I am so sad to learn of the passing of Nick Levine. Not too long ago, I tried to track him down on social media to let him know how important he remains to me as an educator since I started as a teacher in 1987. I failed. I guessed at the time that a wood to wander in was preferable to him instead of being on social media.

I could write so many anecdotes on why he remains so important to me, and as the best Head I have worked for. Highlights? As a passionate young teacher, he would always make time to discuss things – always offering me one of his Peter Stuyvesants when he did in his office – whether it was my crackpot plan for a trip to The Gambia (still going?) or how we should stop supporting the 24-Hour Famine campaign in learning the dodgy origins of the organization that ran it, or how to stamp out the ‘gay plague’ perception of the HIV-AIDs epidemic at that time.

Beacon was so great for both students and teachers during the five years that I was there. Teachers at the time will remember his tears when we saw off the HMI inspection with a successful result, and that was because of him as our esteemed leader.

On learning this news, another ex-Beacon teacher wrote to me, "he should have been the PM". If only. Even the MP of Crowborough constituency as he tried to do.

When I left Beacon in 1992, and without me knowing, my Dad (now 85) wrote to him to express thanks to Nick for the support and inspiration that he had given me. Nick replied. Not that I am party to what he wrote even now, but this is testament to the man.
Nick Levine is a legend. He will always be so for me.

From my current home in Saigon, I am celebrating the life of Nick Levine and I offer my deepest sympathies to his loving family. 

Simon Scoones