SOCIETY OF HEADS - Key Persons
Job Titles:
- Treasurer
- Treasurer / the Peterborough School
Adrian has been Headteacher of The Peterborough School, a day school catering for boys and girls (age 6 weeks to 18 years), since September 2007. The school educated girls only in the Senior School before becoming coeducational in September 2010. Previously, he was Director of Studies from September 2003, and was responsible for the academic performance of the school and Digital Strategy. Adrian was Head of Physics and Electronics at Merchiston Castle School from September 1999, after starting his teaching career there in 1996. He was also a resident boarding house tutor for three years and wrote the school timetable for 7 years, introducing two school databases. Adrian enjoys playing golf, mountain biking and road cycling having recently completed the Tour of Cambridgeshire. His other hobbies include playing table tennis, having played in the Peterborough Premier League. Adrian has previously been a member of the Society of Heads Public Relations Group and Futures Group until 2014 when he joined the Main Committee, serving as Honorary Treasurer in September 2017 and leading as Chair of the Society of Heads 2020-2021.
Amy Chapman has led Derby High School, an independent day school for pupils aged 3 to 18, since 2018. She read Industrial Economics at the University of Nottingham before completing a PGCE in Business and Economics at the University of Warwick. She went on to earn a Master's in Education, Leadership and Management from the Open University and is now pursuing a Professional Doctorate in Education at York St John University. Her doctoral research explores how school leaders can foster lasting cultural change through a relational approach to change management.
Over her career, Amy has taught in five schools, both day and boarding, and has held a wide range of academic and pastoral leadership roles. She is also a serving ISI Reporting Inspector. Guided by a deep belief that schools should be places where every young person is known, valued and inspired, she champions curiosity, kindness and courage as the cornerstones of a vibrant education.
Job Titles:
- Chairman of the Society of Heads - 2025 - 2026
After graduating from Reading University with a Master's degree in Music, Christine enjoyed six years as a professional pianist before entering the teaching profession in 1994. She taught in state comprehensive and state grammar schools before taking up the post of Director of Music at LVS Ascot in 2003. Christine has been internally promoted on a number of occasions including Assistant Head Academic and Assistant Head Pastoral before becoming Headmistress of LVS Ascot Senior School in 2010 and then Principal of both the Junior and Senior Schools in 2015. Christine believes in life-long learning and achieved an MBA from Leicester University in 2013. She likes to keep busy and contributes to The Society of Heads Professional Development Committee and the Main Committee as well as being a member of the BSA Committee. Christine is also an ISI inspector for Quality of Education inspection.
After graduating from Manchester University, Clive started his career in 1983 at Stamford School, teaching History and Politics. He was appointed as a Boarding House Master and from there moved to Oswestry Junior School as Head. In 1996 he became Head of Lincoln Minster Prep School before being appointed Principal of Lincoln Minster School in 1999. During his time at Lincoln, he also took on an Executive Principal role, engaging with four prep schools and leading the merger to create Hull Collegiate School. He became the General Secretary (now CEO) of The Society of Heads in September 2015, and is a Governor of two schools. Throughout his career in schools, which included twenty-four years as a Head, he was passionate about enabling young people to succeed. He is now dedicated to supporting, encouraging and inspiring school leaders.
Job Titles:
- Vice Chair
- Vice Chair / the Royal Ballet School
David Gajadharsingh did his first degree in Aeronautical Engineering and then went on to study for his PGCE at Oxford University. He started his teaching career at Peers School in Blackbird Leys, Oxford.
He left teaching for a brief sojourn with Glaxo Pharmaceuticals in their sales and marketing department before returning to the profession with Collingham Tutorial College in London in 1990.
He was appointed as a Physics teacher and Head of Year at Aylesbury Grammar school in 1991. In 1997 he secured the post of Head of Physics at Millfield School in Somerset and while in post was also asked to take on the role as Head of Year (Sixth Form), in which he was responsible for the academic and pastoral welfare of some 340 students.
David was appointed as Deputy Headmaster of King Edward VI Grammar School in Stratford-upon-Avon in 2003. During his time at KES, Stratford, David was responsible for both the pastoral and academic dimensions of the school. David took up the post of Headmaster of Bedstone College in Shropshire in 2011 and joined the Royal Ballet School in April 2019.
David has always been involved in playing and teaching sport and has gained county, national and international honours in fencing. At Oxford he was awarded a fencing ‘Blue' and he has run clubs in fencing, football, basketball, badminton, table tennis and cricket during his teaching career.
David was born in Trinidad and Tobago. At the age of three his family left the Caribbean island. They moved first to Dublin, (his mother is Irish), and then on to London where he attended Burlington Danes Comprehensive School in Shepherd's Bush. David joined The Royal Ballet School as Academic and Pastoral Principal in 2019. David is married to Gabi and they have two daughters.
