A Warm Welcome to the Future Head of School

by Elke F. and Phoebe Z., Grade 10

Starting this August, our school community will welcome Mr. Ben Figgis as the new Head of School. Currently leading a day and boarding school in the U.K., Mr. Figgis has over 30 years of experience in education, including schools in China, Kazakhstan, and Vietnam. To prepare for his arrival, the Buchhof Bulletin interviewed him to discuss his perspectives on education, his “third culture” roots, and why he is trading the English countryside for Munich.

Before becoming an educator 1996, Mr. Figgis worked in television news production, including a year right here in Munich for Pro Sieben. However, his connection to international living goes much deeper. As a “third culture kid” whose father was in the Foreign Office, he grew up moving every three years to cities like London, Madrid, Washington, Bahrain, and Vienna.

He views this move to our school as a way of “re-engaging” with that international spirit. “I think of it as bookends,” he explained. “My early life was third culture and… this will be coming back to a bit of third culture experience and testing myself to adapt to a new school”. 

This “wanderlust” is what ultimately drew him back to Germany, a country he notes has changed significantly in the 30 years since he last lived here, becoming more multicultural and undergoing times of political and social change. 

While many new leaders arrive with a list of immediate changes, Mr. Figgis explicitly stated that he does not have a “back pocket” answer for his goals because he believes a leader must first understand a community’s unique character.

“You have to go with the flow of the wood or the river rather than coming straight into try and give it a new direction,” he said.

His priority is to listen to students, teachers, and parents to see what is distinctive about our school before deciding what needs improvement.

A major theme of the interview was Pastoral Care, which Mr. Figgis identifies as the “foundation” of a quality education. 

“How do we make sure that every child… within the society and community of the school…are well looked after, feel confident and valued within that community,” is a question Mr Figgis asked.

He encourages the idea that school involves “not just teaching [students] but creating a social environment in which all children feel comfortable and psychologically safe”.

He emphasized that this environment is vital so that children of different cultures, academic abilities, and interests can feel confident and valued within our very diverse community. 

To support this, he highlighted the “triangular relationship” between the student, the school, and the parents. When this relationship is in sync and focused on an “agreed purpose,” the school works best for the child.

Coming from the UK system, which often weighs more toward the “retainment of content and information-based instruction, Mr. Figgis pointed out the benefits of the PYP and MYP programme, which focus on the process of “how to learn“ such as the ability to think critically, communicate, research, collaborate and self-manage. According to him, both approaches are equally crucial for a quality education. Therefore, one of his goals is to ensure an “appropriate distribution of skills acquisition and knowledge refinement”.

“The focus [is] on the development of skills… and ensuring that every student has the necessary knowledge base and capability,” Mr Figgis said.

Beyond teaching the curriculum, Mr. Figgis believes a quality education allows students to “exhibit and develop their interests”. He suggested that activities like debating, mathematics competitions, and outdoor education – such as the Duke of Edinburgh Award – are perfect for pushing students “beyond their comfort zone”. Whether it is trying a new experience or developing expertise in something that “defines” them, he wants students to find what they are truly good at.

Ultimately, Mr. Figgis is looking forward to meeting new students and getting to know everyone individually. He even hopes to do a bit of teaching alongside his leadership role to stay connected to the student body.

As he noted: “Genuinely getting to know new students… You all come from different backgrounds, you all have different stories. That’s why teachers get up and go to work every day”. 

We are excited to welcome him into our school community!