On Monday 9th June, Mr Robert Potts, Assistant Chief Constable for Greater Manchester Police and Bury Grammar School alumnus (Class of 1989), presented the third in our series of Roger Kay Lectures, each delivered by high profile Manchester figures.

Mr Potts provided a fantastic insight into the structure of policing in the UK and talked about the variety of opportunities that exist for young people.  He provided our students with an overview of the complexity of decision making within policing and why ethical leadership is important at all levels. 

After joining the police in 1992, Mr Potts has spent his entire career in the Greater Manchester Constabulary.  As Assistant Chief Constable, he has been responsible for a range of areas including Public Protection, Operational Communications, Criminal Justice, Custody, Volunteers in Policing, Equality Diversity and Human Rights, Serious Violence and Counter Terrorism. 

It was fascinating to hear of Robert’s journey that led him to becoming one of the region’s highest-ranking and most experienced police officers. 

Mrs Jo Anderson, Principal, said,

“We were honoured to welcome ACC Robert Potts to our school today. His talk on his career and the many different paths to success was both inspiring and enlightening for our students. Robert reminded us that there is no single route to achieving your goals—and that passion, persistence, and an open mind can lead to incredible opportunities. We’re grateful for the insight and motivation he shared with our school community.” 

The Roger Kay Lecture Series is named after Sir Roger Kay, a philanthropist of the 1720s who was committed to making education available to all. 

This year’s lecture series began with a talk from Andy Burnham, Mayor of Greater Manchester, another proud northerner, followed by Sarah Lester, Editor of the Manchester Evening News and a Bury Grammar School alumna. 

Thank you to Mr Potts for returning to school and providing such a brilliant opportunity for our young people, helping them to look ahead at the possibilities their future careers might hold.