Highlight of the Week

School welcomes Revd Dr John Plessis

Revd Dr John Plessis has been appointed Chaplain of the Cathedral School, with effect from 1 November 2010.

Born in Northern Ireland and educated in Johannesburg, at a school founded by the Community of the Resurrection, an Anglican monastic order, Father John read Mathematics at Cardiff University and became a school master, teaching Maths at Reading Blue Coat School for seven years.

At Blue Coat he commanded the RAF section of the Combined Cadet Force and was Deputy Head of Sixth Form, in charge of the pastoral care of some 200 young men and women in the sixth form.

He left Blue Coat to research a PhD in the Psychology of Mathematics at Swansea University, also lecturing trainee Maths teachers at Swansea in pure and applied mathematics and statistics, and he developed and implemented parent-school involvement programmes to improve children's Mathematics.

Upon the completion of his doctorate, he was keen to pursue a vocation to the priesthood, preparing for ordination at St Michael's College in Llandaff and studying Theology with Cardiff University. After ordination he served a first curacy in Haverfordwest, Pembrokeshire, and he is currently curate at St Mary's Church, Abergavenny.

Headmaster Stephen Morris says: "We are very much looking forward to welcoming Father John to school in November.  He will bring valuable experience of sixth form management, as well as the gifts of being a pastor and a man of prayer."