Independent Schools Show - Talks at the fair

David Quintrell
Director, Brewin Dolphin

Aileen Kane
COO, BSA, Boarding Schools' Association

Talks

Flexible & Monday - Friday boarding - supporting family life, 03:00 PM - 03:40 PM, Nov 13

Aileen Kane is COO of BSA Group, and the Director of SACPA (Safeguarding and Child Protection Association). Aileen leads operations at BSA providing guidance and training to member schools and works closely with government departments including DfE, Home Office, DIT, MOD, FCO, local authorities and other agencies to support member schools. She was a board member of the Boarding Schools Partnership group which aims to place vulnerable children into boarding schools and heads up BSA’s work to find places for refugee children escaping from conflict countries. A business graduate with over 17 years of marketing and communications experience, Aileen has worked as a head of international marketing in the beauty industry before entering the education sector. She managed the MAD (Marketing, Admissions, Development) departments at two independent UK schools within SMT/SLT to achieve strategic targets including growth and market awareness. Aileen is also a trustee of a children’s charity.

Alastair Chirnside
Warden, St Edward's Oxford

Talks

The boarding advantage, 01:00 PM - 01:40 PM, Nov 13

Alastair was brought up in Oxford and attended the Dragon, winning a Scholarship to Eton where he later taught. He took a Congratulatory First in Classics and Modern Languages at Merton College, Oxford, where he also won a Lightweight Rowing Half Blue. Formerly Deputy Head at Harrow, Alastair became Warden of St Edward’s on 1st September. He says: ‘There has never been a more exciting time to join St Edward’s. There is the strength of the community, grounded in a spirit of inclusion and built on an ethos of collaboration. There is the range of opportunity, from the choices in the Sixth Form to the depth of the co-curriculum. There is a vision for modern boarding which both mirrors life at home and allows time for pupils to be at home. There is momentum in examination results, in ideas and in admissions’. Alastair adds ‘It is an honour for me to have been appointed Warden of St Edward’s and to have the chance to build on the achievements of the last ten years. My philosophy of education aligns with the excellent developments put in place at the School by my predecessors. There must be opportunity for all to take part and for all to excel. Children’s happiness and their ability to recognise what will make them happy are more important than anything else. Teachers need not only to impart knowledge and to teach skills, but also to allow children to be themselves. Education is a profoundly personal enterprise, founded on good relationships and most successful when teachers and pupils can chart their own course. That philosophy has driven St Edward’s recent success and it will provide the foundation for the School’s future – a future which I hope we will share in Oxford.’ Alastair and his wife Zannah have two daughters.

Andrew Rattue
Principal, St Clare's Oxford

Talks

Next steps - exciting choices you might not have considered, 02:30 PM - 03:00 PM, Nov 13

Andy has been the Principal of St Clare’s, Oxford since 2017. He has more than twenty years’ experience of leadership in independent education including eleven years as Head of two other well-known schools: The Royal Grammar School, Worcester and King’s College, Madrid. He was Chairman of HMC (Headmasters and Headmistresses’ Conference) West Division in 2010-11, and a member of the HMC/GSA Universities Committee 2012-14. He is a Boarding Team Inspector for the Independent Schools Inspectorate. In a voluntary capacity, he is Chair of Governors of Oxfordshire Hospital School, the oldest hospital school in the UK, a Governor of Rye St Antony School, and a Trustee of the Alliance Française, Oxford. He was proud to have been elected as Chair of BAISIS (British Association of Independent Schools with International Students) in January 2020 and Vice Chair of the BSA (Boarding Schools Association). He will become Chair of the BSA in January 2022.

Barnaby Lenon
Chairman, Independent Schools Council

Talks

How to choose a school for your child, 02:00 PM - 02:40 PM, Nov 14

Barnaby Lenon won the Cambridge University Prize for Education, taught at Eton for 12 years, was deputy head of Highgate School, headmaster of Trinity School Croydon and head of Harrow (12 years). For eight years he was the founding chair of the London Academy of Excellence, a state free school in East London. He has been a governor of 22 schools and is currently a trustee of the 12 independent and state schools in the King Edward’s Birmingham Foundation. For six years he was on the board of Ofqual. He is Professor of Education at the University of Buckingham, chairman of the Independent Schools Council and a trustee of the Yellow Submarine charity. He has recently published two books, Much Promise: successful schools in England and Other People’s Children: what happens to the academically least successful 50%? He is one of the most widely quoted educationalists in the media. In 2019, he was awarded a CBE for services to education.

Ben Evans
Head, Windlesham House School

Talks

Change is good? How to identify if a school move would help your child , 03:00 PM - 03:40 PM, Nov 13

Ben Evans takes up the headship of Windlesham House School this September. Founded in 1837, Windlesham was one of the first prep schools in the UK and the first to go co-ed. Windlesham children have that rare combination of excellence, happiness and aplomb. We believe that children only truly achieve if they are happy in their environment. This permeates the school with a big emphasis on pastoral care, making sure the school becomes a genuine ‘home from home’. Devonshire born and bred, Ben Evans spent a large part of his childhood on Dartmoor where his mother now breeds Dartmoor ponies. He enjoyed lots of riding across the moor and worked at a trekking centre for many years during the holidays, plus broke horses to harness – quite a dangerous occupation at times. After graduating from the University of Exeter his first appointment was at Bramdean School (3-18 independent school) where he was a resident Housemaster and Head of History. He moved on to Brighton College as Head of History and continued to coach games and swimming.He then went back to Bramdean as Deputy Head. His next move was further afield – this time to Sri Lanka to be the Deputy Head at The British School in Colombo (he was also KS2 co-ordinator and Year 5 teacher). After two years he took over as Head. He met his wife, Alexandra, whilst in Sri Lanka and they married in 2008. Their son Edward was born in 2011, followed by Thomas in 2014. Ben joined Edge Grove in 2012 and has overseen the growth of the school from 320 to 528 pupils. Ben is currently an elected Councillor for Aldenham Parish Council, a Director of the Spiral Partnership Trust (a multi-academy trust of six primary schools) and a member of the Board of Reference for St Peter’s Prep school in Devon. In his spare time he enjoys all sports, has run 4 marathons, the most recent in 2017 and 2019, and spending time with his young family.

Bradley Salisbury
Headmaster, Dean Close School

Talks

Next steps - deciding between boarding and day, 12:00 PM - 12:30 PM, Nov 13

Bradley trained to be a teacher of Religious Studies (RS) with Sport at the University of Bristol's Graduate School of Education. It was on the RS course that he met his wife, Clare. Bradley spent the next nine years working in Bristol first at a large comprehensive school on the outskirts of the city and before taking up a post first at Head of RS and Assistant Chaplain and then Head of Middle School (Years 10 & 11) in an independent school in the city centre. At this time, Bradley began studying for a part-time Masters in Educational Leadership at the University of Bristol at the same time as moving to Wells Cathedral School to run the RS department and to be the Housemaster of a Boarding and Day house for 60 boys from Years 10 to 13. Bradley was a boarder himself from age 11 to 18, so a return to a boarding house was welcome. In 2009, Bradley joined the staff of Dean Close as Senior Deputy Head before moving to be Headmaster of the Senior School in 2016, when the then Headmaster, Jonathan Lancashire, became the first Warden/CEO of Dean Close. Bradley's philosophy of education is built on the principle that school days are about preparing pupils for the next stage of their life. It is not enough for schools to just deliver exam results. Schools should not just help young people to secure places on university courses or jobs, but to build and sustain relationships, play an active role in the community and have a broad view of life. Bradley says, At Dean Close, this can be seen in the commitment to co-curriculum and leadership programmes that sit alongside a rigorous academic curriculum which teaches both skills and knowledge. One of the great strengths of Dean Close is that there is no 'typical Decanian', each year is shaped and impacted by the wide variety of pupils and staff who make up this living community. Everyone works hard and takes great pleasure from each other's achievements. Beyond school, Bradley enjoys both playing and watching sport, spending time on the Pembrokeshire Coastal Path, being an active member of St Matthew's Church in Cheltenham and the company of his three teenage daughters, when they let him.

