Simon Aston

BMus (Hons.) in Music, University of Sheffield / Postgraduate Certificate in Education, Secondary Music, Liverpool Hope University

“To have the chance to instil the passion I have for the subject I love into future generations is a privilege, not a job”.

I come from a village in North Warwickshire, where my first musical experience was the guitar that my parents bought me for Christmas when I was five. However, a chance opportunity at the age of eleven started my musical journey proper, as I was offered the chance to learn to play trombone. Within months I knew I had found my passion, and in the subsequent years I have been fortunate to perform across Europe and the UK.

 After school, I studied for a degree in Music in Sheffield, followed by teacher training in Liverpool. This led me to de Ferrers for the first time, where I spent two years before taking posts outside education, firstly in music publishing and then in the travel industry. However, the lure of music and teaching was too great, and I returned to the academy, firstly as the director of extra-curricular provision, and then as Head of Department, before recently gaining the additional role of Trust Leader.

Outside the academy I am an Exam Team Leader and Coursework Moderator for GCSE Music, and still perform regularly, both as the lead vocalist of a blues and soul band, and as a trombonist with the Derby Concert Band. On a Saturday afternoon you will normally find me on the stands at the Pirelli Stadium, cheering on Burton Albion.