David Telford-Reed was born in Manchester.  Living at Heald Green until the family moved to Windermere prior to David's starting school.  He was educated at Windermere Grammar School then went on to read Geography and Geology at Liverpool University.  During his student days David met Sandie, then a student at Durham; they married in 1967, their honeymoon taking them to Italy, which must have made a great impression, for they worked in Venice for a year, both teaching English.

On returning to the UK David worked firstly at Ryton Secondary School, then joined the staff at Blaydon Grammar School as an assistant teacher of Geography in a department led by Ian Heslop.  Their work association flourished and a lifelong friendship resulted.  Memories (and stories) of the Geography department's Easter fieldtrips have become part of the Blaydon legend and whilst, with the passage of time, omissions and embellishments have occurred, there can be no doubting the success, enjoyment and learning for both staff and pupils involved in these ventures.  Locations included Glencoe (Youth Hostel), Cairngorm from Aviemore and Ben Nevis in the snow.  Visits abroad followed - Interlaken and camping at Lauterbrunnen, returning via Paris in a Derwent Coaches bus!  Several more trips followed, including one to the Black Forest and to complete the travel programme, the cruises (staff places much sought!) on the S.S. Nevasa.  David and Phil Warren sailed to the Canary Islands with the fourth year pupils, via Madeira, returning via Viga. Heady Days!

When Ian Heslop was appointed the school's first head of sixth form, David was promoted to the position of Head of Geography, then later, when Ian moved to Hookergate, David replaced him as head of sixth form.  On the retirement of Winnie Rochester, Senior Mistress, David was appointed Deputy Headteacher in September 1979, a position he held throughout the difficult 80s and 90s, when numbers on the school roll dropped dramatically in the face of threat of closure by Gateshead.

In 1997 when Phil Warren retired, the School Governors appointed David as headteacher.  He was to preside over what can only be described as the saddest and closing chapter in the history of Blaydon School when the council formally announced the decision to close in July 1998.  David led the small team of governors, staff and parents to London to lobby the Minister for Education, Estelle Morris, to allow the school to remain open under opt-out legislation.  The untimely intervention of a General Election had resulted in a Government which was disinclined to permit the continuation of opt-out schools and therefore meant that closure was inevitable.

It is difficult for outsiders to comprehend the sadness, frustration and low morale which prevailed in those final months.  Pupils and parents were understandably anxious, many parents seeking early transfers for their children and many staff being propelled into seeking new employment possibilities.  There followed the inevitable programme of reference writing, interviews and giving of guidance, to be steered by David.  All of this had, of course, to be done at the same time as dismantling a school, with all the physical demands which that entails, while trying to ensure a normal routine for pupils - an unenviable task.

David Telford-Reed is a stalwart of Blaydon, having worked through the school's life when it was a thriving Grammar School, a burgeoning Comprehensive with around 1200 pupils, until its demise with a roll of 250 pupils in 1998.  Today David is enjoying his family life with Sandie, son Nick and daughter Lucy - and still an intrepid caravanner and visitor to his former home in Windermere.  Recently he has completed a course to qualify him to train headteachers in appraisal techniques relating to performance management.  He remains an active Old Blaydonian and OBA Committee Member.

Reflections on the final headmaster of Blaydon Comprehensive School.