Camilla Smiley
Scholarship & Bursary Consultant, The Good Schools Guide

Talks

How to apply for bursaries and scholarships, 12:00 PM - 12:40 PM, Nov 13

Scholarships & Bursaries clinic, 02:00 PM - 02:40 PM, Nov 13

Camilla is The Good Schools Guide's specialist in the scholarship and bursary provision offered by UK independent schools. Having studied history at Oxford, Camilla joined the Teach First scheme and spent three years teaching in an inner London school, before moving into the independent sector at a successful co-ed in west London for six years. Alongside teaching Camilla was providing advice to students (and their parents) preparing for entrance to day and boarding schools in London and the south east. In 2015 Camilla left teaching to do this full-time. She says 'I have always loved getting to know schools and working out what makes them tick. I listen carefully to families’ needs and work closely with them to find the kind of school environment that will allow their child to thrive. Now that I have two children of my own, I appreciate all the more how hard it is to find the right way through the jungle of options out there - so I feel very lucky to be a part of this process for others'.

Candida Cave
Principal, Fine Arts College

Talks

Next steps - exciting choices you might not have considered, 02:30 PM - 03:00 PM, Nov 13

Candida Cave trained at the Ruskin School of Art, Oxford University and studied for her M.A. in History of Art at the University of Buckingham. After discovering a gift for inspiring people through teaching, she founded Hampstead Fine Arts College in 1978 with the artist Nicholas Cochrane. In addition to serving as Principal and teaching Art History, Candida is also a playwright and a practising painter: her art has been exhibited in London and Lewes, while her plays have been performed in London theatres, museums and galleries and for the British Council in Florence, Bologna and Rome.

Caroline Townshend
Head, Eaton Square Senior

Talks

Next steps - deciding between boarding and day, 12:00 PM - 12:30 PM, Nov 13

Caroline joined Eaton Square Senior School as Head in April 2018. She previously worked at St John’s Leatherhead where she held a number of roles but most recently was responsible for the setting up and opening of the highly successful Lower School for pupils aged 11-13 years. Caroline was brought up and educated in California before studying Psychology at the University of Southampton and Educational Neuroscience at UCL. She currently teaches Biology and Psychology and is passionate about leadership development in pupils.

Catriona Sutherland-Hawes
Director of Admissions, Wycombe Abbey

Talks

How to manage the intense competition at 11+, 11:00 AM - 11:40 AM, Nov 13

Born and bred in Linlithgow, Scotland, Cat attended St Andrews University, reading modern languages. On leaving university she came to London where she found both her first job as PA to two Tory MPs and her future husband. She spent a very happy 20 years in the House of Commons with a short break to work in St James’s Palace with the Prince of Wales for a year, before moving into education, becoming Director of Admissions at Latymer Upper School in 2006. She remained there for 14 years and in 2020, moved to Wycombe Abbey as Director of Admissions. The daughter of teachers, she has experience of both the state and independent sectors, co-ed and boarding both through professional and personal experience, and is a Governor of both a state primary school and a London Prep school as well as being a Trustee of Forces Children, Scotland. Her main passions in education lie in a belief that there is a right school for everyone, and in widening access, via bursaries. Married with two grown up daughters and a son in law, she lives in West London.

Charlotte Phillips
SEN Education Consultant, Good Schools Guide

Talks

SEN: from getting a diagnosis to choosing the right school, 11:15 AM - 11:50 AM, Nov 14

SEN: choosing the right school Q&A, 01:00 PM - 01:40 PM, Nov 14

Charlotte Phillips, an Oxford graduate, is an SEN consultant and schools reviewer at The Good Schools Guide. A parent and former music specialist at a SW London prep school, she has also written on education and family life for The Telegraph, Times and Guardian, among others. Her three children, one with SEN, took very different educational paths, attending 12 different schools between them with one child home educated through GCSEs. All have ended up doing well. Charlotte has been reviewing schools and working with families for the Guide for nearly 10 years. As a veteran of some wonderful moments but some dreadful ones too, she enjoys putting her experience and knowledge at the service of other parents for whom finding the right education is not always straightforward.

Chris Wheeler
Principal, Monkton Combe School

Talks

Next steps - deciding between boarding and day, 12:00 PM - 12:30 PM, Nov 13

Chris Wheeler joined Monkton as Principal in January 2016. He was elected Vice Chair of HMC for 2019-20 and has served on HMC’s Inspection Sub Committee. He previously served as Principal and CEO at Hillcrest International Schools in Kenya, Headmaster at St Christopher's, Hove, and has variously been Deputy Head, Housemaster (day and boarding) and Head of English. Chris continues to teach English and Drama and is passionate about innovative and inspirational education whether seeking effective ways to use technology to enhance classroom practice, developing ever stronger ways to take a proactive approach to pastoral care or forging international links to ensure pupils have a genuinely global outlook. Chris leads on various partnership projects including supporting Royal Springboard and the Boarding Schools Partnership, the foundation of the Bath Schools’ Choir Who Can’t Sing and Bath Student Parliament. In addition to his work at HMC, he is an ISI Team Inspector and a trustee of the Lywood Colley Academy Trust. He has previously served as a Trustee with the Palladian Academy Trust, a member of the Court of the University of Bath, an examiner at GCSE and A-level for both English and Literature and often speaks at churches and chapels across the country. When not doing any of these things, he likes to take to the hills with his paraglider, or head to the Alps to snowboard; in quieter moments he walks his dogs or reads a good book. He is married to Georgie and has three children at Monkton.

Christopher King
Chief Executive, IAPS , Independent Association of Prep Schools

Talks

Giving your child the best possible start: why go private at this age?, 12:00 PM - 12:40 PM, Nov 13

Christopher is currently Chief Executive of IAPS, a post he took up in September 2018. Prior to that he was headmaster and Chief Executive of Leicester Grammar School Trust from June 2001. Leicester Grammar School is an academically selective, HMC co-educational day school with 1430 pupils. He was Chairman of HMC 2015/16 and unusually again in 2017/18. HMC is the association of the leading independent senior schools in the UK. Prior to this he was Chairman of the HMC Professional Development Committee 2009/14 and was an HMC Full Board member from 2006 to 2018. In the above roles Christopher has delivered numerous courses to senior leaders on a wide range of professional topics. He has written for many national publications and commented on educational matters in various forms of media. He is a Director of the ISC Board and a member of the Leicester University Council. He was previously an East Midlands ‘Business Champion’ when he helped to create a new school for autistic children. Christopher climbed Mount Kilimanjaro, Tanzania in 2008 with his three sons.

David Laird
Head of School, ICS London

Talks

Next steps - exciting choices you might not have considered, 02:30 PM - 03:00 PM, Nov 13

David Laird is the Head of School of ICS London located in the very heart of the city and delivering the International Baccalaureate (IB) across the entire 3-18 age range, over the past 40 years. With over twenty years of experience in both the UK and international education sector, David Laird is a passionate leader with a drive to develop outstanding schools. In the early part of his teaching career, he was seconded as an advisory teacher. After moving abroad, he eventually began working for Nord Anglia Education, first as Head of Primary for the British School of Guangzhou, China, and later as Principal for The British School of Beijing. Most recently, he was responsible for the establishment of a brand new international school in the heart of Lisbon, Portugal's capital city. As a parent himself, he understands how important choosing the right school for your child is. Education is the greatest gift we can give to our children, providing them with the right tools they need to succeed in life.

