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Tribute to Mostyn Phillips
13 September 2007
Tributes were paid today to the late Mostyn Phillips, chair of WJEC’s Examinations and Assessment Committee, whose funeral was held at Ebbw Vale, where he had been headteacher of Ebbw Vale Grammar School and then of the Ebbw Vale Senior Comprehensive School. Mostyn was a native of Cwm, in the Ebbw valley, and after graduating in History at Swansea achieved his first headteacher post in Merthyr at the age of 31. He was active in setting up the comprehensive education system in Merthyr and then at Ebbw Vale.
Mostyn’s significant involvement with WJEC goes back to the early 1980s when he was first nominated by the NUT as a member of the Examinations Committee, which he then chaired from 1993 to the present. As well as securing balance and harmony from the chair, Mostyn could also be forthright in his advice on matters of principle and could inject a sensitive element of humour to lighten the proceedings.
In his role as chairman, Mostyn was also involved in many of the decision-making processes that need to be applied when there are special circumstances or issues affecting individual examination candidates: here his empathy with pupils was combined with his instinct for fairness in applying agreed guidelines in working towards the right outcome for all.
WJEC has been privileged to benefit from Mostyn Phillips’ guidance and commitment over so many years, and our sincere sympathies are with Marcia and her daughters in their loss. We shall miss a friend and a tireless and principled educationist.