Teaching is a calling for new primary school head

ST Benedict School’s new head of primary school, Gill Rayner (below), has never dreamt of being anything else besides a teacher.

When she began teaching, she worked as a PE teacher at a school in Cape Town before deciding to take a remedial course in UCT full time.

“After finishing my course, I made a decision to move to Durban where I was a remedial teacher for the foundation phase at Clifton College. I also worked as a PE teacher.

When she got married, she took some time off teaching full time and opened a swimming school.

“During that time, I did some locum work in various schools around Durban. After some time, I went back to Clifton College where I first taught Grade 2s, I then taught the Foundation Phase (Grade R to 3) at Eden College and I was very involved in swimming.”

She said getting the post at St Benedict was a wonderful opportunity and came at the right time.

“The truth is I was not looking for a teaching position as I was working as a lecturer at Embury College. I really enjoyed working there as I was lecturing teachers and for me, it was a way of giving back to the teaching industry by sharing my knowledge with young teachers.

“In my years as a teacher I was also blessed to learn from the best,” she said.

She said what attracted her to St Benedict was the school’s caring environment ethos which includes innovation and creativity.

“I love creating new ideas and challenging children to be the best that they can be and that’s what I bring to the school. The world is constantly changing and I love keeping up to date with the new trends, that helps encourage children.”

Rayner will be working along with Sean Topper, who was recently appointed as head of high school, and Dr Barbara Bowley, who is the head of the whole school.