David Woodgate
Chief Executive, ISBA, Independent Schools' Bursars Association

Talks

Business issues facing independent schools, 12:00 PM - 12:40 PM, Nov 14

David Woodgate was appointed Chief Executive of the Independent Schools’ Bursars Association in May 2016. Prior to this he was Chief Executive of the Institute of Financial Accountants from 2007 to 2015 after which he spent a year as the Strategy Consultant to the Institute of Public Accountants in Australia. David qualified as a Barrister in 1982 following a first degree in Languages (French and Russian), Law and Linguistics. He moved from the law into the City, holding several senior management and executive positions in the National Westminster Bank and the Royal Bank of Scotland – in Strategic Planning, Corporate Finance and latterly as Director of e-Commerce for the corporate bank. He ran an outsourcing business and a specialist internal consultancy providing market intelligence and competitor analysis. He completed an MBA at Warwick University Business School in 1992. A former Chief Executive of the Institute of Administrative Management, he also holds a postgraduate diploma in Charity Management from the Institute of Chartered Secretaries and Administrators. He is a Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts, a Chartered Banker, a Freeman of the City of London and a Liveryman of the Worshipful Company of Wheelwrights.

Desmond O'Connor
Educational Psychologist , Bonas MacFarlane / O'Connor Assessments

Talks

How to assess and then support your child's educational needs, 12:45 PM - 01:15 PM, Nov 14

After completing his studies at the University of Cambridge, Desmond spent fifteen years working as a teacher and senior manager within the maintained and independent school sectors. Specialising in working with gifted and talented children as well as with those with additional needs, Desmond trained in Psychology of Education via the MSc programme at the Institute of Education, University of London. Desmond has a parallel career in music, drama and the performing arts and he employs these modalities in his work with children to develop creative learning solutions that boost confidence, support the development of effective strategies, and make learning fun. A key part of the team at Bonas MacFarlane, Desmond assesses children from around the world to assist with school placement and to ensure that their schedule of additional support and one-to-one tuition is expertly crafted to guarantee future success.

Dr Adrian Rainbow
Headmaster, Hampton Court House School

Talks

Next steps - deciding between boarding and day, 12:00 PM - 12:30 PM, Nov 14

Dr Rainbow was born and raised in Canada by his parents Tony and Mo, both of whom were headteachers. Adrian graduated from the University of British Columbia with a Bachelor of Arts (double major) in English Literature and Philosophy and finished his college football career as an All-Canadian Quarterback. Following his childhood dream of playing American football professionally, he was drafted into the Canadian Football League by the Montreal Alouettes, where he enjoyed a brief stint, before transferring to Germany to play ten seasons in the German Football League. During his sports career Adrian continued to hone his academic skills completing his PGCE in English and Drama, Master of Arts in English (Critical Theory), and PhD in English (Critical Pedagogy and Contemporary Literature), all from the University of Exeter. After finishing his PhD and retiring from his American football career Adrian was appointed as a Lecturer of English at the University of Zurich where he spent five years before relocating to the UK. For three years he was the Head of the Environmental Faculty, Language and Literacy Coordinator, Teacher of English, and Assistant Houseparent at UWC Atlantic College in Wales before being appointed as Deputy Head Co-Curriculum at Sevenoaks School in Kent. Adrian has spent the last four years overseeing all of the experiential learning at Sevenoaks, including music, sport, drama, as well as all of the community impact, outreach and partnership work of the school. He also recently completed a second Master of Arts in Education (Educational Leadership and Management) from the University of Bath. In addition to his love of education, Adrian is passionate about reading, cooking, hiking and travelling. Most of all, however, he enjoys spending time with his wife, Miriam, and their two boys.

Dr Dominic Luckett
Headmaster, Sherborne School

Talks

Single sex or co-ed?, 01:00 PM - 01:40 PM, Nov 13

Dominic has been Headmaster of Sherborne School since January 2016. He received a congratulatory first-class History degree from the University of Leicester before completing his doctorate at Magdalen College, Oxford. He then taught for eleven years at Harrow before moving to Worth as Deputy Head. In 2007, he became Headmaster of Mill Hill, a co-educational day and boarding school in North London. He has published various articles on early Tudor history, is a governor of several schools and was a member of the Council of the University of Leicester between 2009 and 2018. In September 2019, he was named as the Tatler Best Head of a Public School. In 2021, as the CEO of the Sherborne Schools Group, Dominic oversaw the merger of Sherborne Prep School with Sherborne School. His interests include music, antique clocks, indoor rowing and, when time allows, skiing and paragliding. Dominic is married to Cara, a barrister specialising in clinical negligence, and they have two daughters, Charlie and Jemima.

Dr Millan Sachania
Head, Streatham & Clapham High School

Talks

Finding a good school in London (North & South) , 12:00 PM - 12:40 PM, Nov 13

Dr Millan Sachania has served as Head Master of Streatham & Clapham High School, GDST since 2012. A graduate and Bachelor Scholar of Christ’s College, Cambridge, Dr Sachania obtained Double First-Class Honours and subsequently a doctorate in musicology. He was a tutor in musicology at the University of Cambridge from 1993 to 1998, and then took up the appointment of Director of Music at an independent girls’ school in Windsor. In 2003, he was appointed Director of Sixth Form at a co-educational HMC independent school in north London, where later he took up the Deputy Headship. He has also been a Parry Society Lecturer at Eton College. Dr Sachania is a member of the HMC, a Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts, a Freeman of the City of London, a Liveryman of the Worshipful Company of Musicians, a member of the UCAS Council (representing the nation’s independent schools in this forum), Co-Chairman of the HMC/GSA Universities’ Committee, Chairman of the London Region of GSA schools, a Governor of Halliford School, Shepperton, a former Trustee of the Royal Society of Musicians, and a Reporting Inspector for the Independent Schools Inspectorate. A music scholar with an international profile, Dr Sachania has published widely, including authoring articles on music aesthetics and new editions (with historical and editorial commentaries) of various musical works as well as editing numerous arrangements of original music and essays, including one of the first critical studies on Godowsky’s corpus of arrangements.

Elaine Cunningham-Walker
Founder , Everythings Education

Elaine Halligan
London Director, The Parent Practice

Talks

The Parent Practice Workshop, 03:15 PM - 03:45 PM, Nov 13

Elaine is a parenting coach, speaker and author of ‘My Child’s Different’. Her expertise was born from real life experience, when her son was excluded from his third school at the age of seven. Using The Parent Practice methodology, her son’s sense of self worth was restored with lots of positive encouragement, giving him responsibility, encouraging independence, helping him understand and accept his feelings of difference, his anxieties, frustrations and anger, and helping him learn from failure and bounce back from set-backs. The outcome was he finished school as Head Boy, and is now a budding entrepreneur. A huge testament to the transformative work and impact The Parent Practice has on families and children. The story is told in her TEDX talk here on Neuro Diversity is a super power and not a problem. She’s not Wonder Woman or Super Nanny, not Mary Poppins or Nanny McPhee, she’s just herself (and in essence, she’s probably you) and that’s what makes her different. She’s been at the end of her tether wondering why her child is different and what she can do to support him. She has learned first hand the skills it takes not just to survive the struggle, but to get to the other side and change the story. She niches in neuro diversity and working with separated families helping then develop a plan to share the care and ensure the children are always in the centre and not the middle. It’s her mission to create a happier future generation by sharing parenting strategies that will have an authentic impact, transforming challenging children into confident and contented children with her personal style and a positive approach.

