Stay up to date with the latest from RSAcademics. Here you’ll find school leadership news, sector updates and announcements about the people we’ve helped to appoint.
We are delighted to have supported schools, both UK and internationally, with recruitment to the following posts for 2023/2024 starts. We wish the schools and the new postholders every success with their new appointments.
View all of our recent appointments.
Find out more about our appointments services.
We are pleased to have supported The Stephen Perse Foundation with the appointment of their Chair of Governors, Michael Windmill.
Michael is founder and director of Kaze Consulting. He previously held senior strategy and operational positions with multiple FTSE 250 organisations, Central Government departments and defence industry. Michael is an alumnus of The University of Edinburgh and Imperial College London.
Johan Jensen, Director of All-in Education, recently led a webinar for newly appointed Heads considering launching their school’s EDI journey.
Key insights from the webinar included:
You can watch a short video of these insights below.
We are pleased to announce that, following a robust recruitment process led by RSAcademics, Robin Sharp has been appointed to the post of Director of Development at Wycombe Abbey and will lead the Development and Seniors’ Office, overseeing their fundraising and alumnae engagement activities.
Robin is an alumna of the Emma Willard School, Denison University, and George Washington University. She was also awarded an MA from the University of Oxford. Robin is a Trustee of The Institute of Development Professionals in Education (IDPE) and has worked in independent school and university philanthropy for almost 25 years. She began her development career at the Madeira School, a girls’ day and boarding school in the Washington DC area. After almost 20 years working in higher education, she previously held fundraising leadership positions at Trinity College Cambridge, Brasenose College Oxford, University of Southampton, Queen Mary University of London and the University of Aberdeen. Robin returned to the independent school sector in 2022 as Director of Development at Bradford Grammar School.
You can read more about Robin’s appointment on the Wycombe Abbey website
Su Wijeratna, Head at Latymer Upper School talks to Johan Jensen from All-in Education about her career, the challenges she has faced and her advice for other female leaders.
We are pleased to support AMCIS and IDPE in delivering a new online discussion forum to support Heads and Directors of External Relations with managing and supporting a multi-disciplinary team, including development, admissions, marketing and communications colleagues.
The first forum takes place online on 6 March 2024 at 10am.
Leading an external relations team which includes development, admissions, marketing and communications can create a more cohesive approach to your school’s external relations strategy. However, its success demands an understanding of these different functions, managing colleagues with a variety of skills sets and overseeing complementary, but sometimes competing, priorities. The forum will explore the challenges and opportunities of managing your external relations team.
Heather Styche-Patel, CEO at RSAcademics, said about the event:
“IDPE, AMCIS and RSAcademics have a shared vision to empower Directors, equipping them with the knowledge, strategies, and insights needed to navigate the multifaceted landscape of external relations. By bringing together the expertise of AMCIS, IDPE, and RSAcademics, we aim to create a dynamic platform for dialogue, learning, and innovation. Through this forum, we will delve into the challenges faced by external relations teams—whether in admissions, marketing, communications, or development. We’ll explore how to harmonize these functions, leverage diverse skill sets, and align priorities effectively.”
Attendance at the forum is for AMCIS and IDPE school members only.
Speakers:
Tory Gillingham , CEO, AMCIS
Louise Bennet, CEO, IDPE
Heather Styche-Patel, CEO, RSAcademics
Rachel Petrie, Head of Philanthropy, RSAcademics
Cat Sutherland-Hawes, Admissions Senior Consultant, RSAcademics
We are delighted to have supported the Governors of Mayfield School with the successful appointment of Deborah Bligh as Headmistress from 1 April 2024.
Deborah Bligh is currently Mayfield’s Senior Deputy Head, having joined in September 2023 from St Richard’s Catholic College, where she was part of the senior management team for 18 years, helping the school to rank in the top 2% of all state schools in the country for value-added. She studied Theology at the University of Durham and completed a Postgraduate in Education at Hughes Hall, University of Cambridge. She has an MA (Distinction) in Educational Leadership, a professional Headship qualification (NPQH), and as a lifelong learner, recently completed a Certificate in Advanced Mental Health School Leadership (Level 4).
Lady Davies of Stamford, Chairman of Governors, said: “It gives me great pleasure to announce Deborah Bligh as Mayfield’s next Headmistress. She was the unanimous choice of the selection panel. Having already proved her leadership qualities as Senior Deputy Head since joining in September, she will, I’m sure, prove to be an inspirational Headmistress in the years to come.
Deborah Bligh added, “I am thrilled to become the next Headmistress of Mayfield School. I would like to pay tribute to the incredible legacy of Antonia Beary, whose model of leadership is an example to us all. Since joining in September, I have felt very much at home in the school’s inclusive and welcoming environment. Mayfield’s catholic ethos and values of joy, compassion and generosity are close to my heart and help to foster a great relationship between staff and pupils, enabling everyone to excel. A key priority for me is to listen to the voice of the girls and parents alike. As a lifelong learner I passionately believe in the highest academic standards and being ambitious for every girl. I intend to maintain and build upon the rich tradition of the school and prepare, as our foundress said, ‘every girl to meet the needs of the age’.”
