St Paul’s School has appointed Sally-Anne Huang to be its next high master from September 2020. Huang, the first female head in the Thames-side school’s 510-year history, will replace Professor Mark Bailey. The latter has been on indefinite leave of absence from the University of East Anglia since 2011, to which he will now return as professor of Later Medieval History.
Huang has been head of James Allen’s Girls’ School in Dulwich since 2015. Prior to that she was headmistress of Kent College, Pembury and deputy head at Roedean School, Brighton. During her first year at St Paul’s, she will also serve as chair of the Headmasters’ and Headmistresses’ Conference (HMC), an association representing UK independent schools. She is currently a governor of Tonbridge School and Bolton School (where she was educated), and read classics and English at Lady Margaret Hall, Oxford.
In related news: Harrow appoints its 35th head, Alastair Land
Huang will take up the reins of an ambitious development campaign at St Paul’s, which will see the number of pupils in receipt of bursary support increasing, as well as significant investment in the school’s partnership work with state schools and other community partners.
Johnny Robertson, chairman of governors at the school, said: “The St Paul’s governing body takes very seriously its duty to preserve the unique qualities of St Paul’s and to ensure the school has strong leadership. We are extremely grateful to Mark Bailey for his exemplary service, over what will have been nine pivotal years in the history of our school. We are now pleased to have secured the services of an experienced and highly regarded head and we look forward to welcoming Sally-Anne to the school as the 35th high master.”
Huang said: “I feel enormously privileged to have been selected as the next high master of St Paul’s and to have the opportunity to continue the outstanding work of Professor Mark Bailey. It is clearly an exceptional school with the highest standards in all areas. I am very mindful of its individual qualities and traditions, as well as excited to have the chance to strengthen and widen its work and influence into the future, including through the provision of bursaries and community outreach.”
