Staff & Governors

An Oxford girl, I was born within two miles of the School, went to a girls’ school in Oxfordshire and lived locally until I was in my mid 20s. After reading Geology at St Edmund’s Hall, Oxford, I ran my own business for 10 years in the travel sector. Having been at a girls’ school and a scientist at school and university, I always had an underlying passion for STEM and was used to an environment where girls were not restricted in their ambitions or their choices. After starting my own family I decided to retrain as a Physics teacher, studying for a PGCE at Manchester. My teaching career before Headington includes working as Head of Sixth Form and Deputy Senior Housemistress at Wycombe Abbey, then Headmistress at St George’s, Ascot. I joined Headington School in September 2011.

I consider myself to be a passionate advocate for single sex education and have taken roles in education at a regional and national level. These have included chairing the Girls’ School Association Education Committee, sitting on the GSA/HMC Universities Committee for six years and a stint as a board member of the Independent Schools Examinations Board. I’m also an ISI inspector, was President of the Girls’ Schools Association in 2016 and Vice-Chair of the Independent Schools’ Council between 2017-2020. Since February 2022 I’ve been a member of the AGBIS Board.

Outside of school I enjoy renovating my 500 year old French cottage, which involves everything from rewiring to making curtains, and spending time with my growing family, many of whom still live close by. I love Headington for many reasons but the biggest is of course the girls. Having been a headmistress here for over 10 years now I am in the privileged position of seeing former students returning to school having succeeded in their careers and coming in to inspire a new generation of young people. Having taught Physics at times over the years, I am also very much enjoying a return to the classroom to teach the Higher Project Qualification to our Lower Five (Year 10 girls) – they never cease to amaze and impress me.

After studying Product Design Engineering at Brunel University, I moved straight into teaching and have taught Maths and Design Technology ever since. 

Prior to joining Headington I spent 12 years in Brighton as Head of Department and Housemaster, with stints as a Hockey and Athletics coach as well as a leader of international trips. It was whilst living on the south coast that I met my wife (who is Brighton born and bred) and although we loved living by the sea it was a pleasure to return to Oxfordshire where many of my family are still based. 

In my spare time I enjoy keeping fit and playing a range of sports and I am also a keen reader of most forms of fiction.

There are many things that make Headington a special place, but for me the most important is the strong sense of community that runs through the School – we are all very proud to be members of a supportive and forward-thinking school that provides its pupils with such a wide range of fantastic opportunities.

I was fortunate to join Headington as the Bursar in 2013 after serving for nearly 30 years in the British Army.  Having moved so many times throughout my first career, my wife (a retired school nurse) and I are enjoying the stability of living in South Oxfordshire where we are able to walk our mad pet Labrador across the Ridgeway or along the Thames Pathway. Likewise, having rowed competitively in my younger days, it is fantastic to be part of a school that values the sporting and co-curricular programmes as highly as its academic achievements. 

Headington is a very special place to work but the most important factor for me is having the privilege of working alongside amazing colleagues, both teaching and non-teaching, all of whom care deeply and go the extra mile to provide the pupils with the best support possible. 

After completing my first degree at Cambridge, I went on to read for an MA in Comparative Literature and later a PhD at University College, London. This was followed by many years at the British Council, Athens, and a parallel freelance career as a literary translator, working with Modern Greek fiction and drama, as well as Norwegian biography and theatre,  the most exciting project of which was co-translating a new edition of Ibsen’s four last plays

It was during this time that I met my husband and although we have been in Oxford for many years now, Athens is still very much our family home and we spend as much time there as we can. In my spare time, I like to travel, visit museums, theatres and cinemas, and try, with varying degrees of success, to keep our rambunctious family dog, Yorick – he of infinite jest and energy – entertained. 

I have been at Headington for over 10 years now, teaching English and more recently, History of Art. For me, what makes this school so special is its cultural diversity and the rich range of the personalities we teach, always eager to learn and willing to try new things. It is a real privilege to work with such wonderful pupils and colleagues in a school that is constantly challenging itself and constantly evolving – a school that never allows itself to stand still. 

Having studied Geography at Oxford and completed a Masters degree in Spatial Information Technology at Durham I chose to embark on a teaching career that has seen me live and work in a number of co-ed and single sex schools up and down the country. I also managed a brief secondment in industry which provided a fascinating insight into the business world.

I have taught Geography and Computing but the pastoral side of school life, and what goes on beyond the classroom, has always been equally important to me. I have been fortunate to run a school boat club, lead numerous overseas trips and expeditions and to work on partnership projects with schools and charities, championing entrepreneurship in the process. Having been a Housemistress and Head of Boarding some of my most cherished moments in education have been alongside the students in my care.

