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“I want every pupil to develop their own unique academic identity, one that brings them self-worth and agency in the world.”
What attracted you to Wellington?
From my very first interactions with the College, I was struck by the kindness, empathy and inclusivity of the community. There is a genuine culture of taking an interest in others and that was something that immediately resonated with me.
I was also drawn to Wellington because I felt a strong alignment between its educational ethos and my own. I believe education should combine intellectual ambition with the development of character, critical skills and a strong sense of moral and social purpose. Wellington already achieves that in abundance and the opportunity to contribute to the next stage of that journey was enormously exciting.
Tell us a little about your journey to Wellington.
I grew up in a small village near Warrington in the North West before studying History at Durham and Oxford, although I probably played more rugby and did less studying than a Deputy Head (Academic) should admit to!
After a brief period working in Public Relations and Public Affairs in London, I moved into education at Magdalen College School in Oxford, where I was a Housemaster and Head of Department. I then joined Reigate Grammar School as Head of Sixth Form and subsequently Assistant Head, before most recently serving as Deputy Head (Academic) at Claremont Fan Court School.
Each of those schools has made an indelible impression on me and helped shape my educational values and my understanding of what a great education can achieve.
What experiences from your previous roles will you bring to Wellington?
I have always been interested in how we can help pupils become better learners, rather than simply focusing on what they learn. In previous roles, that has included introducing skills and competencies-based approaches to learning, bringing areas such as metacognition, collaboration and oracy more explicitly into the curriculum.
I have also worked on redefining assessment to encourage a growth mindset; developing more personalised and flexible curricula; introducing interdisciplinary courses and qualifications; and supporting pupils to achieve excellent examination results and access some of the most competitive universities and opportunities in the UK and internationally.
Most of all, though, I have always tried to be part of cultures that cherish being interested in the world and being interesting; that are ambitious and celebrate success, but are also never afraid to ask how something could be made a little better.
What is your educational philosophy?
For me, education should give every young person the opportunity to achieve something they might not have realised was possible.
There is enormous joy in seeing pupils engage with challenging academic and intellectual questions, but education should also give young people options and opportunities when they step out into the world.
Academic achievement is an important part of that, but it should happen alongside nurturing character, developing skills beyond the academic and fostering a sense of moral and social purpose. Ultimately, we want young people who are intellectually curious, confident in what they know and able to use that knowledge to make a positive difference.
What are your priorities for academic life at Wellington?
Human flourishing will be central to our educational journey and to the intellectual and character development of every pupil.
I want us to continue developing a flexible, dynamic and scholarly curriculum that responds to the individual learner and the changing world around them, while preparing pupils to thrive at the most demanding higher education institutions as well as through emerging routes such as professional and degree apprenticeships.
We will continue looking carefully at assessment and how it can inform learning, progress and achievement, alongside continuing to grow examination outcomes across GCSE, A-level and IB.
Above all, I want us to continue building a culture of ambition and scholarly curiosity, where every pupil has the opportunity to develop their own unique academic identity.
How do you think AI will change education?
AI presents an extraordinary opportunity, but it also poses important questions for schools and educators.
Our responsibility is to help young people understand how to harness these tools effectively to deepen their thinking, explore ideas and solve complex problems, rather than allowing technology to become a means of cognitive offloading or taking shortcuts.
The technology will continue to develop, so our role is not simply to respond to individual tools but to equip pupils with the intellectual skills and judgement to use them thoughtfully and effectively.
What do you want a Wellingtonian to take away from their academic experience?
I would like every pupil to leave Wellington with qualifications that reflect the very best of their potential, but also with something much deeper: a genuine sense of themselves as a scholar and an individual.
I want pupils to feel that they are becoming historians, engineers, economists, geographers, scientists or whatever their interests lead them towards, rather than simply young people taking examinations in those subjects.
That academic identity should give them self-worth and agency, but it should also come with a sense of responsibility: an understanding that the knowledge and skills they develop can ultimately be used to make a difference in the world.
What are you most looking forward to as you begin life at Wellington?
My first days at the College have included taking part in the coaching qualification with the Bridge, and the principles of coaching have really resonated with me. I think it says a great deal about Wellington’s progressive and supportive culture that this has been one of my first experiences here.
Over the coming weeks and months, I want to meet, listen to and learn from colleagues and pupils across the College. There is already so much that makes Wellington special, and I am looking forward to understanding that more deeply and working collectively to build on it.
Away from academics, what parts of Wellington life particularly appeal to you?
Sport has always been a significant part of my life, from playing rugby at university and during my early years in teaching to coaching more recently. As a result, I am particularly excited by the exceptional sporting opportunities available at the College and, just as importantly, I look forward to being part of the strong sense of community, spirit, and culture that successful school sport helps to create.
