Meet the Head

My first visit to Oundle was over 20 years ago and I was struck then, as now, by a school alive with possibility. Pupils were curious, engaging and confident without showiness, staff were deeply committed and there was a sense that if you wanted to do something, you could. When I returned more recently, I felt that same energy and spark in the air. The most striking thing wasn’t a building or a facility – excellent and often beautiful as they are – but the pupils. I found them to be thoughtful, ambitious and warm yet also willing to challenge in the best possible way. It felt authentic. It told me this is a place where ideas matter, where pupils think for themselves and enjoy doing so. That combination of intellectual energy and genuine community is rare and it made me want to be part of Oundle’s future.

If you want to have a real impact on young people, then a boarding school allows you to do that in full. Oundle does it on a remarkable scale. Boarding is about genuine community – where young people are known, cared for and able to build deep and lasting friendships. It also counters some of the pressures we all worry about today: the relentlessness of social media, the rush of logistics, the sense of being constantly “on”. Boarding gives space in every sense – to breathe, to explore ideas, to stretch yourself, to connect with others. Day pupils share in that same life; often the only difference is where they go to bed at night. Seven days a week become the canvas for their education, with the stimulus, care and opportunities that come from living and learning alongside one another. It’s a model that blends independence with support, and it’s a powerful foundation for becoming a well-rounded, resilient adult.

Schools are people places. I believe in kindness, empathy and respect, coupled with a relentless ambition for pupils to achieve more than they think possible. Listening well matters – to colleagues, to parents and to pupils. Good leadership is collaborative and discursive but also decisive; people need to feel heard and to know the direction of travel. At its best, a school is humane, ambitious and properly joyful. Even in the busiest weeks, there should be moments of real enjoyment in what we do together.

An obvious measure is excellent results and high-level achievement in sport, music, drama, debating and more, leading to the very best universities, conservatoires or other destinations. However, it is also about leaving as a decent, grounded person with a strong sense of self, the confidence to contribute positively to the world and the habit of engaging deeply. The real win is when pupils surprise themselves, when they look back and say, “I never thought I could do that, but I did.” Indeed, in a recent conversation with an Oundelian, I was struck by one thing in particular that emerged: ‘Oundle has found something within me that I didn’t know was there.’

That confidence, coupled with decency and perspective, will last far longer than any single achievement.

I am really looking forward to meeting pupils properly and being part of their daily experience. Leading Oundle into its next chapter is an exciting responsibility – building on its strengths, evolving where we need to and keeping that distinctive blend of ambition, warmth and groundedness that makes this place special.