Category: News and Announcements

We are pleased to announce we have supported the 1729 Maths School with the successful appointment of their Founding Head, Nick Hamshaw. 

Nick  is an experienced mathematics educator and school leader who joins 1729 from his role as Senior Deputy Head at Haberdashers’ Boys’ School. After studying Mathematics at the University of Oxford, he first taught at Aylesbury Grammar and was a boarding sub-tutor at Radley College. He was later Head of Maths at Oundle and Haberdashers’ Boys’ and was Academic Deputy Head at St Albans High School for Girls. 

The 1729 Maths School is the UK’s first specialist maths school for ages 11-18, located within the Belmont and Mill Hill School campus. 

Speaking on his appointment, Nick said “I am thrilled to be the Founding Head of 1729, a school unlike any other, purpose-built for children with exceptional mathematical potential.”

We wish Nick every success with his new appointment. 

We are thrilled to have supported Ackworth School with the appointment of Elizabeth Bowey as Deputy Head (Curriculum) and Tom Norris as Deputy Head (Pastoral and Boarding). 

Elizabeth Bowey joins Ackworth from City of London Freemen’s School, where she is currently Head of Teacher Training and Head of Art. Her experience spans the full age range of an all-through school, from Year 3 to Upper Sixth, and she brings a particular passion for developing creativity and curiosity in students. 

Tom Norris is currently Director of Studies at Tranby in East Yorkshire, and brings extensive experience in both independent and state education, with previous roles including Head of Year, Head of Physics, and Assistant Head for Curriculum. He also serves as an ISI Team Inspector and is a Fellow of the Chartered College of Teaching. 

Welcoming the new appointments, Martyn Beer, Head of Ackworth School, said: 

“We are thrilled to welcome Elizabeth and Tom to Ackworth’s senior leadership team. Elizabeth brings a deep understanding of curriculum and a heartfelt commitment to the values we hold dear, while Tom’s breadth of leadership experience and pastoral insight will be invaluable as we continue to support and inspire every student. Their expertise and vision will help shape an exciting future for our school community.” 

We’s like to wish Elizabeth and Tom every success with their new roles. 

We are delighted to have supported Beechwood Park School with the appointment of their new Senior Deputy Head, Charis Wightman, and their new Head of Prep, Emily Boyd.

Charis is currently founding Headteacher of the Durham School in Dubai and Emily is currently Head of Teaching at Shore, a leading boys’ school in Sydney, Australia. 

We wish Charis and Emily every success in their exciting new roles.

We are delighted to have supported Oakham School with the successful appointment of Geraint Davies as their new Chair of Trustees.

Geraint will succeed Professor Neil Gorman, who retires at the end of the Summer Term, having served on the Board of Trustees, the School’s Governing Body, since 2013 and as Chair since 2017.

The Chair of the Appointments Committee and Vice-Chair of Trustees, Mark Dorsett, said, “We were extremely fortunate to have such a strong field of applicants. We are grateful to everyone who invested their time and energy in offering to contribute to the School through this role. Meeting so many people who are committed to Oakham School and excited about its future was a pleasure.  I am delighted that the Trustees have appointed Geraint, who has a deep-seated and authentic enthusiasm for the School and whose two boys thrived during their time here.”

Currently Chairperson and Head of Dispute Resolution at Howes Percival, Geraint’s two boys attended Oakham and he and his wife live locally to the school. 

Speaking on his appointment, Geraint said “I am excited to be given the opportunity to take up the role as Chair of Trustees at Oakham School. I am grateful to Henry and Mark for welcoming me and to Neil for providing such valuable insights into the role.  Both our boys really enjoyed their time here and the School provides a wonderful environment for its pupils to flourish, develop the skills necessary to succeed in the modern world and form life-long friendships.  This is a challenging time for the sector but Oakham is well placed to build on its success and heritage.”

We wish Geraint and Oakham every success with the appointment.  

Free webinar with Grant Thornton: Thursday 1 May 12.00 – 12.45pm

We are delighted to invite you to the third webinar in our highly successful series in partnership with Grant Thornton. Our previous webinars have been well attended and received excellent feedback for their practical advice and insightful content. This upcoming session promises to be equally valuable. This webinar will delve into specific VAT considerations, including the first VAT year-end accounting and Capital Goods Scheme claims.

In addition to VAT-related topics, we will also explore ways to reduce costs. Our work with schools over the course of the last few months highlights that this is a pressing concern for many, and we aim to provide actionable advice and answers to the questions you may have.

Don’t miss this opportunity to gain valuable insights and practical guidance from experts in the field. Book your place now. 

Following a robust recruitment process, led by RSAcademics, we are delighted to announce the appointment of Andrew McBride as Head of Rossall. Andrew is currently Deputy Head, Co-Curricular of the Royal Grammar School, Newcastle where he has been instrumental in taking RGS’s co-curricular provision to a level which matches its enviably high academic one. Educated in the maintained sector in County Durham, he has a 2.1 in Sport, Health and Exercise from Durham University and an MA in Education from Northumbria University.

