Head of Physics Adrian Baker retires after over two decades inspiring a generation of OS scientists.

In his own words, Adrian reflects on his journey to the College, his time with us and his wonderful plans for retirement travels around the canals of the country. During his decades at the College Adrian has most certainly brought the wonderful world of physics to life for numerous College pupils, privileged to have witnessed the most incredible practical experiments, both inside the classroom and outdoors, inspiring them to embrace the subject and all it can offer them.

'My journey into teaching at the College, and indeed into teaching, was not straightforward. Due to a whole lot of changes in the Education system in the 70s I ended up attending five different schools as a young teenager, which was disruptive to say the least. I grew to detest the education system and had no time at all for teachers. Somehow I survived, made it to University, dropped out, worked in an Engineering factory, then went back to Uni due to my limited options.

After leaving University I went to work as a motorcycle courier, firstly in the Midlands where I lived, followed by a few years in London when I married and moved to the SE. I then set up and ran a motorcycle business for another few years before my wife became pregnant with our daughter. At this point, after much urging from friends and family (“You’re a natural”), I was tempted to look into teaching – despite my earlier strong reservations about education…

So, after two years teaching in Harlow, five in Baldock (alongside Beth Wheeler) I applied to the College and joined the staff in September 2000. I was determined to stay no longer than two years before changing careers to work in IT, but we know how career plans go….

I worked initially for the long-serving Ian Taylor (Staff 67-04) and when he retired I successfully applied for the Head of Department post which I took over in September 2004. Incidentally, this made me only the 2nd Head of Physics at the College since 1968!

With the help of my brilliant lab technician Yvonne Sanger and hard-working teaching staff I worked hard to modernise and transform the Department and without a doubt my time here has been a success when looking at both the increased numbers choosing Physics in the sixth form, and their superb results too.

When I joined the College it was a small friendly environment with a very strong sense of community. I loved it here, and after my own troubled education I was so impressed seeing how education could, and should, be done.

During my time here I introduced the “Great Egg race Challenge” for the L5th – a team based day’s activity that led to some brilliant (and weird) contraptions and devices being designed, built and tested in the House teams. This was great fun, but sadly ended some years back.

I also introduced the annual day-trip to CERN in Geneva for the U6th Physicists. This has run ever since and has been a real success, although both staff and pupils have laughed at my obvious discomfort with flying when onboard the plane. Having ex-RAF John Bauer alongside me telling me “…this is take off-point T2 where a crash is certain if the engines fail” definitely didn’t help. He does like to point out such things when taking off and landing. Thanks John!

I’m looking forward to my retirement, but I will greatly miss not only working with some great colleagues, but the wonderful students who make the College what it is. I could fill pages and pages with my memories of them, the funny things they’ve done and said, their successes and indeed their tears on occasion. It has been a real privilege to have been a part of their lives whilst they are at the College, and hopefully I’ll stay in their memories as they do in mine.

As for my future, my wife and I have fulfilled a long-held dream and bought a narrowboat with which to tour around the UKs 2500 miles of connected canals and rivers. We have our own YouTube channel so if you want to see what we’re up to next year – follow us on: www.youtube.com/c/NarrowboatAdventures It should be fun'

We all wish Adrian the happiest of retirements and hope that the British canal system is kind to both he & his wife as they embrace a new pace of life away from the rigours of the College schedule.