Meet Mr Goold: Dover Court Science Teacher and Assistant Head of Secondary

Mr Goold's teaching journey began in 2008 in a state school in Brighton, United Kingdom. Quickly transitioning to an international school in the UK, he found his passion for teaching biology to students from diverse backgrounds. Before joining Dover Court, he taught at a typical English private school, but the prospect of working with international students in a diverse setting drew him to Singapore and DCIS. What attracted him most was Dover Court's commitment to inclusive education.

He is a keen advocate of education outside of the classroom setting and ensuring learning is a memorable experience. We sat down with Mr Goold to learn how Dover Court’s personalised education pathways allow students to go further than they thought possible.

What makes Dover Court a special place?

Dover Court is a special place because it is an environment that not only celebrates, but also lives and breathes diversity and appreciates the potential and the power of having people with diverse backgrounds. The ability and strength that this can bring to the community gives you a real-world perspective. When you come to Dover, there is a broad range of backgrounds, thoughts and ideas, and these enhance our creativity and ability to impact the world. What I really love about the environment at Dover, and that I haven’t really experienced in other schools, is the patience, respect and willingness to listen to one another, particularly within our student body. This isn’t something you necessarily see in schools, and I like to think that it is something that students benefit from holistically. This will help them in their next steps and life after Dover — jobs, universities etc.

Could you share an example of how students benefit from our inclusive and personalised approach to education at Dover Court?

One great example would be our termly Drop-Down Days, when Secondary students get to come off their regular timetable to participate in a day of co-curricular activities. They get to step outside their own backgrounds and experiences to do a ‘shared project’ with a diverse range of people. What you get there is a real sense of a shared community response to a challenge, rather than a group of individuals with similar views. Our connections with organisations outside our community like the Purple Parade, Curious Thoughts Giving, and the Special Olympics are getting stronger, and it’s amazing seeing our students coming together to support and engage with the local community.

Inclusivity and academic excellence go hand in hand at Dover Court, could you share more about it?

At Dover Court, we know that excellence looks different for each student. Excellence is about reaching your potential and going further than you thought possible. So, we celebrate both when we look at academic data, but also other types of success, and most importantly, the value added, such as seeing students achieving beyond where we expect them to end up.

We have moulded our Sixth Form programme in an inclusive and bespoke manner for our post-16 learners. As many of our students have been with us for several years, we know them at an individual level and can ensure that the right path is provided. We are proud to offer multiple programmes of study in our Sixth Form, and these programmes are also flexible, to suit all our learners. Whilst the majority of our students study the IB Diploma Programme, we also have students attending our two BTEC programmes, the IB Courses programme, and, more excitingly, hybrid versions. Our Sixth Form provision has grown so much over the years, as we have tapped into a quite unique offering. It is fantastic to see how our graduates have thrived, achieved high scores and gone on to attend top universities, or inspiring career paths.

The International BTEC Diploma in Business offers an exciting vocational learning opportunity, broadening academic understanding of business and developing work-related skills. Our BTEC students gain practical understanding and experience of how businesses operate, in preparation for the world of work or further education. We also have students who are on the BTEC programme and combining it with IB subjects. This is a bespoke curriculum option that we are very proud to offer, and that allows our students to take full advantage of a personalised education.

What does exceptional learning experiences at Dover Court mean?

Although our classes are small, there is a broad range of capabilities and learners. We have fantastic teachers who work with a broad range of learners and utilise their skills to make sure that every student reaches their full potential. This is the credit of our teachers. We do have a few sets of streams in languages, maths and science, but most of our classes are mixed abilities and we still do really well. This is all down to our teachers’ ability to get to know the students and tailor their teaching to the full range of learners. I think that this is one of the things you realise when you first join Dover Court, that the teachers here are exceptional and all willing to take risks and try new things - that’s the winning ‘recipe’ for success!

Do you have any tips for Secondary students?

My top tip is to challenge yourself to make sure you take all opportunities that become available and seriously consider them. If there is an opportunity to join a CCA, a trip or a project, seize the moment because those are the things that will make a difference. It will make a difference in your learning journey and those are the things you will remember at the end. Learning is about making mistakes; you can’t learn unless you stumble and get back up so you shouldn’t be afraid of making mistakes. It is part of your learning journey, and you can only get better and stronger if you allow yourself to make a mistake. Don’t fear things like assessments and tests. If you don’t succeed the first time, just learn from it. It will only make you a better student.

Lastly, we know that you have a life outside of being an Assistant Head. What do you like to do when you’re not making sure that our students have a great school experience?

Believe it or not, but I don’t spend all my time around S-block, or in the science labs! I used to do quite a bit of water sports; I love wakeboarding, and surfing. During the weekends, I like hanging out with my daughter, she is almost two years old and has a lot of energy. I also enjoy watching rugby and I’m a keen and enthusiastic member of the Dover Court staff touch rugby team!