This article originally appeared in the June 2021 issue of Independent Education Today.
Queen’s College
Queen’s College, Taunton has announced the appointment of a new headmaster. Julian Noad, who has been head of Oswestry School in Shropshire for the past seven years, will take over from Dr Lorraine Earps in September 2021. Prior to joining Oswestry, he was deputy head of Rydal Penrhos in Wales. He also spent 12 years at Clifton College in Bristol, including six as a housemaster. Noad said: “I very much look forward to getting to know everyone and working with pupils, staff, parents and governors to embed a vision for outstanding education, rich experience and individual care.”
Ashville College
Rhiannon Wilkinson is to become Ashville College’s first female head. Her appointment comes following the death of headmaster Richard Marshall, who died last November. Wilkinson has played a key role opening schools in China and America, and has led Harrogate Ladies’ College and Wycombe Abbey in the UK. She was the founding head of Whittle School Shenzhen, which opened alongside its sister school Whittle School Washington DC. Wilkinson said: “As head I very much look forward to adopting and leading the school’s mantra of pupils becoming the ‘best version of themselves’.”
Farlington School
Farlington School has announced the appointment of a new headmaster, James Passam, who will join the school at the start of the autumn term. Currently deputy head at Seaford College, where he has been for the past eight years, Passam was previously head of English and boarding housemaster at St John’s School, Leatherhead. Prior to this, he taught at Truro School. After achieving his degree at the University of Manchester, Passam worked for PWC, before being drawn to the world of teaching and achieving a PGCE from the University of Oxford. He also holds an MBA from Henley Business School.
Riverston School
Riverston School, now part of the Chatsworth Schools Group, has appointed K’Dee Bernard as its new director of SEN. Riverston School is known for providing a mainstream educational environment with high levels of pastoral care for children with moderate and mild learning needs. Bernard joins Riverston from Treehouse School, where she was curriculum lead. She has worked with children with special educational needs from pre-school through to sixth form for over 10 years and previously worked at the Sandringham Primary School and Phoenix School, Bow. She has a BA (Hons) in psychology, PGCE and is currently studying for her master’s.
Lockers Park
Lockers Park has announced that the school’s deputy head, Gavin Taylor, has been promoted to headmaster and will take over the helm from September 2021. In his 13 years at the school, Taylor has held a range of roles spanning form teacher, head of sport, head of boarding and head of pastoral. Taylor said: “It is a privilege to be part of such a vibrant and supportive school community. Lockers Park is a purposefully small school. With just 165 pupils, our boys enjoy highly individualised learning to achieve excellent academic results. And as a small school, we promote a real energy for life, where every boy has the chance to try everything there is on offer.”
King’s Hawford
King’s Hawford, a prep school in the King’s Worcester Foundation, has welcomed its new head, Jennie Phillips. She is the foundation’s first female head in its 500-year history. Phillips has joined King’s Hawford from Monmouth School Girls’ Prep where she was head. She has also worked at St Peter’s Prep School and Badminton Junior School. Phillips read education at the University of Exeter, specialising in mathematics and art. She commented: “After such a warm welcome I am looking forward to working collaboratively with teachers, staff, parents and pupils to ensure the very best academic, cocurricular and pastoral provision for our children.”
