New Cross Hills school head

3:36pm Tuesday 23rd September 2008

A former detective with the Metropolitan Police is heading a new team – but in a rather different field.

Marcus Peel has taken over as the new headmaster of Malsis School in Cross Hills near Skipton.

Married with two grown-up children, Mr Peel has been a teacher for 20 years and moved to Malsis in 2005 to become joint head of boarding, with wife Louise.

He became deputy head last year while his wife continues to run boarding at the school.

Describing himself as an “all-rounder”, Mr Peel is keen on adventure activities, music and cookery.

He said: “I wish to promote an environment that encourages children to have a sense of purpose in all they do, to lead a well-balanced life, to be charming and to have a sense of modest style.”

From this term, Mr Peel is introducing a personal tutor system to focus on the progress of each child, both inside and outside the classroom, and a weekly two-hour protected activity time is being created during which youngsters will be taught yoga and survival skills.

Mr Peel also wants pupils to grow their own produce in a field at the rear of the school which will eventually be run as a business.