An Aberdeen school has secured one of Lego’s leading figures to become one of its principal teachers.
Stuart MacAlpine has been based at the toy giant’s headquarters in Billund, Denmark for two and a half years.
Despite describing the Lego campus as one of the most fun places in the world to work, he has been lured away to take up the post of middle and high school principal at International School Aberdeen (ISA).
Born and raised in the UK with his formative years spent living between Scotland and England, Stuart’s career in education has taken him all over the world.
He had stints in Singapore and New Zealand before his move to Denmark as senior director at the Lego Foundation.
Stuart worked at Lego’s centre for playful learning, researching the connection between learning and play.
Not your average workplace: Where meeting rooms are made out of Lego
Before starting his new role at International School Aberdeen on August 1, he spoke to the P&J from Lego HQ in Denmark about life in the ‘happiest country in the world’, and why the time was right to move to the north-east of Scotland.
Firstly, what is it like to work for Lego?
“It’s just such a fun place to work, the Lego campus is very cool.
“All the meeting rooms are named after Lego models, a mine or a shipwreck or a spaceship or whatever. And in that room there will be a big model of that. So you go into meeting rooms thinking, oh I wonder what will be in this one.
“There’s one meeting room where everything, even the walls and chairs, are made out of Lego.
“You walk in and you’re in a forest with a log seat and a massive fire in the middle, all made out of Lego. You press a button and the fire, a campfire, lights up.”
From Denmark to International School Aberdeen: ‘My kids think it’s cool to have a dad who works for Lego’
Having taken them round the world for most of their childhood, Stuart is looking forward to giving his three children – aged 17, 15 and 13 – the rest of their upbringing in their home country.
That said, they have loved having a dad who works for arguably the most iconic toy company on the planet.
“My kids think it’s pretty cool to have a dad who works for Lego.
“As part of the Lego campus, there’s a thing called People House which is for employees and their families.
“The kids can just go there after school and it’s amazing. There’s a cinema, free food and drink, a funky sports court with lights that light up for different sports. And just a very chilled, fun atmosphere.
“And you get given a lot of Lego because they want you to know the product. Twice a year you get a big stack of Lego to take home.
“But I feel like I’ve learned as much as I’m going to and that it’s time for a new challenge.
“It’s also the right thing for my kids. I thought it would be nice for them to at least have some of their childhood living somewhere that they’ve actually got a passport for.
“It’s two hours from my mum in Carrbridge, it’s in the right country, it’s a lovely school, the whole thing feels like the perfect move at the perfect time.”
‘Get out of the office, you’re not supposed to be here’
As much as he feels ready to move on, Stuart admits he is leaving an idyllic country with an almost perfect work-life balance.
“All the clichés about Denmark are true. In the UK we’re used to working long days, just because it’s a sort of standard.
“In Denmark, they still take their jobs seriously and want to do them well, but everyone just tells you to go home by about 3.30pm.
“At first I was like, I can’t, I’ve got stuff to do. And they say, ‘yes, you can, get out of the office, you’re not supposed to be here, go and see your family.’
“Your weekends are your own, you’re expected to have a family life and a social life.”
He cites the sense that everyone is equal, with even the family behind the Lego empire living much like the rest of the country.
‘They’re the richest people in Denmark, but they shop in the bargain section’
“They’re the richest people in Denmark,” said Stuart.
“The chairman, Thomas, has a small house next to the Lego campus, and if you want to walk past and wave through his window, you can.
“He’ll be seen in the shops looking in the bargain section.
“It’s so flat in Denmark, that sense that everyone is worth the same, everyone’s equal.
“There’s a real kind of humility to the culture where everyone is treated the same.”
If something was going to lure Stuart away from life at Lego, it had to be the perfect opportunity. Which is exactly how he describes his new role in Aberdeen.
‘I can’t wait to get to Aberdeen’
“International School Aberdeen is a brilliant, warm, kind, caring school. You can feel that, you can sense it. The recent report reflects that.
“So shaking things up is the last thing I’d want to do. The school’s done an amazing job over the last few years, so I hope I can just be part of the team that continues to help the school flourish.
“I grew up in a family who were all teachers, so it’s definitely in my blood!
“I am constantly immersed in all things relating to learning and research into leading practice in education; there’s absolutely nothing else I’d rather be doing.
“So again, it’s the perfect opportunity at the perfect time. I can’t wait to get to Aberdeen and get started.”
International School Aberdeen have gained ‘one of the world’s most progressive educational minds’
International School Aberdeen’s head of school Nick Little said he was “delighted” to secure Stuart’s services.
“Stuart is widely regarded as one of the world’s most progressive educational minds and I’m confident he will be an invaluable addition to our school leadership team.
“On behalf of the entire ISA school community, I would like to offer Stuart a warm ‘welcome home’ to Scotland and all the very best in his new role.”