We wish Deborah every success with her new role.
Following an extensive search which produced a very strong field of almost 40 applicants; we are delighted to have supported Stover School with the appointment of Caroline Ward as their new Executive Head from September 2024. Caroline is a distinguished professional, bringing a wealth of experience, passion for education, and a global perspective to her new role.
We wish Caroline every success in her new role.
We are delighted to have supported schools, both UK and internationally, with recruitment to the following posts for 2023/2024 starts. We wish the schools and the new postholders every success with their new appointments.
| School | Role | Appointed |
|---|---|---|
| Alton School | Head | Andrew Reeve |
| Ampleforth College | Bursar and COO | Rowland Hills |
| Ardingly College | Director of Communications and Marketing | Alexandra Horner |
| Bishop’s Stortford College | Head | John Maguire |
| Bishop’s Stortford College | Head of Pre-Prep | Joanne Wallace |
| Bloxham School | Head of Development | Rachel Graves |
| Bootham School | Head | Deneal Smith |
| Bute House | Bursar | Emma Bunting |
| Charterhouse | Chair of Governors’ | Mark Bishop |
| City of London School | Deputy Head Academic | Glenn Bezalel |
| Cranleigh Prep | Head | Will Newman |
| Crosfields School | Head | Caroline Townsend |
| Cumnor House Sussex | Bursar and Clerk to the Governors | Leigh Stark |
| Fairstead House | Head | Michael Radford |
| Francis Holland School, Sloane Square | Head | Alexandra Haydon |
| Glenalmond College | Head of Admissions | Rebecca Maga |
| Haberdashers’ Boys’ School | Head | Robert Sykes |
| Haberdashers’ Girls’ School | Head | Hazel Bagworth-Mann |
| Handcross Park School | Head | Jonnie Besley |
| Haileybury | Master | Eugene du Toit |
| Heathfield | Chair of Governors | Alex Popplewell |
| Henrietta Barnett School | Head | Emma MacLeod |
| Highclare School | Head | Francine Smith |
| Holyport College | Head | Alastair Ingall |
| John Madejski Academy | Principal | Mike Milner |
| King’s College London Maths School | Head | Tim Bateup |
| King Edward VI Five Ways School | Head | Simon Bird |
| Latymer Upper School | Head | Su Wijeratna |
| Manchester High School for Girls | Director of Finance and Operations | Rebecca Fairgrieve |
| Merchant Taylor’s Prep | Head | Miles Chester |
| Millfield School | Deputy Head Academic | David Brooke |
| Mill Hill School | Head | David Benson |
| Oldham Hulme | Head | Zoey Ward |
| Oldham Hulme | Deputy Head | Alanya Thorpe |
| Packwood Haugh School | Headmaster | William Goldsmith |
| Pangbourne College | Headteacher | Oli Knight |
| Pate’s Grammar School | Head | James Richardson |
| Prior’s Field | Head | Zoe Ireland |
| Putney High School | Head | Joanne Sharrock |
| Sevenoaks School | Deputy Director of Advancement | Rebecca Black |
| Stamford Endowed Schools | Chair of Governors | Tom Cartledge |
| St Benedict’s School, Ealing | Head | Joe Smith |
| St Clare’s, Oxford | Vice Principal Academic | David White |
| St Columba’s College | Head | Karl Guest |
| St Edward’s School, Oxford | Director of Finance and Corporate Services | Katherine Pearce |
| Saint Felix School | Head | Matthew Oakman |
| St Edward’s School, Oxford | Director of Finance and Corporate Services | Katherine Pearce |
| St James Senior Girls’ School | Head | Emma Bell |
| St Mary’s School, Hampstead | Head | Charlotte Owen |
| St Paul’s Cathedral School | Head | Judith Fremont-Barnes |
| St Paul’s Girls’ School | Director of Music | Joe McHardy |
| St Ronan’s School | Headmaster | Joe Lewis |
| Stephen Perse Foundation | Chair of Governors | Michael Windmill |
| Stephen Perse Foundation | Chief Financial and Operating Officer | Sarah Bonnett |
| Swanbourne House School | Head | Nick Holloway |
| The John Lyon School | Head | Rose Hardy |
| The John Lyon Prep, Quainton Hall | Head | Sonal Chatrath |
| The National Mathematics and Science College | Vice Principal (Operations) | Jon Wingfield |
| The Study Prep | Head | Sharon Maher |
| Tring Park School for the Performing Arts | Principal | Simon Larter-Evans |
| United Learning | Director of Finance | Aaron Smith |
| Warwick Schools Foundation | Director of Marketing and Admissions | Kara Griffiths |
| Warwick Schools Foundation | Foundation Director of Philanthropy | Susie Carr |
| Westminster Schools | Director of Development | Kristen Gallagher |
| Westminster Abbey Choir School | Head | Emma Margrett |
| Winchester College | Head | Elizabeth Stone |
| Wolverhampton Grammar School | Head | Nic Anderson |