Emma Goldsmith
Head, Dragon School

Talks

The boarding advantage, 01:00 PM - 01:40 PM, Nov 13

Emma Goldsmith is the new Head of Dragon School in Oxford. She is the twelfth person to lead this renowned co-educational Prep School since it was founded in 1877 and the first female to do so. Emma joined the Dragon after a successful few years as Head of Winchester House Prep. Emma taught at Oakham and Rugby Schools and went on to become Deputy Head at Bloxham School where she also worked as Housemistress, setting up the first girls’ boarding house. Educated at Durham Johnston Comprehensive before reading English at the University of Manchester, Emma is enthusiastically involved with the Boarding Schools’ Association and IAPS, is an active ISI inspector and Vice Chair of ISEB.

Eve Jardine-Young
Principal, Cheltenham Ladies’ College

Talks

Single sex or co-ed?, 01:00 PM - 01:40 PM, Nov 13

Eve Jardine-Young has been Principal of Cheltenham Ladies’ College since 2011, and has worked in education for over 25 years. She had held academic and pastoral roles in both single sex and co-educational schools, having originally studied Engineering Science at Cambridge University and worked in industry for a time. She is Chair of the World Leading Schools Association (WLSA) and has spoken on themes relating to leadership and education in the UK, Washington, Prague and Hong Kong. She has written on leadership, careers of the future and the fourth industrial revolution, holistic education and wellbeing, and professional development within education. A Deputy Lord Lieutenant for Gloucestershire, she is also a trustee of the Barnwood Trust, whose work supports marginalised and vulnerable adults in leading more independent lives. Deeply committed to environmental initiatives, she has an interest in conservation, sustainability, design, social enterprise, microfinance and development economics, having been born and raised in Malawi.

Gavin Horgan
Headmaster, Millfield

Talks

Scholarships & Bursaries clinic, 02:00 PM - 02:40 PM, Nov 13

Since September 2018, Headmaster of Millfield Schools Gavin Horgan has sought to inspire and empower students to use their voices for change, to discover brilliance in every child and to lead staff to make Millfield the world leader for the development of children. Gavin, who has a history of academic excellence with a Masters in Classics from the University of Oxford, joined Millfield from Worksop College, where he delivered academic turnaround. His earlier career included working in schools in Sri Lanka and Argentina before he returned to the UK as the Deputy Rector of the Glasgow Academy. Gavin has worked in senior management in the maintained, independent and international sectors. In his time at Millfield, Gavin’s passion for encouraging students to be disruptors for good has resulted in students taking on active roles in several school and world-wide issues. In his own words, Gavin took on the role at Millfield as the school is, ‘distinctively different and not shackled by tradition. It has the resource, the attitude and the capacity to lead the way and define education in the UK, now and in the future’.

Gemma Gray
Director, Gray Consulting, Scottish Council of Independent Schools (SCIS)

Talks

Why head North?, 01:00 PM - 01:40 PM, Nov 14

Gemma Gray is a strategic marketing consultant who collaborates with schools and businesses to problem-solve all manner of marketing and communication needs. One of her clients is Scotland’s Boarding Schools, a collaborative group of world-class Scottish boarding schools. For 15 years Gemma was the Director of Marketing & Admissions at Fettes College Edinburgh so shares her client’s passion and commitment to promoting the benefits of boarding in Scotland to national and international prospective families. Gemma has in-depth knowledge of independent education and champions a customer-focussed approach to communication. Starting her career at Saatchi & Saatchi London, Gemma has over 23 years’ experience in advertising, marketing and branding, account directing major national and international television and press campaigns for high-profile brands including Johnson & Johnson, VisitScotland and Danone. She prides herself on her jargon-free strategic solutions designed to be implemented easily and produce impressive, measurable results. Her network of creative filmmakers, photographers, designers and PR specialists means she can offer a full start-to-finish service for her clients. When not at work, Gemma can be found walking in the great Scottish outdoors with her husband, daughter & faithful whippet, sampling whisky and extolling the virtues of living in Scotland.

Giles Entwisle
Headmaster , Durston House School

Talks

Starting out in West London - choices, decisions, applications, preparation, 02:00 PM - 02:30 PM, Nov 14

Giles Entwisle joined Durston House in September 2020. For the previous seven years Giles was Headmaster of Bede’s Preparatory School in Eastbourne, the prep school of Bede’s senior school. Before that he was Deputy Head at Highfield School in Liphook, Hampshire, and Housemaster at Holmewood House in Tunbridge Wells. In total he has taught at five different prep schools, all of them with strong reputations and high standards of teaching and pastoral care. Giles began his career as a languages teacher, qualifying from Bristol University in 1992. He has an Honours degree in Modern European Studies from Loughborough University, and is married to Regina, a Spanish teacher. They have two children aged 21 and 16. Beyond the classroom, Giles enjoys cooking, reading, travel and the great outdoors. More recently he has discovered the challenge of distance running, and lists one of his achievements as completing the midnight Arctic half marathon, which takes place each January in Tromsø, Norway.

Grace Moody-Stuart
Director, The Good Schools Guide

Talks

Finding a good school in London (North & South) , 12:00 PM - 12:40 PM, Nov 13

Finding a good school in London (North & South) , 12:00 PM - 12:40 PM, Nov 14

How to focus your school search, 03:00 PM - 03:40 PM, Nov 14

Grace has been with The Good Schools Guide for more than 17 years, having previously been a barrister and classics teacher. She is now the Director of The Good Schools Guide Education Consultants. She has extensive experience of advising parents about schools and education. Grace has visited countless schools during her time with the Guide and knows the London education scene inside out. She has a deep understanding of the pressures and anxieties that parents experience when making decisions about the education of their children and how these can be heightened as a result of the competitive London market. Education has always been a passion of Grace’s, having grown up in a boarding prep school in Sussex run by her parents as joint heads.

Helen Stanton-Tonner
Director of Education and Inclusion, The Independent Schools Association (ISA)

Talks

What makes a good school?, 03:00 PM - 03:40 PM, Nov 14

Helen Stanton-Tonner been a serving head in the independent sector for 10 years and has recently moved into the role of Director of Education and Inclusion for the Independent Schools Association where she had been a member Head. Prior to this she worked within senior roles across a number of schools in both the independent and the state sector. She also worked as an educational advisor, supporting schools with the implementation of technology-based projects to enhance the education and accessibility for their pupils. The Independent Schools Association is one of the oldest of the independent schools’ organisations and provides professional support to its member Heads as well as high quality training opportunities and access to a wide range of membership services. With a reputation for offering warmth and professional, practical advice Helen is delighted to have joined their team.

Henry Price
Headmaster , Oakham School

Talks

The boarding advantage, 01:00 PM - 01:40 PM, Nov 13

Mr Henry Price MA (Oxon) became Headmaster of Oakham School in September 2019, having previously been Headmaster for five years at Wellington School in Somerset. Henry studied Classics at New College, Oxford University, before spending two years as an Oxford Classics Fellow at Sydney Grammar School. On his return to the UK, Henry taught Classics at Sherborne School, where he also coached the 2nd XI cricket and 1st XV rugby teams. He then moved to Rugby School, where he was Head of Classics, a Housemaster and latterly Senior Housemaster. Having spent 25 years in the boarding sector, Henry is a firm believer in the value of boarding and is passionate about making school years precious, joyful and transformative for each individual child. Henry is also a strong advocate of co-education, recognising the importance of thoroughly preparing pupils to thrive beyond their time at Oakham School and contribute effectively to the communities in which they live and work. Henry is married to Mary, and they have four school-aged children.

