Kyle Southcott, former Tiverton High School student returned to speak to current students about his job as a funeral operative and trainee funeral director. Kyle who is currently employed by local funeral director Walter H. Squires and Son captivated students and staff with his insightful and educational presentation before answering the questions students asked.
With such a sensitive subject matter being discussed, Kyle’s professionalism and empathy shone through and helped students really engage and understand the complexities of different funerals.
Kyle left THS in 2020 and went on to study business at PETROC before starting his training as a trainee funeral director in 2021. His role as a funeral operative means he experiences a range of different day to day tasks from making coffins, cleaning the fleet of vehicles, driving to services and speaking to ministers. He gave year 8 students information about funerals over time and showed examples of the different funeral vehicles he has experienced. These include horse and carriage, motorbike and hearse sidecar, tractors, Land Rovers and the popular 1937 Austin 18 hearse ‘Stanley’.
Students heard about the different types of funeral and gave details about what happens at each. He always emphasised that every funeral and it’s arrangement was ‘always up to the family’ and that he understands that ‘he has to respect the family’s religious beliefs and values’.
Kyle brought in a variety of different items that adorn coffins to represent different religions, or no religion, for students to look at and pass round and mentioned the different types of coffins he has seen including ones that have been painted or made from wicker or cardboard.
There were some very thoughtful questions asked by students ‘do religious funerals take longer than non-religious funerals’ asked one student. Kyle mentioned that it often depends on the family but the longest funeral services he has attended have been Roman Catholic and Hindu.
The cost of funerals was questioned and Kyle provided the students with a breakdown of the different costs involved. Students were interested in finding out about less traditional funerals and ‘is it just men who can be funeral directors’ Kyle was quick to say that there were women funeral directors and funeral operatives and the industry welcomes everyone.
Lots of different questions were asked including sizes of coffins, how they get coffins into the ground and whether the family bring clothes in for the deceased to wear. Kyle answered all of the questions respectfully and was very knowledgeable about his role and the industry at large. The students enjoyed his visit and gained a lot from it.
With our key stage 4 students Kyle covered more of the recurring religious themes for example Reading from Psalm 23 ‘The Lord is my Shepherd’ and the use of the Lord’s Prayer and how different denominations have different wording. Kyle also explained how coffins are carried in feet first so they are facing the cross but religious leaders are always carried on head first so that they are facing their congregation.
He also talked about the music at humanist funerals which quite often include people’s favourite pop songs – You Raise Me UP being a very popular choice.
The RPS department would like to thank Kyle for taking the time to return to the school to speak so passionately about his career and we wish him all the very best for his future studies.
