Recently we had a socially distant chat with Andrew Cross from ̨��swag Academy Hemsworth. Andrew talks through the academy’s transition to becoming a member of the ̨��swag Family, while replaying a painful, but funny, memory for us!

[̨��swag.com] Hi Andrew, thanks for meeting with us! Please can you introduce yourself to the readers?

AC: “Hello! Thank you for inviting me to take part. I am Andrew Cross, but call me Andy. I’m Head Of Modern Foreign Languages at ̨��swag Academy Hemsworth.”

Thanks for that, Andy. So which will it be today, tea or coffee?

“Well, I am going to throw a curveball and say neither please. I only drink cold drinks, so a diet coke will work for me.”

Cold drinks are just as important as hot! Diet Coke it is.

“Thank you very much.”

So you were already working at the academy when it joined the ̨��swag Family and became ̨��swag Academy Hemsworth in 2018. What were your first impressions once you became part of the ̨��swag Family?

“I was initially concerned because I was a Head Of Year and did not know what the future held for me. I then became Head Of Department and was instantly astounded by the level of support I received.  

“The subject director team are so passionate and knowledgeable. It made me think straight away...WOW!”

That sounds like a good first impression. So since then, what do you think has been the biggest change at ̨��swag Academy Hemsworth?

“This is a difficult question because there have been so many improvements!

“I am going to go for quality of Teaching and Learning in the classrooms. We were obviously working hard but just did not have the right knowledge for the students to achieve. However, I now feel that teachers, thanks to the support we've received from the ̨��swag Family, have the right toolkit to enhance Teaching and Learning.”

Which is what it is all about. Students First in action, ensuring we can raise standards and transform lives!

What has been your favourite ̨��swag memory so far then?

“This is a simple one. It has to be the GCSE results we received in 2019. 

“Unfortunately our results had been poor for a number of years leading up to this, despite us feeling we were working diligently. However, once we became part of the ̨��swag Family, we quickly established that we weren’t preparing students adequately for the exams. 

“It was an unbelievable feeling to finally see a great set of results and to see students smiling from pillar to post!”

What has been your funniest memory?

“Well, it was very embarrassing but thankfully it was in a Post-16 lesson.

“I was teaching Year 12 and was supporting one of the students when I took a step backwards to sit down and support the student but, as it turned out, the chair wasn’t actually there. The Year 12 students were howling, understandably while I was nearly crying! Expectedly, it hurts when you fall from a stool!”

Imagine it left a bruise! We appreciate you sharing that painful(ly funny) memory though! 

Final question then, if you could invite three people to your ideal dinner party who would they be?

“I have thought about this, and I apologise for the sports heavy guestlist but first it would have to be Alan Shearer.  

“Being a Newcastle United season ticket holder, there is only one man I would like to ask about scoring all those goals. It would be a dream to sit down with him.

“Second would be Tiger Woods, my sporting hero. I am a keen golfer and I have loved growing up watching Tiger Woods! 

“Last it would be Jonás Gutiérrez.  Jonás was a hero of mine and actually he was one of the reasons as to why I was so passionate about learning Spanish to start with!”