-found skills to run instrument-making workshops for students as part of ‘Week Without Walls’ experiences.
Marc’s hobbies and interests don’t just stop at music. A highly experienced mountaineer, he has worked as an outdoor centre instructor, a World Challenge expedition leader, a youth centre leader and a climbing coach. DBIS students can likely look forward to more expeditions up and over Tiger’s Head in the coming months!
Speaking of the future, Marc is full of confidence and quick to reassure that taking over the reins part way through the academic year has not presented him with any additional challenges. “I’ve moved at winter break before,” he says, “and actually, it’s very helpful for a new head and the school because the year’s calendar is planned and the exam groups and teachers are all in place. The important thing is that I’ve not brought a template with me. Different schools require different approaches, and it’s important for me to listen to the parents, the students and the teachers and take time to learn about the school’s traditions and culture.
“I’m very happy to have joined DBIS,” Marc concludes with a broad smile. “It’s an exciting new venture for me, and I’m delighted to be here in DB, steering the school and playing my part in the wider community.”