When Tom Rainer started his career as a professional trumpet player, he had his sights set on one of the London orchestras. He never dreamt that a cancer diagnosis at age 30 would lead to a complete U-turn.
From brass musician to prep school head – SoGlos sits down with the new head of Dean Close St John's in Chepstow to hear about how his curve ball led to a lifelong love of education.
Tom, can you tell us a bit about your background and what drew you to Dean Close St John’s?
I wanted to be a professional musician and I ended up becoming a professional trumpet player. Technically, I still am – I do the odd professional concert, but much less so in my current role.
I was working as the principal trumpet player of an orchestra in Ireland and I came back to the UK to freelance in London. I was on trial for one of the major orchestras when I was diagnosed with cancer at the age of 30.
I spent a couple of years in poor health and somebody said to me, 'Do you fancy doing some teaching? It would be less travelling and will help tide you over.' So, I started teaching and discovered that I loved it.
This is where I realised an important change in my life had happened: I was working at a small prep school in Kent and I left one morning to drive up to the Royal Albert Hall to play with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra. As I was leaving the school, I suddenly thought, 'I would rather be teaching these eight and nine year olds than playing with the Royal Phil' – which might sound very odd to some people but it was a really telling moment for me – and I thought, 'Actually, I think my passions lie elsewhere now'.
As a result, I started my education journey as a visiting music teacher. I taught brass, then I became a director of music and then a house master, deputy head, pastoral safeguarding lead and finally, I've achieved headship.
That journey has been 20-odd years in the making but it's been a very fulfilling, exciting one. If you asked me whether I'd rather be at the Albert Hall playing my trumpet or here with my pupils, my answer is, I would rather be here with my pupils.
From the moment I drove up the driveway and walked into St John's, I had a good feeling. I could see the rugby pitch, too, which, for every Welshman is important! I thought, 'There's something different about this place' – I really felt like I'd come home. I was born 29 miles west of here too, so it's the nearest I've actually got to home in 51 years, having grown up in Africa and then moved around.
If you had three words to sum up what makes Dean Close St John’s special, what would they be and why?
I'm just going to give you one word and that word is 'family'.
We consider our school community a family and that gives our pupils the confidence to believe they can achieve anything. They are very proud of our little school and say they love it here, which is very important to us.
I'll give you an anecdote: On sports day last year, one of our Year 3 girls was running the 75m race and she was winning by about five to 10 metres. One of her friends stumbled and fell shortly before the finish. She didn't hesitate; she stopped immediately, went back to help her friend and forfeited the race. The entire school cheered for her and most of the parents burst into tears because they were so moved by it.
We cherish these moments; we know our children inside and out.
With so many schools in Gloucestershire to choose from, why should families consider Dean Close St John’s as their first choice?
I think families in today's world are looking for a number of things. I would encourage people to go and look at a variety of schools and then figure out what's important to them.
I invite families to come and visit St. John's because our pupils are different; their quiet confidence is testament to what kind of school we are.
As an independent prep school catering for pupils from age three to Year 8, we find there are particular benefits at both ends.
At the start, children can join a year before Reception in Kindergarten, which offers an excellent opportunity for those who are ready for a more structured routine and a wider variety of teacher-led activities, including music, art, French or swimming.
Kindergarten children always transition smoothly into Reception, as they already know the setting, the routines and the staff well.
At the other end, Years 7 and 8 are especially important academically. Specialist teaching and small class sizes enable pupils to access advanced learning and make significant progress.
Pastorally, this Senior Prep age range also thrives. Having been nurtured in a smaller school environment, pupils can enjoy their childhood fully, without the pressure to grow up too quickly – truly 'big fish in a smaller pond.
Especially in today’s world, an extended childhood is incredibly precious. It allows pupils to develop confidence, gain a deeper understanding of themselves, and be well-prepared for the transition into senior school.
You recently started a golf academy – can you tell us more about that?
If you Google how many golf courses and driving ranges there are within a 20-minute drive of St John's, you'll find there's between 20 and 30 options; and there's quite an appetite for golf locally, so we started a golf provision!
First, we launched a Golf Club on Tuesday afternoons and it quickly proved to be very popular. Several of our staff are enthusiastic golfers, which has made the sessions both fun and engaging.
Currently, we are able to offer coaching from ex-European Tour professionals, and our Golf Academy provides pupils with a unique pathway to success.
They receive individualised guidance to help plan their next steps – from school competitions through to university and beyond.
This is an area we are keen to develop further, with plans to offer even more opportunities in the future.
Finally, what are you most proud of at the school?
Our pupils. It’s hard to describe how incredible they are.
I had interviews last week with individuals in Year 6 as part of their 11-plus scholarship applications. The last question I ask in interview is, ‘What are you most grateful for?’
My first pupil replied, 'Mum, family and home'; the second said, 'My parents, who work so hard to support me and send me here'; the third answered, 'Family and my sister'; the fourth 'Family' and the fifth said, 'Family and my life'.
One boy said, 'Rugby,' – he has my total support, as a passionate Welsh rugby fan!
We were there to talk about scholarship, excellence and opportunity. Every single one of those pupils inspired and humbled me that day.
That's why I'm most proud of our pupils – not only because of what they achieve but because of who they are.
To book a tour of Dean Close St John's or to find out more about the prep school, call 01291 622045 or visit deanclosestjohns.org.uk.