Reflecting on his appointment, Andrew said: “I am humbled and excited to be announced as the next Head of Rossall, it is such a special moment for myself and my family. The sense of belonging and community cohesion that the school has is inspiring and we are looking forward to becoming a part of that. Rossall is a special place that prides itself on inspiring excellence and educating the whole person, these are values that I hold dear as a teacher and as a person. Rossall has strong momentum, a generosity of spirit, fantastic leaders and highly committed teachers, coaches and operational colleagues that work tirelessly to make the school such a success. Mr Quartermain leaves an inspiring legacy that I am so appreciative to be able to build upon. I cannot wait to get to know our talented students, supportive families and wider community as I begin my journey as Head of Rossall School. Floreat Rossallia!”

We wish Andrew every success with his new appointment. 

We are delighted to announce we have supported the Governors of St Margaret’s Hampstead with the successful appointment of Sharron Shackell as their Head from September 2025. 

Sharron earned a first-class degree in History and Politics from the University of Manchester before completing her PGCE in History at the University of Cambridge. She previously served as Director of Sixth Form and is currently Deputy Head (Pastoral) at Immanuel College.

Speaking on her appointment, Sharron said “As an experienced educator with a deep commitment to fostering a positive learning environment, I am excited about the opportunity to lead and inspire both students and staff at St Margaret’s. The essence of a modern education is to empower the pupils to believe that they can achieve anything whilst being part of a happy, nurturing and ambitious school. A happy child who is in a secure environment thrives.” 

We would like to wish Sharron every success in her new role. 

 

We are delighted to have supported Charterhouse with the recent appointment of their new Principal Deputy Head, Sam Robinson. 

Sam initially pursued a career as a journalist before moving into education in 2011, teaching English at Churcher’s College. Sam moved to Portsmouth Grammar School in 2015 where her most recent role was Assistant Head with responsibility for whole school enrichment and the Sixth Form.

Since 2020, Sam has been working for Lift Schools Multi Academy Trust, collaborating with 57 different schools in a national leadership role. 

Speaking about the appointment, Charterhouse said:

“We were delighted with RSA’s attention to detail and support at every step of our recent Principal Deputy Head appointment process. The Team’s intimate knowledge of the sector, its senior leaders and individual school contexts is exceptional, and they were able to give us essential insights and detailed analysis of the candidates.”

We would like to wish Sam every success in her new appointment. 

We are delighted to have supported Ackworth School with the successful appointment of Amanda McShane as Head of their Junior School, Coram House from September 2025. 

Amanda joins the school from Cumnor House School in Croydon, where she has been Head for the past seven years, overseeing significant growth and success.

Commenting on her appointment, Amanda said: “I am delighted to be returning to the Ackworth family.  It is a privilege to join this wonderful community, and I look forward to building upon existing foundations while embracing the opportunities that lie ahead.  Having spent some time with pupils and staff, I can see that Coram House is a truly special place. I am excited to meet more of you in the coming months, and to work together to shape a bright future for the school.” 

You can read more on the Ackworth School website. 

We are delighted to share the news that our founder, Russell Speirs, has chosen to sell RSAcademics to our CEO, Heather Styche-Patel. This strategic transition marks the beginning of an exciting new chapter for RSAcademics, as we continue to deliver exceptional service and innovation under familiar and trusted leadership.

Commenting on the sale, Russell Speirs said, “It has been a tremendous privilege to lead and grow RSAcademics since its beginnings in 2002. After many fulfilling years at the helm of RSAcademics, with the company strong and well set up for the future, I have decided that now is the time to step away. I am confident that choosing to entrust RSAcademics to Heather ensures continuity and a strong future. Heather has been a brilliant member of the leadership team for 10 years and an outstanding CEO for the last 18 months, making this transition a natural step. I am excited to see how the company continues to thrive under her leadership.”

Expressing confidence about the future, Heather Styche-Patel stated,

“I am honoured to take on the ownership of RSAcademics. Having been part of the leadership team for many years, I have seen the incredible dedication of our team, the loyalty of our clients and the impact of our work in schools and educational organisations worldwide. My focus will remain on delivering excellence, fostering innovation, and maintaining the strong relationships we have built. I look forward to leading RSAcademics into this next phase of growth and success.

RSAcademics will continue to provide the same high-quality services our clients have come to expect. There will be no immediate changes to our operations, and our commitment to our clients remains steadfast. RSAcademics is dedicated to advising schools worldwide by providing expert guidance in leadership appointments, strategic planning, marketing, admissions, and stakeholder research. We are excited about the future and the opportunities that lie ahead in continuing to support schools to achieve their goals.

On behalf of everyone at RSAcademics, we extend our deepest gratitude to Russell for his vision and dedication. His contributions have laid a strong foundation for the company and his impact has been significant across the sector. Everyone at RSAcademics wishes him well as he moves on to new endeavours.”