Following the unveiling of our new Strategic Plan and the introduction of the Diamond Model of Learning, we are delighted to announce three new senior appointments to the Executive Team at Merchant Taylors’ School.

Mr Deiniol Williams will take on the role of Head of School at the Boys’ School, Mrs Bridget Ward is to become the Head of School at the Girls’ School and Mr Jonathan Andrews has been appointed to the post of Academic Director across all areas of Merchant Taylors’ School.

All three appointments are effective from September 2022 and the new members of the Executive Team will support Mrs Claire Tao, our Executive Head, on the implementation of the new Strategic Plan. They will join Miss Elizabeth Lynan, Head of Stanfield Preparatory School, and Mrs Lynn Hill, Chief Operating Officer.

Mr Deiniol Williams will take on the role of Head of School at the Boys’ School

During his career, Deiniol Williams has served in boys’ and co-educational schools, including four years as the Head of Sixth Form at Wisbech Grammar School and more than seven years as the Deputy Head, Pastoral at the Boys’ School, including a year as Acting Headmaster in 2017-18.

Speaking of his appointment, he said: “I am delighted and honoured to have been chosen as the next Head of Merchant Taylors’ Boys’ School. The move to a diamond structure and the prospect of much greater collaboration between the schools in the Merchants’ Family will make the coming years very exciting and I am looking forward to working closely with Mrs Tao, Mrs Ward, Miss Lynan and the wider leadership team as we implement our strategic plan. Merchant Taylors’ has a deserved reputation locally and nationally and I am eager to contribute to the plans for enhancing this reputation by delivering a school with extraordinary educational opportunities, bespoke pastoral care and industry-leading co-curricular activities.”

Mrs Bridget Ward is to become the Head of School at the Girls’ School

Bridget Ward has worked in girls’ and co-educational schools, including two years as Deputy Head at Woldingham School in Surrey and three years as the Director of Academic Administration and Compliance at Queen’s Gate School, London immediately prior to joining Merchant Taylors’ last September.

Bridget said: “I am excited to have been appointed to my new post. It will be a privilege to play my part in the school’s long and distinguished history. As we start our journey together on the new Strategic Plan, I look forward to working with the staff, pupils, parents and governors to ensure that we are a school that is forward-thinking whilst remaining true to our values and ethos.”

Mr Jonathan Andrews has been appointed to the post of Academic Director

In his new role as Academic Director, Jonathan Andrews will lead on the academic provision and all aspects of teaching and learning for the whole of Merchant Taylors’ School. During his career, he has worked in boys’ and co-educational schools including four years as Director of Teaching and Learning at Oakham School, before joining Merchant Taylors’ in September 2019.

He said: “The students and staff here at Merchants’ are talented and rightly ambitious: this is an exceptional community of learners. With a respect for 400 years of scholarship and tradition, I look forward to enhancing the school’s academic offering through development of the curriculum, teaching excellence and the building of students’ understanding of what great learning looks like. I have thoroughly enjoyed working here over the last two and half years and have been hugely impressed with the flexibility of the school community in facing the challenges of recent times. I’ve also relished forging increased links between the schools and anticipate building on this in the years ahead. My ambition is for every individual to develop a love of life-long learning.”

On behalf of the entire Merchant Taylors’ community, we extend our warm congratulations to Mr Williams, Mrs Ward and Mr Andrews.