A former art teacher at Theale Green School has spoken out about his 20 year career at the school during the 70’s

77-year-old Raymond Gray begun his teacher career at the school at just 21 where he started just one day a week and later became the schools head of Art.

Originally trained as a potter, sculptor and painter at a college in Berkshire, he also  completed his teaching qualification during his first year at the Theale school.

“When I first started, I was only there one day a week because in those days, the art department did not really exist,” he explains. “I was teaching from a marquee on the front lawn, with the building having not long been open.” 

Reading Chronicle:

“To end up teaching at Theale Green was incredible. Even as a teacher, I would sit in on the classes and learn so much off the other staff.

Raymond recalls: “Theale was always a top school.

“Art staff from departments all over Reading and surrounding areas would come to us, even the Director of Education. Every Christmas, all our departments would put on a show with the most amazing people working on it. Tickets were always sold out within hours. 

“The school had an enormous wealth of artists. We did performances at Reading Hexagon to up to 2,000 people, we featured on BBC Stars on Sunday on TV and the range of former students who went on to do amazing things is endless... 

“We were churning out pupils who went onto Royal College of Art in London; Slade School of Fine Art; and Goldsmiths (University of London) and they are now some of the world’s.

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