I joined Headington having worked on two Leadership teams in two very different schools – a small rural boarding school, and a large London day school. For me, what makes Headington special is the fact that all pupils are able to find their niche and feel supported – by their peers and by a caring staff body; the opportunities are endless, the facilities second to none and a kind and friendly community provides the beating heart of the School.

I joined Headington in April 2014 after about ten years at Dame Bradbury’s – a stand alone co-ed prep school in Essex. My background and experience had prepared me well with a degree in French and Geography, teaching qualification, the NPQH, a Masters in Educational Management, experience as a team inspector for ISI and as a governor at Felsted School.

As soon as I walked through the door I knew I wanted to work in the Prep School. There was such a strong sense of community with dedicated and dynamic staff. I could almost feel the excitement and energy in the air – and then I met the pupils and that was it. They were fabulous, engaging and fun loving with a great propensity to learn.  

A highlight of my week is preparing Friday assemblies with the Head Girls, looking at examples of the pupils’ learning over the previous week. I’m amazed at their creativity and their wide-ranging knowledge and skills.

In my free time, I grasp any opportunity to get out into the countryside and enjoy walking and spotting wildlife. Favourite places include the Chilterns and the North Norfolk coast. I’m a member of a local church and love to spend time scanning the shelves of books for tantalising new reads in some of the wonderful book shops in town.

Headington Prep is unlike any school I have taught in before; academic excellence is achieved in a wonderful atmosphere of happiness and an eagerness to learn.

I feel privileged to work with such a talented team of staff; a team bursting with innovative ideas and energy. This energy is reflected in the classroom by our brilliant pupils who really embrace learning.

I have a keen interest in equipping children with self-regulation strategies and a passion for lifelong learning, which became a key focus while studying for my masters degree.

I live in an Oxfordshire village and in my spare time am involved with the drama society who, I think, appreciate my varied theatrical skills, garnered from involvement with many (I’ve lost count) school plays and a youth spent on stage dancing.

I love gardening, walks in the surrounding nature, and problem solving my way through a sewing project. I also enjoy all that Oxford offers: theatre, museums, galleries and regularly attend St Ebbe’s Church.

Having grown up in South Africa, I completed my BA in English at the University of Cape Town, followed by a Higher Diploma in Primary Education. My career began at the International School of CT, teaching the British Curriculum, after which my husband and I moved to the UK. Once settled in Oxfordshire, I began working at Chandlings Manor where I spent seven happy years before moving to Headington Prep School in 2010. 

Headington has become my second family, where I have made lifelong friends and seen my daughter flourish as she has moved all the way through the School. My career has also progressed as I’ve been fortunate to develop the role of Deputy Head Pastoral, where I have contributed to achieving AS Tracking Accreditation as well as qualifying as a Mental Health First Aid instructor. 

I feel extremely blessed to work at a school in which children’s wellbeing is the priority and where my own parenting has benefited from the experiences I have gained. I enjoy spending my free time with my family and friends but also love reading, walking my dog (Dizzy) and pottering in the garden.

Having studied a BEd degree at the University of the West of England, I moved to Oxford to marry my husband and start my first teaching job.  

I thoroughly enjoy teaching pupils, particularly when you see a light bulb moment and pupils suddenly understand a new concept. Teaching at Headington is like having a second family where staff and pupils look out for each other, showing love and care.   

Outside of school, I enjoy spending time with family and friends and gardening and have a keen interest in birds. I am also actively involved with my local church.

From a young age I loved school and this stayed with me throughout my whole school career ultimately ending in achieving a BSc in Early Childhood Studies at Bristol University. Here I worked at and visited a broad range of educational settings and I knew teaching would be for me! Immediately afterwards I trained as a Montessori teacher at the International Centre in London before then going on to gain Qualified Teacher Status. At Headington I am very fortunate to be in the midst of the magical early years department. Here the foundations for life are set and it couldn’t be a more exciting place to work. The department is a constant buzz of activity indoors and outdoors. It is a real joy to work with my fantastic colleagues alongside the children and their families as they begin their exciting educational journey. Out of school I enjoy being active, growing flowers and spending time with friends and family.

