From one challenge to another

Karl Newell

KARL Newell spent two weeks kayaking among icebergs in Alaska and wild camping among brown bears.

Now he has been appointed head teacher at Crompton House School and he said: “In many ways it has been equally adventurous.”

Mr Newell takes over from Sarah Calvert, who left after being diagnosed with chronic fatigue syndrome.

He has worked at the Shaw school for 20 years — having originally planned to stay a couple of years before moving home to Liverpool.

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“It turned out to be a long couple of years. I fell in love with the school and the area,” explained the 47-year-old who lives in Diggle.

Mr Newell joined Crompton House as second in department for geography and has also been both deputy head and head of the sixth form, assistant head teacher and deputy head teacher.

A keen sea kayaker, he received a grant from The Goldsmith’s Company to explore coastal glaciers in Alaska last summer.

The scheme supports teachers to take time out to undertake projects and Mr Newell said: “It was absolutely spectacular — but I didn’t anticipate coming back and starting to run the school due to the long-term illness of the previous head.”

He has now been appointed head teacher for a year after doing the job on an acting basis since the autumn alongside fellow deputy head teacher Jim Upton.
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