Obituary: Dai Cowles

Much of Dai Cowles’s teaching career was spent in primary education in Cumbria, where he was an inspirational leader who valued every pupil and member of staff. His teaching philosophy was based on his belief that school could be a very positive experience in which each individual child could flourish in a safe, secure, caring and, most of all, stimulating environment.

Dai, who has died of Multiple Myeloma aged 73, was the youngest of four children. He was born in December 1944 in Crewkerne, Somerset to Alice and Gordon Cowles. His memories of his life there were happy ones: lots of freedom and country lanes.

All this was to abruptly change in 1954, when his dad died aged 48, and the decision was made to return to South Wales and live with Dai’s grandparents. Life became very challenging for Dai: he struggled to fit in at school and there was little opportunity at home for quiet study. But despite this, Dai passed his 11plus exam and went to West Mon School in Pontypool. He left school as quickly as he could, aged 16.

He had a variety of different jobs and whilst employed in a local Government office in Newport, he did correspondence courses for O-Levels and local Government exams. During this time, a chance encounter with someone studying teacher training made Dai think that, despite his own negative experience of schools, it could be a positive and rewarding experience and that working in education could be a fulfilling job. The basic principles of Dai’s philosophy started to form.

In 1965, he went to Coventry College to do teacher training. He thoroughly enjoyed the sporting and social life at college, but his personal tutor had grave reservations about whether he was going to make it as a teacher! However when he was in front of kids, he was a natural and got an A for his teaching practice. In 1965 he met Maggie and they married in 1969.

Dai began his teaching career in Leicestershire, where he learned a great deal. He was appointed Senior Master at Victoria Junior School in Workington in 1973. His daughter Rhiannon was born in 1974 and his son Gareth was born in 1977. During this time, he undertook further study and began a degree course at Newcastle. As time went on, he applied for headships in West Cumbria with no success.

In 1979 he was appointed head of a village school in Snarestone, Leicestershire. Here he was able to put into practice a simple philosophy: he wanted all children to be happy, stimulated and cared for. These were happy times for him! He was able to work with children with special needs and organised some fantastic school trips.

He returned to Cumbria in 1984 when he was appointed head of Bransty School in Whitehaven. While there, he helped create an atmosphere in which children could flourish. A unit for hearing-impaired children was established, the school prospered and numbers grew dramatically.

In 1989 he was appointed head of All Saints' School in Cockermouth, where he spent 12 extremely happy years. There, he helped set up a physically-disabled access for children, and in 1998 began to explore the establishment of an autistic unit. In 2001 he felt the time had come to hand over the reins, realising he had achieved what he had set out to do there.

On leaving All Saints', he enjoyed supporting heads in local schools for six years as a senior adviser. He continued as a Trustee for NISCU and volunteered with young offenders. He travelled widely with Maggie, including trips to Alaska, Egypt, Singapore, Hong Kong, China, New Zealand and California.

Dai also loved getting out onto the hills, walking all of Wainwright’s fells, plus many long-distance walks. The birth of his four grandchildren also brought him great delight. He had a full and enjoyable life knowing that God was always there beside him.

Life changed in the summer of 2016 when he was diagnosed with Multiple Myeloma during a trip to Bath, where he was given treatment, including a stem cell transplant.

As his family, we are immensely proud of the way he dealt with the ups and downs of the last few years in such a dignified and positive way. Life certainly did not stop for him while battling with cancer – he didn’t give in and kept making the most of every opportunity. His love of life and desire to help others continued more than ever.

Dai’s life was a life well lived. He drew alongside countless people and loved people exceedingly well. Given his challenging start to life and all that he achieved, it makes one realize what is possible in this life. Dai ran and finished an outstanding race: a race characterised by a strong faith in God and in others.

Dai is survived by Maggie, their two children, Rhiannon and Gareth, and by four grandchildren and by his sister, Jean.