Throughout my childhood, I liked nothing more than to ‘play schools’ with my three younger sisters and, of course, as the eldest, I was always in charge! When the time came for university, I found myself at Homerton College in Cambridge, enrolled in a four-year BEd degree. I loved my time in Cambridge and during my final teaching practice became convinced that teaching was the right career path for me. After graduating from Homerton and wanting to stay in Cambridge, I began teaching in the small market town of Saffron Walden in an outstanding state school. There I was privileged to learn from experienced and dedicated colleagues and became convinced of the importance of an enquiry-based approach to education and allowing children to steer their own learning. After working at the Perse School for Girls in Cambridge and then a break to have our three children, I was delighted to join Headington Prep and work with the fantastic staff team here. In my view, Key Stage 1 of a child’s education is the best phase to be a part of as we witness their independence flourish and opinions develop. 

When I embarked on my Law Degree at Durham University, I never imagined that I would now be a teacher but I often tell my students that life has a funny habit of surprising you! Headington has been my home-from-home for over 10 years and I feel very fortunate to both live and work in such an inspiring and dynamic environment. 

My teaching career began in London through the Teach First programme and has included time in Somerset as well as an inner city London comprehensive through the Future Leaders scheme. I am now a mother to two young girls myself and my patient (and outnumbered!) husband and I know first hand the role which schools play in shaping the citizens of tomorrow. The development of character alongside intellectual curiosity is something I see day in day out at Headington, especially through our eldest who has just started at the Cornflower Nursery at Headington Prep. Whilst I am passionate about my time in the classroom teaching Philosophy and Religion, I am just as inspired by my time outside, be it running our Bar Mock trial programme or taking our boarders off site for a walk through the University Parks with our basset hound.

I studied Biochemistry at New College and went on to teach at a boys’ comprehensive. (The opportunity to teach at a mixed school has oddly never arisen). After three years (and before the teaching profession sucked me in for life!) I was privileged to work for a Christian charity visiting partner organisations from Ecuador to India and supporting young people on gap year teams. After nearly a decade of being involved in sending others to work overseas, my wife Caroline and I, with our then three very young children, served with the Church in Uganda which was an enormous privilege. In 2013, I began my role as Chaplain here at Headington – and from 2016 to 2019 I studied at St Mellitus college part-time to become ordained into the Church of England. Alongside Chaplaincy work I continue to teach Biology.  It is a great joy to work at Headington – brilliant and fascinating students and superb staff.  

Caroline and I are parents to three, foster parents to two and we have an adorable 10 year old dog called Sam. I am also a (very) part-time Curate at St Andrew’s, Linton Road. As expected (as a Chaplain) I am really passionate about sharing who Jesus is and how following Him might make all the difference. I play the piano badly, tennis a little better and find myself crying at the end of Disney films(!?). I support Everton Football Club: your sympathy is welcome.

I joined Headington Prep School in 2014 having previously studied Fine Art at Central St Martins School of Art. This was followed by specialising in Art Therapy.

I deliver the Prep School’s daily wellbeing and health care, including one to one and drop in sessions with the children, First Aid and extracurricular art and well-being clubs. 

My vocational qualifications include Bereavement Counselling, Drawing and Talking Therapy and Mental Health First Aid.

I believe the emotional wellbeing of children is just as important as their physical health. Good mental health allows children to develop the resilience to cope with whatever life throws at them. Working with The Head of Pastoral, I can help to put in place the support the children need. Headington is a supportive, fun and exciting place to work. No day is ever the same and it is a pleasure to spend time with and get to know the children.

I competed at a representative level in numerous sports during my Rugby School years and am a firm believer in the mental benefits of physical activity.

In my spare time, I enjoy being creative, cooking and gardening with my five-year-old son, swimming, spending quality time with my family and friends and walking with my Cockapoo, Burt.

Carol Oster Warriner is a retired solicitor living in Oxford. She read Jurisprudence at Lady Margaret Hall, Oxford and after Law school in Guildford went on to train, qualify and practice in the City of London. She joined the Oxford firm of Linnells, as it then was, in 1988, becoming its youngest partner in 1991. Following a series of mergers, the firm became part of Blake Lapthorn (now Blake Morgan) a large multi office UK Law firm, where Carol was initially Oxford’s Head of Property Litigation. She subsequently became the firm wide Risk Partner dealing with all aspects of legal and non-legal risk as well as professional negligence claims and complaints made to the Legal Ombudsman. She was also on the firm’s strategic and management boards. Carol retired from private practice in 2010.

Both before and since retiring Carol has undertaken a number of voluntary roles. Carol was a Governor and then Chair of Governors at Rush Common Primary School, an Outstanding rated school in Abingdon, for seven years. In that capacity she sat on the Finance Committee as well as chairing the Governing Body and assisted in the legal negotiations on behalf of the School when it became an academy in 2012, the first state primary school in Oxfordshire to do so.