Hero Brown
Founder, Editor-in-Chief, Muddy Stilettos

Talks

Relocation, relocation, relocation - a country or city childhood?? , 02:00 PM - 02:40 PM, Nov 13

Hero Brown is the Founder and Editor-in-Chief of Muddy Stilettos, the ‘urban guide to the countryside’ and the UK’s No1 women’s lifestyle website outside London, with 1m users each month. “Muddy” has fast become the trusted guide for smart, cosmopolitan women looking to make the most of their and their families’ precious time. Combining a witty tone with warmly engaging editorial, Muddy curates and makes trusted recommendations on Things to do, Art & Culture, Kids, Home, Eat & Drink, Travel and Fashion for its fun-loving ABC1 readers. Encompassing the Muddy Stilettos School Guide with 300+ up-to-date online School Reviews, Hero and her team of editors give the inside line on the best independent schools across England and Wales, each visited annually. The reviews are highly trusted and provide genuine insights into each school, with informal, insightful advice from Hero and her team of ‘in county’ editors who are all respected national journalists, as well as mums. Hero’s own educational background means she has vast experience to call on in her school reviews – she attended a local state primary school before moving to an independent senior school and from there taking up a place at Oxford University to read English. As a parent, she has over 10 years’ experience of both private and grammar school education. Coupled with Muddy’s recently launched Top 200 Best Places to Live 2022 outside London, and the annual Muddy Stilettos Awards supporting local independent businesses, Muddy Stilettos is essential reading for any parent living in or looking to move out of London. A top national journalist with over 25 years’ experience with the broadsheets and glossy magazines, Hero has been Editor of the Independent on Sunday magazine, Deputy Editor of Red magazine and a freelance features writer for Elle, Marie Claire, The Telegraph and The Times. In 2019, Hero was named as one of the UK’s ‘50 Most Inspiring Women in the UK’ by the Daily Mail as well as being listed in PR Week’s Power Book. In 2020 Muddy Stilettos was named as one of the Top 20 NextGen UK media brands. In 2021, Hero appeared on Channel 4 as an expert on The Hotel Inspector with Alex Polizzi. Muddy Stilettos began life at Hero’s kitchen table after she moved out of London, fuelled by a desire to discover the local area’s bests kept secrets. A huge part of Muddy’s success can be attributed to Hero’s unique ability to talk directly, intimately, honestly and with humour to readers at a local level. She is passionate about supporting and promoting the most unique, exciting local businesses, both on the site as well as through the prestigious Muddy Stilettos Awards, Hero lives in Buckinghamshire with her three children and the least-friendly cat in the Home Counties.

Hugh Viney
Founder and CEO , Minerva's Virtual Academy

Talks

Next steps - exciting choices you might not have considered, 02:30 PM - 03:00 PM, Nov 13

33-year-old, former Classics scholar Hugh Viney is the founder and CEO of Minerva’s Virtual Academy, a unique, online independent school for pupils aged 12-18, and Minerva Tutors, one of the UK’s most well known providers of private homeschooling and after-school tutoring services. Over the last seven years, Hugh’s hands-on, passionate approach to growing Minerva and helping to professionalise the industry has opened the door for thousands of home-educated children to achieve the support and academic qualifications they deserve. In December 2020, Hugh launched Minerva’s Virtual Academy, an online school with a mission: to offer a truly viable, affordable, and fully-online alternative to traditional independent schools for the very first time, and to offer the British Curriculum to all children, no matter where they live in the world. Hugh’s education philosophy blends tradition with innovation: pupil confidence and multi-disciplinary learning is at the heart of everything Minerva does. His organisations have won many awards over the years, including three nominations for this year's Education Investor Awards. Hugh has also been runner-up for the Duke of York Young Entrepreneur of the Year Award at the National Business Awards.

James Wilton
Deputy Head (Admissions and Marketing), Repton School

Talks

Find the right school for your child, 04:00 PM - 04:40 PM, Nov 13

James Wilton is Deputy Head in charge of Marketing and Admissions at Repton School. A former Head of English and Boarding Housemaster, and also a Microsoft Fellow in charge of the award winning ed-tech provision at his school, he brings a decade of varied experience and innovation to bear on pupil recruitment to Repton. He believes very strongly that the UK’s top boarding schools are uniquely placed to offer an education fit for the unpredictable and doubtless complex challenges of the coming decades, and that families should unquestionably consider boarding as a magic ingredient to help their children thrive in the 21st Century.

Jane Lunnon
Head, Alleyn's

Talks

What's next for your child? How senior schools see the future in 5, 10 & 15 years time, 03:00 PM - 03:40 PM, Nov 14

Jane became the first female Head of Alleyn’s School, Dulwich, in January 2021 having been Head of Wimbledon High School from 2014 to 2020. Jane was previously at Wellington College and Prior’s Field Schools in a variety of roles: Head of English, Assistant Director of Studies, Head of Sixth Form, Deputy Pastoral and Housemaster’s wife, before becoming Senior Deputy at Wellington in 2010. Jane attended the University of Bristol (English) and the North London Collegiate School. Jane began her career in marketing and research before taking up teaching. She has a broad experience of both single-sex and co-educational environments; helped set up The Sunday Times / Wellington College Annual Education Festival and has run (and spoken at) numerous workshops and conferences. Her first book, “The State of Independence” was published in 2019 and she is currently Chair of the Teenage Mental Health Commission. Jane is also a Governor of the London Academy of Excellence Tottenham, Newland House School and King Edward’s School Witley, a Trustee of the Royal SpringBoard Foundation and a member of the Royal Shakespeare Company Education Committee.

Janita Gray
Senior Editor, The Good Schools Guide

Talks

Boarding in the 21st century, 04:00 PM - 04:40 PM, Nov 13

Janita joined The Good Schools Guide in 2008 and is now the commissioning editor; she has two children who were educated at state and independent schools and she lives in Herefordshire. After studying English literature at the University of York and a master’s at the University of Sussex, she worked as a commissioning editor in trade publishing and the university sector for many years. Despite her busy role as part of the senior editorial team Janita loves travelling far and wide across the UK to visit and write about day and boarding schools. Her prolific review writing and being part of the editorial team gives her a great advantage in consultancy work. 'I’ve become a complete school nerd' she says, 'and love finding out about all the diverse and fascinating schools we have in the UK. What I enjoy most about being a consultant is talking to parents about their children and the challenge of helping them to find the best choice of suitable schools.’

