Politics

Irfan Latif, Andrea Arlidge, Matthew Woodville and Bernice McCabe

Irfan Latif, the headmaster of Sexey’s school in Somerset and the first chair of the State Boarding Forum (SBF), says he will build awareness of the “outstanding education” on offer at boarding schools.

“Although its reputation is growing fast, state boarding is still a relatively unknown quantity to many parents.

“The SBF’s work is crucial in building awareness of this excellent opportunity for students to benefit from an outstanding education and wrap-around pastoral care at a fraction of the cost of an independent school education.”

Latif, who has a degree in chemistry, previously taught at Haberdashers’ Aske’s Boys’ School in Borehamwood, Hertfordshire, and Whitgift school in south London.

He lectures at the Royal Institution of Great Britain and is a fellow of the Royal Society of Chemistry. He also serves as a magistrate.

He is a keen traveller and adventurer who recently led expeditions to Everest base camp, Venezuela and the Red Sea.

Andrea Arlidge has been appointed as chief executive of Wellsway multi-academy trust in the west of England.

She has been a headteacher for 16 years, with the past 11 at Wellsway school in Bristol, where she will be succeeded by Matthew Woodville.

Arlidge says her new role is to oversee the collaboration between the trust’s academies, and between neighbouring schools and academies so “we can offer the best possible opportunities for all the young people in our area”.

She is a director of the Bath Education Trust, chair of Wesport, the county sports partnership for the west of England, vice-chair of governors at Bristol grammar and a member of Ofsted’s south west scrutiny committee.

Woodville was principal of Oldfield school in Bath. He began his working life as a lawyer before switching to teaching, with roles at St Laurence school in Bradford on Avon and Oasis Academy Brightstowe in Bristol.

Bernice McCabe is the new director of international schools and education strategy at North London Collegiate School (NLCS) Enterprises.

The body has been set up to oversee NLCS and its international sister schools, which will open in South Korea and Dubai later this year.

She will also chair the academic board for headteachers of NLCS schools.

Head of the collegiate for nearly 20 years and responsible for the introduction of the International Baccalaureate diploma in 2004, she says the school’s recent international expansion has shown that the “NLCS philosophy can be brought to life around the world”.

“The emphasis that NLCS places on an ambitious education that encourages scholarship and a love of subject enhanced through rich extra-curricular provision, the importance placed on pastoral care and the strength of an education that allows individual personality to grow ensures that everyone who attends our schools can make the most of their own gifts and choose their own path in life.”

Your thoughts

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *