Yorkshire

Becky Lovelock became Head of Pocklington School in Sept 2025, having previously been Deputy Head Academic at Sydney Grammar School. The first term in a new school for a new head is almost always a look-and-listen exercise, but there are murmurings that enhanced Sixth Form centre facilities are already on the menu and a desire to extend the boarding. Muddy sat down for a cuppa and a chat.



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1024" height="683" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/yorkshire/wp-content/uploads/sites/27/2025/10/POCKLINGTON-new-head-teacher-1024x683.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-5990" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/yorkshire/wp-content/uploads/sites/27/2025/10/POCKLINGTON-new-head-teacher-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/yorkshire/wp-content/uploads/sites/27/2025/10/POCKLINGTON-new-head-teacher-300x200.jpg 300w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/yorkshire/wp-content/uploads/sites/27/2025/10/POCKLINGTON-new-head-teacher-768x512.jpg 768w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/yorkshire/wp-content/uploads/sites/27/2025/10/POCKLINGTON-new-head-teacher.jpg 1500w" sizes="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Becky Lovelock with her family that have moved from Australia to Pocklington</figcaption></figure>



Give us a little intro to yourself and your goals for the school:



I moved from Sydney, Australia to come and work at Pock! I’ve worked across many different schools in my career: state and private, Co-ed, girls and boys, boarding and day, city and country. At each I’ve taken away things I thought worked well, and things that didn’t. The Headship at Pocklington School spoke to me as a school that brought together all the things I value the most that make for a great schooling experience, and felt like a school where my skillset would fit. It’s a very special place. We don’t shout about Pock enough and can slip under the radar, so my main goal for this year is that everyone needs to know how great we are! On a more serious note, we are currently consulting with our parent body on a new Strategic Plan “Towards 2040” that we plan to roll out from September 2026, and are excited by the initial ideas coming through.



30-second elevator pitch for your school – sell it!



We achieve fantastic results, but in a low pressure environment where everyone has a strong sense of proportion: a greenhouse, not a hot house. Our young people have the chance to take a risk and put themselves out there, but in a safe space where not getting things right the first time is a learning experience that allows growth. Pock is a big family where holistic education is prioritised and knowing the individual is key. As in families, we all care deeply about each other and our futures, and importantly, keep each other accountable. We are a place where young people are sad to leave us, but due to the fabulous experiences and strong support they have received, they are more than ready to launch into their next adventure, whatever that might be.&nbsp;



If you were given a £1m donation for the school. Do you know yet what you’d spend it on?



Absolutely! Although the choice would be tricky as I have lots of ideas. We are currently aiming to revamp our Sixth Form centre next summer, linking with our focus on making our pupils “Adventure Ready” and including in our program aspects such as financial literacy, household and car maintenance, cooking on a budget and barista skills, amongst others. Although arguably we already have the funds for that! I would probably use the £1m to kickstart a fundraising campaign to something much bigger such as a new sports facility. We have the grounds and area all ready to go! And then I have ideas about what we could do with our current sports facility to start a bit of a domino effect going…



Describe your own childhood school days?



I was someone who kept incredibly busy and took on loads of extra-curricular activities. I loved being involved in things and filling up my week, and was lucky to go to a school where the majority of them were provided onsite. I did music, playing the piano and cello in various ensembles, and singing in the choir. Sports included netball and tennis, badminton and canoeing (learning to capsize in an English river in January was an experience that toughened me up!), I completed all three levels of the Duke of Edinburgh award and was a Girl Guide. And then I also did some other things such as (randomly) lace-making and cookery. I suppose I was a bit of an overachiever, although my teachers did get cross with me for not focussing solely on my academics and my A level results weren’t the best they could have been as a result. They were OK though, and I certainly learnt how to do many things at once and keep all the plates spinning!



What was the common theme of your school report?



If only she could focus more on her academics instead of all the other things, then she has the capacity to do really well!&nbsp;Ironic really, considering that my last role was being in charge of academics at one of the most academic schools in Australia!



If you weren’t a Head, what would you be?



I love the countryside and being outdoors, and my parents are massive gardeners, so have often thought that I would love something in the farming industry. Although to be honest, and having watched Clarkson’s farm, I think that is a hugely challenging role currently and my hat goes off to those that make a success of it.&nbsp;



Your favourite book – childhood, uni, and now



As a child, I loved the Winnie the Pooh books. Mostly because my dad used to read me the originals by A.A.Milne and do all the voices. Eeyore was nasal and depressed, Piglet was high and squeaky, Owl was a hooty voice, Rabbit was welsh (a pun on Welsh Rarebit) and Kanga was Australian. I tried to do that for my own children, but I’m nowhere near as good…



At uni I discovered Stella Gibbons’ “Cold Comfort Farm”, and loved the idea of coming into a place and tweaking things to make them exponentially better for everyone. There is a fantastic film production of that with Kate Beckinsale that I still watch now whenever I’m feeling a bit down.&nbsp;



Nowadays I’m lucky if I get any time for reading! But when I do, I like some serious escapism, and Philip Pullman’s “Book of Dust” is on my bedside table currently.&nbsp;



What’s the best school trip (childhood or current) you’ve ever been on?



When my husband and I worked at Lord Wandsworth College in Hampshire, we took a group of 40 kids and 30 parents to Australia for a music tour over the Easter break. As well as the standard Brisbane and Sydney experiences, such as Steve Irwin’s Australia Zoo, Gold Coast theme parks, the Sydney Bridgeclimb, and surfing at Bondi, we arranged “extra” days they could pay for their choice of activity on. Therefore some experienced a skydive, a hot air balloon flight, or a sharkdive. The best bit, however, was that we had a “kids party bus” where my husband ran silly bus games between each venue, and a “parents bus” which was calmer and encouraged sleep, but all joined in together for all the main activities and performances.&nbsp;&nbsp;We’d love to do something like that again.



What play, book and film should be on every child’s cultural bucket list?



Play: Wind in the Willows. Ideally an outdoors version that happens in the summer, as they are hugely fun. A good production will make Mr Toad laugh out loud funny and there are all the heroes and villains you could want.



Book: The Harry Potter series. Read the books! Preferably before seeing the films. There is so much more detail in there, and whilst it is not necessarily the most polished literary example, it is engaging and evocative and hooks you in in the way a good book should. A great first “proper” book.&nbsp;



Film: The Goonies. I still love this as a great introduction to Indiana Jones style movies. The sense of independence and camaraderie of the Goonies as they work together to solve their mystery is something that can be missing for young people today in our risk averse society, and it is lovely to tap into that.



Advice you’d give your younger self – and your current students?



To quote the great Walt Witman, or more recently, the inspirational Ted Lasso: “Be curious – not judgemental”. Everyone you meet is fighting a battle you know nothing about, and reminding yourself of that regularly is really important. So often, disagreements or misunderstandings come from not considering the other’s perspective. Thinking about why they might be acting in the way they are can not only help you feel differently, but give you some really valuable perspective to act differently, and that might help them out too.

Heads Up: Becky Lovelock of Pocklington School

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