Our New Head of School Secondary: Jon Symmons

Our New Head of School Secondary: Jon Symmons

At Optimist International Academy, we believe that learning begins with curiosity and flourishes in a supportive community. As we continue to build our international learning pathway, we are delighted to welcome Jon Symmons as our new Head of School Secondary. We spoke with Jon about his journey into international education, his approach to leadership and his hopes for OIA's future. Could you tell us a little bit about yourself? I was born and bred in a small town just west of London. Growing up I developed a wanderlust and was passionate abut discovering the world. My favourite book was an atlas! I chose to study Geography at the university of Nottingham and then went travelling on and off for 2 years – this included time on a Kibbutz in Israel, exploring India alone and travelling through Australia, South Africa and Zimbabwe. These travels opened my eyes to new perspectives on this beautiful world. It also changed my life forever, as I met Deborah in 1996 in Darwin, Australia. We spent four years travelling between our homes in the UK and the Netherlands. During this time, I was studying to be a teacher, following in the footsteps of my mother, aunt and uncle,...