Carol was elected President of the Lady Margaret Hall Association ( LMHA ) in 2011 and re-elected in 2014 to remain in office for a further three years. The LMHA is an alumni association to which all LMH alumni automatically become members when they finish their studies at LMH. In her capacity as President Carol sits on the LMH Advisory Council which advises the Governing Body on financial and strategic matters and the Development Committee which advises on development and fundraising for the College. She also chairs the LMHA committee which produces alumni publications and helps Senior Members stay in touch with each other and with the college.

Carol’s daughter was a pupil at Headington from 2009 – 2016. Carol became a governor of Headington School in September 2017 and Chair from March 2023.
Carol chairs the Governance and Nominations Committee and sits on the Finance and General Purposes, Education and Remuneration Committees. She is also a trustee of the General Charitable Trust.

Kate is qualified as a Chartered Accountant and is the Programme Lead, Applied Accounting in Oxford Brookes Business School at Oxford Brookes University.  She lectures both undergraduate and postgraduate students in financial management and her research interests are in the area of Corporate Social Responsibility and sustainability.

Kate’s daughter, Hannah Tomlinson, attended Senior school from 2007 – 2014. Throughout her school career Hannah was a dedicated rower representing the school at Henley Royal Regatta, and GB in two European Championships.

Kate became a governor of Headington School in September 2015 and Vice Chair in March 2023.  Kate chairs the Finance and General Purposes Committee.  Kate is also a member of the Renumeration Committees as well as Trustee to the General Charitable Trust and Director of Headington School Services.

Claire is Head of Junior School at Wimbledon High School GDST in South West London where she leads a school of 350 girls aged 4 – 11. As a member of the Girls’ Day School Trust, the school is committed to delivering progressive and fit for purpose girls’ education that prepares pupils for success in an ever-changing world. The school is well known for its excellent academic outcomes and innovative approaches to pedagogy and pastoral care. Claire is also a member of the school’s Senior Leadership Team which is responsible for the strategic development of the school from Reception through to Year 13. Claire is a member of the Independent Association of Preparatory School and Associate Member of the Girls’ Schools Association. She is a regular contributor to the TES and was a contributing essayist to The State of Education: The Challenges Facing Private Schools (2^nd Edition, 2022). She also speaks regularly at educational conferences including the Global Forum of Girls’ Education.

Previously Claire was Head of Prep School at Sydenham High School GDST and Head of Lower School at Ravenscourt Park Preparatory School. She started her career as an infant teacher in the maintained sector, teaching in West London. Claire read Politics (BA) at Royal Holloway, University of London and gained Qualified Teacher Status with a Post Graduate Certificate of Education at Froebel College, Roehampton University.

Claire became a Governor of Headington School in 2023 and is a member of Full Council and the Education Committee.

Mark is an experienced professional in the world of fundraising for charities and educational organisations. He is currently Director of Development at New College, University of Oxford, where he and his team are responsible for all aspects of fundraising and alumni relations. Prior to joining New College in 2011, Mark was the development director at Oriel College in Oxford. His previous experience includes running the development programme at Christ’s Hospital, a charitable boarding school, and corporate fundraising at London Business School. His first roles were in fundraising at Oxfam and the British Red Cross.

He has also been involved in a number of voluntary training roles, mainly for CASE (the Council for the Advancement and Support of Education), helping develop the skills of people new to the world of educational fundraising. For five years he was chair of CASE’s flagship fundraising institute in Europe, the Spring Institute in Educational Fundraising, and he now serves as a Trustee of CASE Europe.

Mark lives just outside Oxford and is joined outside of term-time by his son who is at boarding school in Oxford and daughter who is at university. Mark is a member of Full Council and chairs the Development Committee.

Mrs Gardner has a background in strategic level finance roles across the private, not-for-profit and charity sectors.  Her role before retirement was Director of Finance and Information for Response Organisation – the largest mental health charity in Oxfordshire.  Mrs Gardner has a strong interest in education and has always endorsed Headington’s approach which enabled her daughter (leaver 2003) to achieve not only high academic success but also to excel in music and sport, including as a key member of HSOBC. 

Penny became a School Governor in January 2023. Penny sits on the Finance and General Purposes Committee.

Kiki Glen is a highly experienced and practising counsellor, specialising in work with young people. She works in schools and at a private practice in Oxford. Kiki spent eleven happy years as a pupil at Headington and went on to study Economics and Geography at Edinburgh University. After graduating she worked for a large American investment bank in corporate finance, working with both UK corporates and in the oil and gas industry. During this time she was heavily involved in graduate recruitment and promoting the role of women in the City. After Kiki had her two children she retrained as a teacher and subsequently taught and lectured in London for a number of years. Upon returning to Oxford Kiki qualified as a Therapeutic Councillor with further specialisation in adolescents and younger people.

