Meet the teacher - Mr Cox

Mr Cox used to be a pupil at Priory and he says the school is 'unrecognisable' from his early days after returning as a Science teacher earlier this year.  

Mr Cox left in 2003 and since then the school has been transformed with the open-plan Science department, the Auditorio, the Technology block, the Hex building, the new gym and more being added since he was a pupil.  

“It is unrecognisable, there has been a lot of change and the facilities are superb.  There are a couple of teachers here who taught me but the place has changed so much that it’s been easy to settle in and not feel too much of my pupil-past!”

Mr Cox said he always loved Science at Priory and went onto Runshaw College where he did A-Levels.  

“I studied Sports Science at the University of Sheffield, after a couple of years out of education I went back to university to study Physics and then did my PGCE at the University of Cumbria. 

“I have been a teacher for 10 years and when the chance came to come back to Priory, I jumped at it.  It’s exciting, physics is my speciality, and this is a great school going in the right direction and I wanted to join a forward-thinking Science Department.”  

Head of Science, Mr Bedford said: “Staffing Science is always difficult – there is a national shortage, so finding good staff is always a challenge.  Since I started at Priory in September 2019, I have appointed a number of staff to the department.  

“As the reputation of the school and the department has improved, so has the quality of applicant – Mr Cox is a fantastic classroom teacher and a great professional.  

“The Science Department staffing is now the strongest it has been during my time at Priory and I am certain that with Mr Cox on board we will be able to continue our upward trajectory in terms of GCSE results, as well as students' enjoyment of the subject.”