.jpg)
Tim Hands
Winchester College
United Kingdom
Dr Tim Hands is Headmaster of Winchester College, having joined the school in September 2016. Tim was previously the Master of Magdalen College School, Oxford.
Educated in the state sector, Tim studied the violin at the Guildhall School of Music before reading English at King’s College London of which he was recently made an honorary Fellow. He has a doctorate in Philosophy from Oxford, where he was a lecturer in English Literature at Oriel College.
Tim has extensive experience in the independent sector acquired during his time as a boarding housemaster at King’s School Canterbury, Second Master at Whitgift School, and Headmaster of The Portsmouth Grammar School. He was also Chairman of HMC from 2013 – 2014
Committed to the idea that schools exist to serve both their local and national communities, Tim has acquired a national reputation for cross-sector partnerships. First at The Portsmouth Grammar School with the creation of the annual Portsmouth Festivities, followed by the Oxford Festival of the Arts. Most recently, Tim has committed critical support to Winchester’s Heritage Open Days, celebrating access to the history, architecture and culture of Winchester and the College.
With the ambition of encouraging a diverse social mix in all of his schools, Tim has sought to encourage and open up access, minimise barriers for applicants and judge candidates on their potential, not their background.
Tim has published several books on 19th century English literature, especially on the author Thomas Hardy. He writes frequently for national news outlets and specialist journals on a variety of educational issues.
He is married to Jane, a solicitor, and they have two grown-up sons. Both Tim and Jane enjoy watching sport (from cricket to Gaelic hurling), reading books, and listening to classical music.
Educated in the state sector, Tim studied the violin at the Guildhall School of Music before reading English at King’s College London of which he was recently made an honorary Fellow. He has a doctorate in Philosophy from Oxford, where he was a lecturer in English Literature at Oriel College.
Tim has extensive experience in the independent sector acquired during his time as a boarding housemaster at King’s School Canterbury, Second Master at Whitgift School, and Headmaster of The Portsmouth Grammar School. He was also Chairman of HMC from 2013 – 2014
Committed to the idea that schools exist to serve both their local and national communities, Tim has acquired a national reputation for cross-sector partnerships. First at The Portsmouth Grammar School with the creation of the annual Portsmouth Festivities, followed by the Oxford Festival of the Arts. Most recently, Tim has committed critical support to Winchester’s Heritage Open Days, celebrating access to the history, architecture and culture of Winchester and the College.
With the ambition of encouraging a diverse social mix in all of his schools, Tim has sought to encourage and open up access, minimise barriers for applicants and judge candidates on their potential, not their background.
Tim has published several books on 19th century English literature, especially on the author Thomas Hardy. He writes frequently for national news outlets and specialist journals on a variety of educational issues.
He is married to Jane, a solicitor, and they have two grown-up sons. Both Tim and Jane enjoy watching sport (from cricket to Gaelic hurling), reading books, and listening to classical music.