Kiki has been involved with Headington in a number of capacities. As a student, parent, teacher, a member of the Headingtonians committee, a parents’ rep, a member of the Centenary Committee and a member of the Development Committee.  Kiki’s daughters left Headington in 2018 and 2020.

Kiki is a member of Full Council, the Development Committee and the Headingtonians Committee.

After attending a state school comprehensive in Wiltshire, Sue read History and French at Magdalen College, Oxford, where she also completed a PGCE in French and German. She went on to work at a comprehensive school in Cambridgeshire before joining the Common Rooms at Marlborough College, Gresham’s School and The King’s School Worcester, where she was the first female Deputy Head. Sue was headmistress of Bolton School from 2011 to 2021, where she looked after the Nursery, Infants’ School, and the Girls’ Junior and Girls’ Senior Schools.

Sue was president of the GSA (Girls’ Schools Association) in 2019. She is a trustee of the Bolton Impact Trust, a governor of the University of Bolton, and Membership Director of the GSA.

Sue became a governor at Headington School in 2022. Sue is a member of Full Council and chairs the Education Committee.

Dr Kessel’s healthcare career spans over 2 decades focused on patient empowerment and creating patient centric solutions utilizing behavioural change principles and digital capabilities. A skilled and accomplished leader across geographies and cultures: from medical wards to founding a not-for-profit in Swaziland using behavioural change techniques with simple mobile phone technology to improve adherence among HIV infected patient, to running patient services in leading biopharmaceutical companies, including Abbvie and Gilead, to founding Evolve-Care a Health Coaching  organization harnessing the power of CBT and Motivational Interviewing to get better outcomes for patients with chronic disease, her passion for the patient has driven her career.  Dr Kessel credentials include: BA in Psychology, a medical degree and an honorary professorship in patient centric design

Olivia joined as a Governor in January 2023. Olivia sits on the Finance and General Purposes Committee.

Father Darren is the Vicar of St Andrew’s Headington, the School’s parish church. He was raised and educated in Northern Ireland and read English at the Queen’s University of Belfast, before reading Theology at Trinity College, Dublin and training for the ordained ministry of the Church of Ireland. He has served in parishes in the Republic of Ireland and Scotland, moving to his current parish in July 2011.

For the past five years Fr Darren has been one of the three Foundation Governors at St Andrew’s Church of England Primary School in Headington and was elected as Chair of Governors in July 2016. In the Diocese of Oxford he serves as a member of Diocesan Synod, of the Bishop’s Council, the Diocesan Board of Education and is Chair of the Diocesan Liturgy Committee.
He is also the Assistant Chaplain at Keble College.

Fr Darren became a Governor of Headington School in 2016. Fr Darren is a member of Full Council and the Governance & Nominations Committee.

Tom leads Allegro Capital, a venture capital and advisory firm focused on seed-stage investments in consumer-facing startups. He was formerly SVP of Strategic Initiatives at De Beers, where he led various blockchain and sustainability businesses. Previously, he led group strategy, finance, and corporate venturing at Adidas and spent almost a decade at The Walt Disney Company in various management roles in strategy, marketing and finance. Tom has been a Governor of Basildon Academies since 2021. Tom has an MBA from the University of Oxford.

Tom became a governor of Headington School in 2022.

Tom is a member of Full Council, the Finance and General Purposes Committee and is a Director of Headington School Services.

A musician by training, Mr Richard Nicholson was organ scholar at Lichfield Cathedral before being elected Organ Scholar at Pembroke College, Oxford.

Richard began his teaching career in west London, before moving to be Director of Music at St Catherine’s School, Bramley, beginning his long association with Girls Schools’ Association (GSA) schools. He subsequently joined the Senior Management Team at The Lady Eleanor Holles School in Hampton, Middlesex as Senior Teacher (Strategic Development), latterly becoming Deputy Head, before becoming Head at King’s High School, Warwick. Richard is currently Principal of the Warwick Independent Schools Foundation, one of the largest educational charities in the U.K., with over 2,800 pupils across five schools, ages 3-18.

Richard also plays an active role in the broader educational arena. He has been a Governor at a primary school in Hounslow and was invited to be the first representative from the independent schools sector to sit on the Richmond Local Safeguarding Children Board. He is currently the Chair of the Midland Division of GSA and is also a member of HMC. Richard has particular interests in the role of the Arts in education and in innovation in schools.

Richard became a governor of Headington School in June 2021. Richard is a member of Full Council, the Education Committee, and is the Safeguarding Governor.