Lauren Griffen and Alona Thomas talk to Karen Hucker about her role as Principal of Bexhill Sixth Form College
Karen Hucker has been the Principal of Bexhill College for over twenty years. Karen has worked in education her whole working life and has great amounts of knowledge and expertise when it comes to running a sixth-form college. But who is she and what does she feel about the college?
We met Karen in her spacious office one busy Monday morning. Sitting calmly at her large table, having just finished a meeting planning building works, she is happy to answer our questions.
Karen explains that there are many factors that contribute to the college’s outstanding OFSTED report, including her dedicated team, the hardworking staff, the fantastic facilities and of course us, the amazing students!
Although she thoroughly enjoys her job as Principal, she faces many challenges in her day-to-day work life. She says that one of her biggest challenges is the jump from one task to another, such as today when she went from planning building works to being interviewed by students. Despite this being a challenge Karen claims that this is one of the things that makes her work so enjoyable as she “loves a challenge” and that no two days are the same.
We love Arthur our college dog! Karen agrees and says that Arthur plays a key role in helping students’ mental health. Students can bring Arthur to lessons if they are feeling anxious as it helps them to relax and be present in the lessons. Arthur is really appreciated amongst the college community and brings a smile to many people’s faces, although Karen also notes that it is important to be mindful of students who may not enjoy the company of animals.
Another interesting aspect of Bexhill College is that there are one hundred and forty international students studying here. What are the advantages of having international students at Bexhill College? Karen says that international students bring a real diversity to the college and their presence is beneficial to all students as they are exposed to new and different cultures and are able to interact with students from other countries. The number of international students has grown massively over the last five years, as this unique aspect of the college creates a diverse and enjoyable community for those studying at the college.
So, what should all students do to make the most of their time at Bexhill College? We ask Karen for advice. She smiles and claims that her advice has probably been said by many people before but despite it being repeated to students many times these really are the most effective ways to ensure that students are able to achieve the best that they can: “Attend all lessons to ensure that you are not missing out on any content that you need to learn. Listen to your teachers as they are professionals in their subjects, and they want to see you succeed as much as you do!” Her final piece of advice is to ensure that you are not working too many hours during the academic term because your studies should be a priority and although work is an important aspect of life your education should be put first at this stage. Karen assures us that by doing these things students will be able to maximise their time at Bexhill College, and not only receive the best results they can but also this will make sure that they enjoy their time learning and build valuable relationships with others at the college.
We thoroughly enjoyed interviewing Karen as we were able to see behind the scenes of running a sixth-form college and how it manages to remain outstanding and a great place for both students and staff. Karen is not only a great leader but possesses many characteristics that make her an exceptional Principal. We found it very interesting to gain insight into Karen’s role in the college and see her perspective as the Principal.
