Responsible for a number of innovations (including the establishment of the school's golf course between 1963 and 1987), he became the school's youngest ever housemaster in 1972, and was appointed head of history shortly afterwards. Becoming headmaster of Ampleforth in 1992, he oversaw the first admission of girls to what had previously been a single sex college. Having retired from teaching in December 2003, he became master of St Benet's Hall on 1 September 2004. He retired as Master in 2007 and was succeeded by Felix Stephens and became parish priest of St John the Evangelist Catholic Church, Easingwold, Yorkshire.