Jesse R Elzinga
Headmaster, Sevenoaks School

Talks

What's next for your child? How senior schools see the future in 5, 10 & 15 years time, 03:00 PM - 03:40 PM, Nov 14

Mr Jesse Elzinga has been Headmaster at Sevenoaks School since September 2020. During this time, he has successfully managed the school through the pandemic, overseen its most successful exam results and supported the wellbeing of the school community, including being part of Harvard University’s ground-breaking Human Flourishing Program. His aims for the future include widening access to Sevenoaks School with more free and assisted places, becoming carbon neutral, developing partnerships with other leading IB schools and furthering Sevenoaks School’s global outlook. He is committed to the school’s award-winning ethos of service and partnerships that connects us with our local community, and supports other communities around the world. Jesse joined Sevenoaks School from Reading Blue Coat School in Berkshire, where he was Headmaster from 2016. Before this, he was Director of Studies at Harrow, where he broadened the school’s academic curriculum. He also worked at St Edward’s School in Oxford as Director of Studies and as IB Coordinator where he helped introduce the IB Diploma and was a residential Assistant Housemaster. He started his career at Whitgift School as a teacher of Theology and Philosophy, the Assistant Head of Sixth Form and the Theory of Knowledge Coordinator. He studied at Harvard University, where he gained a BA Honours cum laude in Comparative Religion and Philosophy, and at Oxford University, where his MSt focused on ethical philosophy. Jesse was a three-time national champion rower at Harvard and Oxford, and then became a competitive cyclist, twice racing against Sir Bradley Wiggins at the British Time Trial Championships (although Jesse is keen to point out that Sir Bradley won, by a significant margin, on both occasions!). Jesse is also an Ironman triathlete and marathoner, and since moving to Sevenoaks, he can be spotted in the early morning running in Knole Park. Jesse’s wife, Elaina Elzinga, works in the investments team at the Wellcome Trust. Jesse and Elaina enjoy cooking, BBQing, travelling and they are Friends of the Royal Opera House and supporting members of England Rugby Club. They have three daughters and live in Sevenoaks close to the school.

Julie Robinson
Chief Executive Officer, Independent Schools Council (ISC)

Talks

What is the value of an independent school education, 11:00 AM - 11:40 AM, Nov 13

Julie Robinson attended Sackville School, a state secondary in East Grinstead, before studying English at the University of Birmingham. She began her career as a teacher and was head of two IAPS, co-educational, day and boarding prep schools for children aged 3-13. She led education and training for IAPS for five years and was appointed General Secretary of the Independent Schools Council in 2015. As CEO, Julie is responsible for the day-to-day management of the ISC and answers to the ISC Board and Chairman. The ISC’s data analysis informs advocacy of the sector and Julie has appeared in the national media regularly. Her live appearances include Newsnight, Sky News, The Today Programme, BBC and Channel 4 News. The ISC is a coordinating, umbrella body providing a vital link between the independent education sector and government policy. It brings together AGBIS, GSA, HMC, ISA, IAPS, ISBA and the Society of Heads along with affiliates BSA, COBIS, SCIS and WISC. The ISC’s three priority areas of activity are (1) research/data, (2) media/communications and (3) policy/public affairs. In all things, the ISC seeks to support, inform and promote the sector, rebutting untruths and explaining the value of independent education to wider society. Julie is a school governor at a state school as well as an independent school in London.

Kate Reynolds
Head, Royal High School Bath

Talks

Next steps - deciding between boarding and day, 12:00 PM - 12:30 PM, Nov 13

Mrs Kate Reynolds has been Head of Royal High School Bath, GDST since January 2020. Formerly Head at Leweston, Mrs Reynolds was previously Head of International Students and teacher of English and Drama - before that, she taught at Sherborne and Gillingham School. Mrs Reynolds has a commercial background, having briefly practised Law in London and Somerset and brings a breadth of experience to her role as Head of Royal High School, a leading girls’ day and boarding school in Bath. Mrs Reynolds’ philosophy is founded on her expectation of high standards in all aspects of School life including academic, pastoral and extra-curricular to ensure students are encouraged to be their best versions of themselves. She believes that an over-arching value of kindness is critical to ensuring students hone their empathetic skills and treat everyone as they would wish to be treated. As well as this pursuit of high standards, Mrs Reynolds is a keen advocate of physical activity and sport which she believes is key to good mental health. She practises what she preaches including leading a lunchtime running club which has proved extremely popular with students – perhaps because of the involvement of Lolo, her enthusiastic Collie dog. “The pandemic has not dented the School’s character in any way. There is so much to celebrate at Royal High School Bath with friendly, engaged and curious girls; supportive staff who go the extra mile because they care hugely about the school; and, an exciting and challenging learning environment.” The girls’ energy and determination yet down to earth groundedness makes for a very special school of which we are all proud. I am humbled to be part of such a remarkable establishment.

Libby Nicholas
Managing Director at Dukes Education, Dukes Education

Talks

Next steps - single sex or co-ed, 02:30 PM - 03:00 PM, Nov 14

Libby Nicholas is a managing director at Dukes Education where she is responsible for a number of Little Dukes nurseries and London day schools. A highly experienced teacher and leader, Libby has held positions such as Head of Year, Deputy Head, Headmistress, Deputy Director of Education at the Girls’ Day School Trust, and Regional Director of Education for the South & West at the Academies Enterprise Trust. Most recently Libby founded and was CEO of Astrea Academy Trust - a family of 27 schools across Yorkshire and Cambridge.

Lucinda Lafferty
Managing Director, The Good Schools Guide

Talks

How to focus your school search, 03:00 PM - 03:40 PM, Nov 14

Lucinda has more than 14 years’ experience supporting students and families with their education choices. She joined The Good Schools Guide in 2018 having previously run London-based education consultancy Oxbridge Applications. There she worked closely with schools and students to demystify the Oxford and Cambridge applications process and offer practical guidance for preparation. Since starting as Managing Director of The Good Schools Guide, Lucinda has developed the teams of editors and consultants who write school reviews and deliver consultancy advice and has furthered the Guide’s reputation as the UK’s leading impartial source of information on education. Lucinda now has a child of her own and comperes The Good Schools Guide Forum with the fresh perspective and enthusiastic interest of a new parent hungry for insight on education matters.

Lucy Elphinstone
Headmistress, Francis Holland School, Sloane Square

Talks

Change is good? How to identify if a school move would help your child , 03:00 PM - 03:40 PM, Nov 13

Mrs Lucy Elphinstone, who started as Headmistress of Francis Holland School Sloane Square, in September 2012, is an English graduate of Newnham College, Cambridge, and has taught in senior and prep schools throughout England and Scotland. Prior to a career in teaching, she worked in publishing, property development and hospitality. As a ghost-writer, she has published six books. Her vision is to prepare young women for the challenges of the workplace in the coming decade by creating an environment which develops skills and character. Flexibility, creativity, enterprise, resilience, optimism and courage are the qualities she believes young women need to succeed in a rapidly changing technological world. Amongst many initiatives, she has brought in the Extended Project Qualification, entrepreneurial mentoring, TIPS (Thinking Innovatively and Problem-Solving) week, STEAM focus, Mindfulness, the Exploration Society and ContemPlace, a programme of early intervention in children’s mental health. She is an intrepid explorer, recently trekking in Tibet, Japan, Ethiopia and the Andes. Lucy is a trustee of the Katherine Low Settlement in Battersea and of the Mvumi Trust, a school in Tanzania. She chairs the London 11+ Consortium, was voted Tatler’s ‘Best Head of Public School’ 2021 and is known for her innovative approach to education.

Magoo Giles
Founder & Principal, Knightsbridge School

Talks

Starting out in Central London - choices, decisions, application, preparation, 02:00 PM - 02:30 PM, Nov 13

Magoo Giles is currently the Principal at Knightsbridge School. He served for 11 years in the Army in Belize, Cyprus, Bosnia, and Germany, and whilst serving in Bosnia he had his penny-dropping moment where he knew what he was going to do next - work with the young! He started as an assistant and became Head of Garden House in 2000. In 2006 he took the plunge and set up Knightsbridge School as Head. In 2016 he became Principal and now oversees the school, in particular, the extra-curricular and the Alumni, and works very closely with the Parents Association (KSPA) and the Knightsbridge School Education Foundation (KSEF) providing 100% bursaries to local children.

