Dr Michael Boyd, St John's College Archivist, sits down with Stuart West in the Headmaster's Study to reflect on his six years as the 16th Headmaster of St John's College, ahead of his departure at the end of 2025.
Stuart West, the 16th Headmaster of St John's College, Johannesburg, has led a varied and diverse career, leading some of the great schools of South Africa. This includes working his way from a hugely successful history teacher and hockey coach, then housemaster, and becoming Deputy Head at Bishops Diocesan College; to Head of Dainfern College in its younger years; to Herschel Girls School, before St John's College called. He has worked in both monastic, single-sex environments, as well as co-ed educational spaces across different provinces of South Africa. His life in education has been remarkable. But, he's not finished yet.
Stuart West recalls the days before being a part of the illustrious world of these great institutions, humbly describing himself as 'once just a boy from the Eastern Cape' who used to 'look over the fences of Kingswood and St Andrew's', never dreaming of one day being Headmaster of a school like St John's College. It is this personal acknowledgement that has guided him through the privileges that these schools afford, but also allowed an understanding of the boys and who they are as young men in a complicated world. He reminisces about his time at Bishops, when his wife, Joyanne, would dread him going for a walk through the boarding house, because he would get caught talking to the boys for hours on end, revealing a true educationalist in his keen interest and curiosity in the lives of others.
Despite the various fluctuations that populate any headmaster's tenure, West's time at St John's has been defined by a calm and considered approach, tackling issues with knowledge, experience and foresight. His portrait, to be hung among the other headmasters of the College's history, beautifully catches this attribute; gently laying his hands on his lap, a half-smile across his face. The staff have known that his door is always open. In this way, a headmaster's journey is always a large part of a number of other journeys: that of the whole community, from the students to the staff to the parents and families of St John's College. His care for others has been the measure of his impact. The boys know one of his mantras is to ask them what is in their pockets: 'pixie dust', the stuff of magic, imagination and possibility that allows us all to fly.
The West era of St John's has been marked by both internal and global milestones for the College.
The first of these, thrust upon the world in March 2020, was the Covid pandemic. In looking back, West takes a measured stance. He remembers trying to fully understand the quirks and dynamics of St John's and then was immediately halted – turning rather to pouring over regulations, meeting online with other school heads, and devising new ways of running the school in alternate ways. The spontaneous move to online teaching proved to be hugely successful at the College, forcing a technological approach which has remained a part of teaching since, through Google Classroom and the recording of teaching videos. 'The loss of community', he says, which he had been building, was the greatest challenge he faced. But the experience also brought him closer to other schools and heads, something that forged lasting relationships. Despite losing some ground, West rose to the challenge and aimed to hold the human aspect of the College as a priority. He remembers those days as a time of loss – of tradition, of connection – but also a strong emergence following – stronger and more adaptable than the College had previously been.
The next significant event of West's time was the celebration of the College's 125th Year. A highlight of any school's calendar, this important anniversary was, to West's mind, a way to unravel some of the complications and anxiety caused by the pandemic. He describes it as a 'gift, a draw-card that could bring people back to the St John's story, back to the traditions – a real impetus that could get us back into the saddle, as it were'. At the time, he looked back to the history of the College, reading again Venture of Faith, and likens the period to the 1920s of the College; coming out of World War I and the Spanish flu epidemic. Following those events, a great deal of building, progress and physical construction (the bell tower and the Memorial Chapel) was completed. This was achieved at a time when it seemed impossible. He was inspired. He looked at the 125th celebration as a way for the College to take its next 'bold step' into the future, to reclaim its place: another venture of faith. This would be crystallised in the 125th Exhibition, curated by Jane Lane, Pre-Preparatory Headmistress, an extraordinary process of unpacking and curating the College's story, culminating in the conversion of the Rene England Auditorium into a living museum. West cites the 125th year as a whole as one of his proudest moments during his tenure, with the Exhibition sitting alongside other events and celebrations to mark the anniversary, such as the expanded Rugby Festival and the Light on the Night evening. West saw the whole year as a way of rising out of a dark time.
I wonder how much kindness a system can hold until it is taken advantage of?
West thinks reflectively about his time at St John's not as the end of his career, but just another step along the way in his own educational journey. Despite a number of options offered to him from all over Africa, he now embarks on an opportunity to lead Steyn City School, one of the burgeoning schools of Johannesburg, an exciting and stimulating space where a little pixie dust will help the community to continue to flourish.
When asked about his legacy – what he hopes to leave behind at St John's College – West is thoughtful. He lives his faith life openly, and having weathered various storms, West believes that he has presented and shown an attitude of persistence, resilience and fortitude, grounded in his faith. He hopes to leave this example for others. As well as that, kindness is central to his outlook. 'I wonder how much kindness a system can hold until it is taken advantage of?' he asks, having lived his time at St John's with kindness as his goal, a trait he hopes to have passed on, and instilled, into the culture of the College.
Stuart West will be remembered for upholding the values of Lux, Vita, Caritas – in its strongest sense: leading the school through faith, towards the light of love for the students we teach.