Tony McGuinness, the headteacher of All Saints Catholic High School in Kirkby, is retiring after 36 years in education, 11 of which were spent leading the school. McGuinness left school in 1982 without any qualifications and later worked at a Birds Eye factory before returning to education. He graduated in economics from Liverpool Polytechnic and began his teaching career at Deyes High School in Maghull. He held senior leadership roles at St Francis Xavier's in Woolton and St John Bosco in Croxteth before returning to Kirkby in April 2015 as headteacher at All Saints.
From special measures to 'Good' Ofsted
When McGuinness arrived at All Saints, the school was in special measures and undersubscribed. He worked with staff to rebuild trust in the community. McGuinness said: 'Eight years ago, we were in special measures. We didn't have the trust of the community and we were massively undersubscribed. I led the school with the staff behind me out of special measures.' Over the next decade, the school achieved 'Good' Ofsted reports across every category. McGuinness added: 'Fast forward to today, and now we have hundreds of appeals every year. The community that we serve trusts us, and once you have that trust, you can achieve anything.'
Focus on relationships and culture
McGuinness emphasised the importance of relationships and culture over exam results. He said: 'If you get the culture and ethos right, everything else will follow. Our mission isn't about exam results. It's about love and justice.' He greets every child with a smile each morning and will miss the daily interactions. He said: 'I'll miss the 'Good morning, Sir', the smiles, the conversations with the children, and the staff. I'll miss seeing children doing well and telling them, 'Well done'. I'll miss being part of what we call the All Saints family.'
Providing opportunities for working-class children
McGuinness, who grew up in Kirkby, wanted to improve life chances for working-class children. He said: 'I wanted to make a massive difference in the community that I'd been brought up in, where lots of my family and friends still live. For me, it's been a real privilege to serve the community I grew up in over time.' He added: 'It's about providing working-class children with as many positive experiences as possible, both within the school building and outside it.'
Retirement and future
McGuinness believes the time is right for a new chapter. He said: 'I've done my best, now it's time for a change. Personally, it's time to enjoy family life, travel a little, and do the things I've not been able to do while doing a busy job for 36 years, and from the school's point of view, it's time for new leadership and fresh ideas. I believe All Saints is ready for the next stage of its journey, which will bring it even more success in the future.'