Mary Pegler
Education Consultant, The Good Schools Guide

Talks

Single sex or co-ed?, 01:00 PM - 01:40 PM, Nov 13

Mary has a background as a Speech and Language Therapist, both in the NHS and private sector, with experience working in a special school for dyslexia. She has a particular sensitivity to finding the strengths and needs of the individual child. Her work takes her into a range of schools: Independent; State and Special provision; Primary; Prep and Secondary and she is familiar with the requirements of the National Curriculum. Mary says 'With three children of my own I understand the pressures on family life and how important finding the right school is. I have also lived through the agony and joy of the competitive entrance tests. Being a Good Schools Guide Education Consultant allows me to help parents at a worrying time with some practical help and reassurance. My advice about schools often involves my specialism of Special Educational Needs.'

Melanie Sanderson
Managing Editor, Good Schools Guide

Talks

Boarding in the 21st Century, 02:00 PM - 02:40 PM, Nov 14

Melanie has been with The Good Schools Guide for 9 years, having previously worked as a PR agency director. During this time, she has prolifically reviewed prep, grammar, state and independent day and boarding schools across London and the home counties. In 2014, Melanie joined the Guide’s team of education consultants, working with families tackling international and UK relocations, education planning and troubleshooting, among other areas. In 2019, she became managing editor of The Good Schools Guide, tasked with overseeing all the print and digital content, including school reviews and advice articles. Mum to two school-age sons, she has experienced first-hand the highs and lows of school selection, prep school admissions, the 11+, common entrance, boarding life and a whole lot more, and is keen to pass on her wealth of knowledge to other parents.

Natasha Dangerfield
Headmistress, Westonbirt School

Talks

Next steps - single sex or co-ed, 02:30 PM - 03:00 PM, Nov 14

Charismatic leader, Natasha Dangerfield, took the helm as Westonbirt Headmistress in 2013. In the years preceding her headship, Natasha enjoyed success as Head of PE and Sixth Form Boarding at North Foreland Lodge, Director of Pastoral Care at Gordonstoun and Deputy Headmistress at Harrogate Ladies. A mother of three teens who is described by the Good Schools Guide as “energetic, fiercely determined and a force to be reckoned with,” Natasha is passionate about inspiring young minds. She has fostered a nurturing environment at Westonbirt where students are supported to become the best version of themselves and has driven significant growth at the school which successfully transitioned to co-education in 2019.

Phillip Evitt
Headmaster, Highfield School

Talks

The boarding advantage, 01:00 PM - 01:40 PM, Nov 13

Phillip Evitt is the Headmaster of Highfield School. Highfield School is one of the leading co-educational boarding and day prep schools in the country and is situated in 175 acres of stunning grounds on the borders of Surrey, Hampshire and West Sussex. Educated at Gonville and Caius College, Cambridge, he previously taught at Monmouth School and Dulwich College, where he was Head of History. Since joining Highfield in 1999, Phillip has established strong relationships with the leading independent senior schools which has resulted in a flawless track record for entrance to his pupils’ first-choice schools

Ralph Lucas
Editor in Chief , Good Schools Guide

Talks

How to focus your school search, 03:00 PM - 03:40 PM, Nov 14

Ralph Lucas joined The Good Schools Guide in 1995 and became editor in chief in 2000. He has run The Guide since then and, although he still visits a few schools every year to keep his hand in, his main activities are in managing The Good Schools Guide and acting as a spokesperson. He is an active backbencher in the House of Lords where he takes a keen interest in education politics. Education data and its analysis are areas in which Ralph continues to work closely – as a former physicist, and an inveterate programmer, he has undertaken most of the work that underlies the online Guide's extensive distillations of schools’ information.

Robin Fletcher
CEO, BSA, Boarding Schools' Association

Talks

Flexible & Monday - Friday boarding - supporting family life, 03:00 PM - 03:40 PM, Nov 13

Robin Fletcher, MBA, MPhil is CEO of BSA Group, comprising the BSA (Boarding Schools’ Association), SACPA (Safeguarding and Child Protection Association) and BAISIS (British Association of Independent Schools with International Students). Robin was a journalist, editor and communications director before joining BSA in 2014. As BSA CEO, Robin is a member of the Department for Education’s Systems Partnership Oversight Board. Outside BSA, he is an elected Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts, an Honorary Fellow of Cardiff Metropolitan University, a Governor of Rugby School, President of the Rugbean Society, and a non-executive director of the trade body Make UK.

Roland Martin
Headmaster , City of London Freemen’s School

Talks

What makes a good head, and how to spot one?, 02:00 PM - 02:40 PM, Nov 14

Roland Martin, has been in his second headship at City of London Freemen’s School since September 2015. Previously, he spent four years as headmaster at Rendcomb College in Gloucestershire and thirteen years as a Housemaster and English teacher at Eton College. He was educated at Rendcomb, as a scholar, proceeding to take a degree in English and Related Literature at the University of York, before starting his teaching career at Newcastle-under-Lyme School. As a head, he is committed to widening access to pupils through bursaries and scholarships and has been active in engaging with educational issues as founding Chair of The Society of Head’s Futures Group, which he led for six years; he is also a serving team inspector for The Independent Schools’ Inspectorate. Roland was Chair of The Society of Heads 2019-20.

Sally-Anne Huang
High Master, St Paul's School

Talks

What makes a good head and how to spot one?, 02:00 PM - 02:40 PM, Nov 13

Sally-Anne Huang was educated at Bolton School prior to reading Classics and English at Lady Margaret Hall, Oxford. She also has an MSc in Educational Leadership and Management and a Masters degree in Children’s Literature, which is a personal passion of hers. Sally-Anne is High Master of St Paul’s School and experienced in governance of both boarding and prep schools. Previously she was Headmistress of James Allen’s Girls’ School, and Kent College, Pembury, where she was also chair of the Methodist Independent Schools heads’ group for two years. Sally-Anne has been an elected officer of the Headmasters’ and Headmistresses’ Conference (HMC) since 2018 and was Chair during the academic year 2020/21. Her previous appointments have included Housemistress at Sevenoaks School, where she taught the International Baccalaureate, and Deputy Head at Roedean. Her professional interests include the importance of cultural diversity within schools and the power of performing arts in pupil experience. Married to Alexis, Sally-Anne has two adult sons and two dogs; her interests include young adult fiction, playing the saxophone and watching rugby.

Samantha Price
Headmistress, Benenden

Talks

Why girls thrive in single sex schools , 04:00 PM - 04:40 PM, Nov 13

Samantha Price was educated at Malvern Girls’ College and Edinburgh University, where she read History of Art (with modules of European History). Having graduated, she joined the Tate Britain and was responsible for marketing for Members and Patrons and became heavily involved with the Patrons of what is now the Tate Modern. She started her teaching career in 1999 as a History of Art and History teacher at Reading Blue Coat School, where she stayed for a number of years. She then joined King’s Canterbury as a Housemistress, History and History of Art teacher. Her next post was to be Deputy Head at Hereford Cathedral School and from there she became Head of Godolphin in 2010. Samantha is married with a daughter and a son. Her husband is an Army Chaplain. Samantha joined Benenden as the Headmistress in January 2014 and has led a number of ambitious strategic innovations at the School, including the introduction of day boarders, planning a series of schools in China and a swathe of enhancements as part of the School’s Centenary Vision; these include curriculum improvements through the introduction of the Professional Skills Programme and Benenden Diploma, alongside development projects such as the construction of staff housing, an All-Weather Pitch and the new School Hall and Music School which is due to open in the coming months. Samantha is GSA President for 2021/22.

