However, it may never have happened had severe headaches not pushed him down a different path. The former assistant headteacher initially had other aspirations and planned to go into cancer research. However, he suffered a bad reaction to the organic chemicals used while studying Natural Sciences at Queens’ College, Cambridge. It led to a rethink and one profession’s loss was another’s gain. All Jonathan’s 38 years of teaching have been spent in Essex, with his first job at Thurstable School, in Tiptree, in 1982. He went on to work in Colchester, Brightlingsea and Clacton. Jonathan said: “My father was a vicar and I always got on well with young people at the church, so thought I’d give teaching a go.