Job Titles:
- Chairman of the Futures Group / the National Mathematics and Science College
- Principal of the National Mathematics
Dr Andy Kemp is Principal of The National Mathematics and Science College, based in the Midlands on the edge of the Warwick University campus. The National Mathematics and Science College is the top performing specialist STEM sixth form day and boarding school in the UK. Joining NatMatSci was something of a homecoming for him as he studied for his BSc in Mathematics, PGCE, MSc and EdD in Mathematics Education all at the University of Warwick. More recently he has completed his MBA at UCL in 2017.
He has spoken at conferences around the world in relation to the role that technology plays in education, and in particular AI and mathematics education, and has been published in several journals, magazines, and collective works.
Job Titles:
- Chairman Designate / Halliford School
James has been Headmaster of Halliford School since September 2017 where he has enjoyed getting used to a very different pace of life compared to rural Cumbria where he was previously as Headmaster of a Boarding School.
He is a serving ISI inspector. A music graduate from the Universities of Sheffield and Manchester, Mr Davies has spent his career in teaching and has taught music at and held leadership roles in many independent schools across the north of England and now in South West London. Mr Davies is also the Safeguarding Governor for St Augustine's Priory in Ealing and Education Governor for Parkside Prep School in Cobham.
Mr Davies is an accomplished musician and as an organist and choral director, he has performed in most of the Cathedrals in the UK and many overseas. He is also an active member of the RNLI where he has served as a lifeboat man on both the East and West coasts of the UK being involved in many rescues and is currently working with their education department as there are as yet no RNLI stations in the Shepperton area. In his spare time, he is very involved with outdoor activities having organised student expeditions to Europe and Africa and he is a keen Scuba Diver and currently completing his instructor examinations. He has also has a loyal Labrador who is our very own Halliford Hound and helps to keep him in order!
His love of all things water based has recently led him to take on a volunteer position as Lead Skipper with the local Sunbury Ferry on the river Thames. He is also currently renovating a Dutch River Cruiser which he is using with students at Halliford School as part of a new Boating club to pass on his skills. He comes from a sporting family where both his father and sister are British Olympians and so is no stranger to the demands of elite sports and loves spending time supporting the boys at Halliford with their sporting ambitions.
Jean has performed the role of finance manager for many years supporting organizations in the education sector. Being a mother with three grown up daughters, Jean has had direct experience of a variety of different educational establishments and has welcomed the opportunity to provide support and assistance to the education sector. Jean has also been involved in teaching, running evening classes on Sage computerized accounting. As well as those activities Jean has helped many small businesses in all sectors; setting up their finance systems, training their staff on Sage, and providing budgeting and financial reporting services. Jean has a keen interest in health and fitness and particularly enjoys open water swimming and yoga.
Job Titles:
- Chairman of the National Music
Jessica trained as a contemporary dancer and choreographer at Trinity Laban and went on to perform with their resident company, Transitions, among other freelance projects. Having sustained an injury during her dance career, she took the opportunity to pursue her other passion - teaching. She taught dance in a number of schools and colleges as well as holding senior appointments in London Secondary Schools before joining Elmhurst Ballet School as Principal in 2010.
Jessica has always had a passion and interest in choreography and has enjoyed creating work for a number of youth companies including the award winning team at The Grange Opera.
In her role as Principal, Jessica is the Chair of the National Music and Dance Scheme schools' Headteachers group and is involved in a number of other networks to support the development of Elmhurst. Jessica is a Team Inspector for the Independent Schools Inspectorate. Ofsted has described her as a ‘highly effective leader'.
Job Titles:
- Director of Education Services
Jill is originally from Lancashire, in the UK, but was brought up in the Middle East and has lived and worked in the UAE, Thailand and Turkey. Jill has enjoyed a varied background, travelling extensively working in both customer facing, marketing and education roles. In 2003, Jill retrained and gained her CELTA and Advanced Diploma in Teaching, Training and Assessing. She went on to teach English to children and adults in a variety of educational settings in Dubai and Abu Dhabi, and following on from that, became a corporate trainer, working with many Middle Eastern companies, developing their teams. Jill has developed a passion for education and training and after relocating back to the UK in December 2014, became involved in the independent education sector, and joined the Society of Heads in January 2017. Jill is a certified Coach, and Triple Wellbeing Practitioner.
Judith Fremont-Barnes has been Head at Milton Abbey since 2018, before which she led Duke of Kent School in Surrey for seven years. She has a Masters degree in Inclusive Education and a lifelong interest in education for those who are not 'school-shaped'. She is also a keen supporter of theatre and the visual arts. Her career has included the role of Deputy Head at More House, Frensham, Head of English at Radley College and lecturer in English Literature at Kobe Kaisei Women's College in Japan. Judith values the collegiate spirit and the commitment to professional development of The Society of Heads.
