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James Priory
Tonbridge School
United Kingdom
James Priory has been Headmaster at Tonbridge since August 2018.
He was educated at King Edward’s School, Birmingham, where he was the recipient of an Assisted Place. He moved to the Sixth Form at Taunton School and then on to Lincoln College, University of Oxford, where he was awarded a First Class Degree in English and was Proxime Accessit for the Newdigate Prize for poetry.
James' first teaching post was at Bradford Grammar School, where after two years he became Head of Year 7. He moved on to Portsmouth Grammar School, being appointed as Head of English in 2000, and was subsequently promoted to Senior Teacher and then Assistant Head with responsibility for the Sixth Form, before becoming the first internally appointed Headmaster in almost 200 years.
During his time at Portsmouth Grammar School, James was Chairman of the Portsmouth Festivities, a city-wide annual celebration of young people and the arts, and a trustee of HMS Warrior (1860).
He developed an interest in choral music as cantor in Lincoln College Chapel Choir, has performed in and directed a range of theatre productions, and is a keen follower of sport.
James chairs the Governing Body Education Committee of Marsh Academy, a fellow member of the Skinners' family of schools. He is also a governor of Holmewood House School and Bickley Park School.
He sits on HMC's Education Committee, is a team inspector for the Independent Schools Inspectorate, and a member of the Independent Schools of the Year panel of judges.
James is married to Helen, who teaches English. They have three children, the youngest of whom attended Tonbridge.
He was educated at King Edward’s School, Birmingham, where he was the recipient of an Assisted Place. He moved to the Sixth Form at Taunton School and then on to Lincoln College, University of Oxford, where he was awarded a First Class Degree in English and was Proxime Accessit for the Newdigate Prize for poetry.
James' first teaching post was at Bradford Grammar School, where after two years he became Head of Year 7. He moved on to Portsmouth Grammar School, being appointed as Head of English in 2000, and was subsequently promoted to Senior Teacher and then Assistant Head with responsibility for the Sixth Form, before becoming the first internally appointed Headmaster in almost 200 years.
During his time at Portsmouth Grammar School, James was Chairman of the Portsmouth Festivities, a city-wide annual celebration of young people and the arts, and a trustee of HMS Warrior (1860).
He developed an interest in choral music as cantor in Lincoln College Chapel Choir, has performed in and directed a range of theatre productions, and is a keen follower of sport.
James chairs the Governing Body Education Committee of Marsh Academy, a fellow member of the Skinners' family of schools. He is also a governor of Holmewood House School and Bickley Park School.
He sits on HMC's Education Committee, is a team inspector for the Independent Schools Inspectorate, and a member of the Independent Schools of the Year panel of judges.
James is married to Helen, who teaches English. They have three children, the youngest of whom attended Tonbridge.