EDUCATOR, author, journalist and adventurer are just a few of the adjectives that describe Dumbarton man William Glover.

But now the 45 year-old former St Peter's Primary School pupil can now add Headmaster to that list.

William has been appointed as the headmaster of the International Baccalaureate school- The High School Affiliated to Shanghai Jiao Tong University.

The school, operated by one of the world’s leading universities, ranks top in a city that has a population four times that of Scotland.

Shanghai, as a city, regularly tops the PISA (The Programme for International Student Assessment) world rankings for educational attainment.

And it is a city recognised by the OECD (The Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development) and the World Bank as having the best education system in the world.

William spoke of his pride at his new role.

He told The Reporter: "I am very proud to be taking the helm of a school that I know well in a city that regularly tops the world rankings for attainment in not just the sciences and mathematics but also in reading and linguistics.

"Whilst a great deal of the success of the Chinese system stems from societal influences on performance, it is notable that in the largest city in the world’s most populous country all students who wish to attend higher education are able to do so."

In a world torn by political turmoil William added that he was "very proud of the record Shanghai has in integrating the 21per cent of its school population of over four million students who are the children of migrant workers."

A former school inspector in China and an advocate for now unfashionable ‘traditional’ education methods William is recognised internationally for his expertise in school improvement and staff professional development.

An advocate for teachers to be respected and highly remunerated, William believes that a motivated and well trained workforce is the key to students’ success.

William expects dedication from his staff and students and underlying his success is a model of full school days that are underwritten by effective teaching, engaging extra-curricular activity and lots of homework.

He said: "It is not unusual for my students to attend school seven days a week and I am proud of the fact that my students, upon leaving the Chinese system, are well equipped for life in the wider world."

This summer also sees the publication of William’s latest book 'This is London' the first in a series of four books that he has been commissioned to write about the history of the UK capital.

Charities including CHAS and Robin House, HCPT and Josephite African Aid have all benefitted from the generosity of the Dumbarton author who donates all royalties from his writing to educational and child welfare charities.