New Head of Wells Cathedral School Announced

The Governing Body of Wells Cathedral School has announced that Mr Alastair Tighe will succeed Elizabeth Cairncross as Head of the School in September 2018.

Alastair, currently Deputy Head (Academic) at Bedford School, is a Cambridge graduate where he was Organ Scholar at Magdalene College. He also sang as a Lay Clerk at Truro Cathedral. The Chair of Governors, the Very Reverend Dr John Davies DL says: “From the first moment of meeting, my colleagues and I were hugely impressed by Alastair’s vision, energy, experience and rigour. His track record at Oundle, Eltham College and Bedford School, together with his clear interest in music and the whole curriculum, set alongside his strong academic ability, made him the outstanding candidate.”

The current Principal of Wells Cathedral School, Elizabeth Cairncross, adds: “I am very pleased indeed to be handing the leadership over to Alastair. His experience in a wide range of good schools, his musicianship and commitment to high standards in all round education, make him an ideal school leader. He understands that Wells is uniquely complex and has a vision for the future development and sustainability of this very special place. I look forward to working with him over the next eight months.”

Finally, some words from Alastair: “I am thrilled to be Wells Cathedral School’s new Head. It will be a privilege to play my part in the school’s long and distinguished history. I have been hugely impressed by the pride which pupils have in their school, and I look forward to sharing in their achievements, from world-class music making to superb sporting endeavour, from academic excellence to charitable concern.

The School’s ethos, providing opportunities for all and nurturing their talents and passions, chimes absolutely with my own philosophy. I look forward to working alongside the outstanding academic, music, pastoral and support staff, and leading a caring and creative school, which continues to draw on the spiritual and aesthetic life of the City and its great cathedral”.