The Governors of the Royal Hospital School, Suffolk, are delighted to announce the appointment of Mr Simon Lockyer as Headmaster with effect from January 2016.
Simon is currently Second Master at the high-performing Portsmouth Grammar School where he has been in post for the past six years. PGS is highly regarded for its pastoral care, academic excellence and the breadth of opportunity in its co-curricular provision. It is one of the UK’s most successful co-educational day schools for over 1500 pupils aged 2½ to 18 years. Previously, Simon held posts as Housemaster and Head of Department at Wellington College, Berkshire, under the visionary leadership of Anthony Seldon. During his ten years at Wellington College, Simon was part of an exceptional process of transformation as Wellington College became one of the world’s top co-educational independent schools. He has had a distinguished career in teaching, pastoral care and educational leadership.
On announcement of his appointment, Mr Lockyer said:
“It is a great privilege to have been appointed as the next Headmaster of the Royal Hospital School. I look forward to working with the School’s experienced and forward-thinking management team to build upon the School’s remarkable achievements to date. Following on from the excellent work of James Lockwood, I will continue to support the emphasis placed on the traditional values of loyalty, integrity and service and will reinforce the need to promote high aspiration amongst our young people with a focus on excellence in teaching and learning. Abigail and I are looking forward to the prospect of working with and getting to know the whole RHS community”
The Royal Hospital School is rated Excellent in all areas
The Royal Hospital School has been rated excellent in all areas in its most recent ISI report. The school was visited by the Independent Schools Inspectorate (ISI). 10 experienced inspectors, each with his or her own areas of expertise, conducted an in-depth inspection over four days involving the observation of around 100 lessons and co-curricular activities, interviews with staff, pupils and governors and visits to the Houses and pastoral aspects of school life.
When describing the characteristics of the School, the inspection report summarised as follows:
“The School has clear aspirations for its pupils. It seeks to promote the attributes of inspiration, challenge and leadership in its pupils. Pupils are encouraged to strive for academic excellence and to endorse the values of service, loyalty and commitments whilst upholding the School’s unique and rich heritage. The School encourages leadership and a sense of adventure and self-discovery. A high priority is the promotion of service both within the School and to the wider community. The School aims to foster creativity and imagination within a civilised, caring, Christian community, based on high standards of behaviour, mutual respect, trust and courtesy between staff and pupils. The School cultivates a global outlook and sense of environmental responsibility. It aims to encourage pupils to develop fitness, wellbeing and enter into healthy competition.”
Nine ratings were given in the full report and the Royal Hospital School received the top – excellent – rating in all areas.
- The quality of the pupils’ achievements and learning is EXCELLENT
2. The contribution of curricular and extra-curricular provisions is EXCELLENT
3. The contribution of teaching is EXCELLENT
4. The spiritual, moral, social and cultural development of the pupils is EXCELLENT
5. The contribution of arrangements for pastoral care is EXCELLENT
6. The contribution of arrangements for welfare, health and safety is EXCELLENT
7. The quality of boarding is EXCELLENT
8. The quality of governance is EXCELLENT
9. The quality of leadership and management, including links with parents, is EXCELLENT
The success of the School was highlighted and the main findings confirm that “the pupils’ achievement and learning are excellent, in response to an excellent curricular and extra-curricular provision” and that the School is “highly successful in achieving its aims in providing an academic and extra-curricular programme to encourage pupils to reach their full potential”.