The University years were an enjoyable chapter in Liz's life where she evolved as a person and excelled in her studies, gaining a First-Class Degree in Media Professional Studies with Television. The Travel Industry is where Liz started her career and over 9 years she thrived in various roles. She has worked the high-pressure 24hour Emergency Holiday Helpline and in the Contact Centre as a Specialist Sales Consultant. She then moved to Aviation managing a portfolio of destinations and most recently was a Communications Executive, blending her passion for people and the written word. Liz has always thought of education as the passport to success and since becoming a parent, she appreciates all the work that goes into nurturing a child and preparing them for the future. She looks forward to supporting the member schools at The Society of Heads and promoting their many achievements.
Lotte Tulloch has been the Head of Denstone College since September 2021, bringing with her a dynamic and forward-thinking approach to leadership. Prior to joining Denstone, she served as Deputy Head at Sedbergh School in Cumbria and was part of the Senior Leadership Team at Casterton, Sedbergh Preparatory School
Lotte holds a degree in English Literature and earned her PGCE in secondary education from Buckingham University. She later pursued a Master's in Business Administration (MBA Education) at Keele University, reflecting her commitment to educational leadership and innovation
A passionate advocate for diversity and accessibility in independent education, Lotte is known for her warm, engaging, and down-to-earth leadership style. Outside of her professional life, she is an accomplished musician and an avid fell runner, having completed the grueling Marathon des Sables.
Job Titles:
- Education Services Executive
After graduating from Sheffield, Maria started her career in teaching in the city of Birmingham for six years. A move back to Leicestershire opened new opportunities and she continued her career as a teacher, Assistant Head, Governor and CPD Leader. With a passion for the Creative Arts and studies in Theatre in Education, Maria is keen to remain involved in the Education sector and is very much looking forward to a new chapter with The Society of Heads.
Job Titles:
- Chairman of the Education Committee
- Chairman of the Education Committee / Warminster School
Matt has been Headmaster of Warminster School since 2019, a co-educational 2-18 boarding and day school in the South West of England. He started teaching 28 years ago and has always worked in boarding schools. He spent 14 years at Rugby School where he was Head of Department and Housemaster of a senior boys' boarding house, before moving onto Deputy Headship at Sidcot School in North Somerset. He has always involved himself in all aspects of school life, coaching cricket and rugby, directing numerous drama productions, and leading DofE Expeditions as well as international sports tours. He is an ISI Team Inspector, Chair of the SoH Education Committee, and member of the HMC Public Benefit and Partnerships Committee.
Pete Thomas joined Reading Blue Coat School in September 2015 as Second Master and was appointed Headmaster in September 2020. Originally from Horsham, West Sussex, Pete read Geology at Durham University before embarking on a five-year career as a Response Officer with Sussex Police.
His passion for education led him to The Judd School in Tonbridge, where he taught Geography for two years. He then joined Dauntsey's School, where he served in a variety of roles including Housemaster of both Day and Boarding Houses. During his time there, Pete also coached football and rugby, and led the Christian Union.
Pete is married to Emily, a language teacher, and together they have four sons and a mostly obedient Labrador named Arthur. Away from school, Pete values time with his family, especially enjoying camping adventures in his beloved Pembrokeshire. He is actively involved in church life and appreciates the strong sense of community in the Blue Coat area.
Rich is originally from Northern Ireland but moved to Leicester to study law at DeMontfort University. After graduation he worked in the events team at the University of Leicester for more than 6 years before moving to a local charity, Voluntary Action LeicesterShire to manage their events and facilities. As a father of two school-age children he is keen to use his skills to further the aims of The Society and execute an enjoyable and successful events and training programme for our members.
Job Titles:
- International Representative
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 approach to schools which the Society of Heads' schools embody.
Job Titles:
- Formerly Head of Senior School
- Principal of Surbiton High School
An alumnus of Calday Grammar School, Silas Edmonds completed his BA in English Literature and Latin at the University of Keele (the poetry of William Blake and Catullus being particular favourites),...
Job Titles:
- ISC Board Representative / Lichfield Cathedral School
Sue graduated from Birmingham University with a BA (Hons) in English Language and Literature, which included a one year Erasmus exchange to Austria. After a brief but successful career as a solicitor, Sue's passion for English and Drama led her to retrain as a teacher, gaining a PGCE from Birmingham University. Sue first worked in Cirencester, then moved to a school in Warwickshire, progressing to Assistant Head with responsibility for Post-16 education. Recruited in 2009 to establish a new Sixth Form at Lichfield Cathedral School, Sue was Deputy Head for 6 years before becoming the Cathedral School's first Headmistress in 2015.