T H E H E A D

Since September 2022, Vicky Harding, previously head of Sarum Hall School and before that deputy head and acting head at Newland House School. She has also been director of music at the Dragon School. Attended Leeds Girls’ High School, then studied music at Edinburgh, followed by Royal Academy of Music. Gained PGCE from Buckingham University whilst working as director of music at Garden House School in London.

A Yorkshire lass at heart but brings some London polish too. Staff and parents say the greatest gift she could give the school is stability – some pupils (not even the oldest) told us she’s their fourth head. ‘It has been a rocky time,’ she concedes. We think they’ll get a lot more besides a steady hand on the tiller from this quietly determined head ‘There’s so much potential here –I just want to give the school a heart and to transform it into a modern education,’ she told us before launching into her plans to up the ante on digital learning, to make better use of the grounds (‘we could grow food, have beehives and take more learning outdoors, for example’), to double the number of full boarders and bring back a stronger sense of community to the school

'Welcoming’, ‘kind’ and a ‘great listener’, say parents and pupils, though we wonder how they ever find her (very plush green) office through the rabbit warren corridors Doesn’t teach (bar the odd cover lesson), but ‘is always around,’ say pupils, who appreciate that ‘she knows all our names

’Lives onsite with her husband, a professional musician, in a characterful house Keen on running, walking and ‘eating nice food’ –luckily for her, the food here is excellent

Main entry points are nursery, reception and year 7 – but children can join any time if there’s space, including mid academic year Academically non-selective, although there are CAT4 tests including verbal reasoning, non-verbal reasoning, spatial and quantitative awareness from year 3 upwards to check they can access the curriculum