Sarah Raffray
Headteacher, St. Augustine's Priory

Talks

What makes a good head, and how to spot one?, 02:00 PM - 02:40 PM, Nov 14

Sarah Raffray has been Headteacher of St Augustine's Priory, which is an all-through Catholic girls day school in Ealing, since August 2012. She was previously Deputy Head of St Mary's School, Shaftesbury, having joined as Head of Sixth Form in 2001. Sarah has always worked in Catholic schools and is passionate about communicating what is best about Catholic education. She is also devoted to the warm hearted, holistic approach to schools which the Society of Heads' schools embody. Preparing students for what life in the 4.0 Industrial Revolution looks like, she is convinced that Equality, Diversity and Inclusion must be central in all schools. Sarah is Chair of The Society of Heads for this academic year 2021-22.

Sarah Warley
Founder, The Key Clinic

Talks

How to assess and then support your child's educational needs, 12:45 PM - 01:15 PM, Nov 14

The Key Clinic is the first practice to bring together multiple cutting edge, drug-free treatments under one roof to unlock children’s potential. “A large number of children at school are consistently underperforming relative to their intelligence, despite being offered a first rate education. Instead of propping children up with extra support or telling them to work harder, we investigate and treat the underlying, biological factors which can cause chronic underperformance and low emotional resilience. By removing barriers to learning, you not only get a better return on the considerable investment you make in your child’s education, you totally rewrite their future.” Sarah has a BA and MA in Experimental Psychology from Oxford University. She is also a qualified Neurodevelopmental Psychologist; Auditory Integration Therapist and Walsh Institute Practitioner, specialising in identifying and treating the biochemical imbalances which underpin emotional and behavioural problems, such as ADHD, Mood swings, anxiety and depression. As a mother of four and having lived in the US, Japan, Singapore, the French Alps and the UK, Sarah brings a breadth of experience regarding different evidence based approaches adopted in different countries. She continues to research and train in the latest game-changing methods to unlock potential.

Simon McNaught
Deputy Headmaster & Head of the British Section, Lycee Francais Charles de Gaulle

Talks

Next steps - exciting choices you might not have considered, 02:30 PM - 03:00 PM, Nov 13

Simon began his teaching career in Kingston, Jamaica, teaching French at a girls’ secondary school straight out of university. After two wonderful years, and having survived the baptism of fire and with the teaching bug, he returned to the UK to complete his PGCE. He began his UK career in the New Forest as a teacher of French and German, before moving to London where he has spent the last twenty years, working mainly in inner London state schools, latterly Vice Principal of an academy in Hackney. The last five years have been spent at the Lycée Français Charles de Gaulle in South Kensington, where he is Deputy Head and Head of the British Section. One of the largest schools in the country, the Lycée offers French, English and bi-lingual curricula through which seven other languages are on offer. Simon feels very at home there.

Sophie Irwin
SEN Consultant , The Good Schools Guide

Talks

SEN: choosing the right school Q&A, 03:00 PM - 03:40 PM, Nov 13

Sophie has worked with The Good Schools Guide since 2000 as a writer and an education advisor for both mainstream and special educational needs. Her early career included founding and running a nursery and pre-prep school and providing 1:1 tuition for people affected by specific learning difficulties and ASD. Currently she works part time as an additional support lecturer/tutor with children and adults in an FE College. She has also worked for charity helplines and been involved with research and training projects in both the statutory and voluntary sector. Sophie tells us, “My varied career has given me much experience and insight into today’s educational options and issues across all age ranges and abilities. I live in South London with my husband, two daughters and a dachshund. I enjoy the variety and flexibility of being part of The Good Schools Guide writing and consultancy team.”

Stephanie Piper
Headmistress, Devonshire House School

Tanya Moran
Headteacher, Abingdon House School and College

Talks

SEN: from getting a diagnosis to choosing the right school, 11:15 AM - 11:50 AM, Nov 14

Ms Tanya Moran is the Headteacher of Abingdon House School and College, a flourishing specialist day school in Marylebone for children with specific learning difficulties, autism, social communication difficulties and other associated needs, aged 5 to 19 years old. Tanya is a Mathematics and Science teacher and specialist in pastoral care and well-being. She began her teaching career overseas and moved to the UK in 2004, joining The Harrodian School as a Head of Year and teacher of Mathematics, before being appointed as Deputy Head Teacher. She was the co-founder and Principal of The Independent School (TIS) near Hammersmith, a mainstream, co-educational, independent secondary school for students with specific learning difficulties such as dyslexia and dyspraxia, together with those who perform better in a more individualised environment. In 2015, TIS became part of the Cavendish Education Group. Tanya is also a founding member of Thomson House School in Mortlake, where she remains a Trustee and has been a member on the Board of Governors as Vice Chair, Link Governor for SEND and Safeguarding, and Chair of the Education Committee.

Vicky Bingham
Headmistress, South Hampstead High School

Talks

Busting the myths of the independent schools admissions process, 12:00 PM - 12:40 PM, Nov 14

South Hampstead High School GDST is one of the UK’s leading schools - a dynamic, forward-thinking London day school that welcomes girls aged 4 to 18. Vicky Bingham has been Head of South Hampstead since January 2017. Before this, she was Academic Deputy Head at Guildford High School, where she began her teaching career as a Classics teacher. She was also Head of Classics at St Catherine’s School, Bramley, for six years. She holds an MA in Classics from Keble College, Oxford, and went to school at the European School in Brussels. During her time as a Classics teacher, she discovered a love of the spoken word, coaching countless students for success in debating competitions and in Latin and Greek declamation, a subject she continues to train novice Classics teachers in at Kings College, London. Having spent her career in girls’ schools, she is passionate about enabling young women to find their voice. Vicky has served the HMC (a professional association of heads of the world’s top independent schools) as the London Division Secretary and now as HMC Additional Vice Chair. She is also a Governor of The Hall School in Hampstead.

Will Goldsmith
Acting Head, Bedales

Talks

Find the right school for your child, 04:00 PM - 04:40 PM, Nov 13

Will Goldsmith has an MA (Hons) in English Literature from the University of Edinburgh. He became Acting Head of Bedales in September 2021, having initially joined the school as Deputy Head (Academic). He was previously Director of Teaching and Learning and Head of English at Latymer Upper in West London which followed teaching in state and independent schools. He says education is about empowering young people to engage with learning on a profound level that they sustain their whole life. He is passionate about diversity and works closely with students in supporting LGBTQ+ rights in school and beyond. He enjoys singing, having spent much of his life in a variety of chamber choirs; he was brought up as the child of expatriate parents in Africa, the Middle and Far East; and he speaks fluent French having lived in Paris for five years after graduating. His partner, Andrew, is also an English teacher who has been at Highgate school for over a decade and who divides his time almost equally between London and the bucolic Bedales estate. On Bedales, Will says the willingness to challenge the orthodoxies of education (without necessarily rejecting them), combined with a profoundly communitarian approach and an understanding of the importance of the natural world make it very special indeed.

Will Petty
Director, Bonas MacFarlane

Summer Fair 2021

Topics

Levels

Town v Country - Girls' schools

Ed Vaizey

Dr Ruth Sullivan

Jenny Brown

What price an education? Planning your finances

David Quintrell

Camilla Smiley

Ed Vaizey

Preparing for competitive entry schools

Dr Andy Mayfield

Tom Rogerson

Ed Vaizey

London day, boarding or a country day?

Will Petty

Ed Vaizey

Town v Country, Co-Ed options

David Goodhew

Jesse R Elzinga

Ed Vaizey

Town or Country? - Finding your next home

Ed Vaizey

Chris Druce

2021 Independent Schools Show Speakers

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