Ann Massey

St Albans Education Group has appointed Ann Massey as the new head of STAHS Senior in Hertfordshire from April next year.

Massey will take up the position from acting head of STAHS Senior, Drew Thomson-Jones. The position of head of Senior became available following the formation of the St Albans Education Group and Amber Waite’s move from head of STAHS to principal of the Group.

Massey has a bachelor’s and master’s degree in modern history from St Anne’s College, Oxford and a master of education in leadership and management. She has been the deputy head pastoral at Eltham College in South London since 2017 and spent 16 years at James Allen’s Girls’ School as a teacher of history and politics, assistant head of section, SENCO, and head of lower school.

She is married to John, detective chief superintendent of Cambridgeshire Constabulary, and has two children: Isabel who is studying biomedical sciences at Cardiff University and Matthew who is reading French and Spanish at Exeter College, Oxford.

Massey said: “It is a great privilege to be able to lead a school with such a rich history and progressive philosophy of education. I am looking forward to getting to know students, staff, parents, governors and alumnae in the coming months and I am excited by what the future holds for the school community.’

Waite commented: ‘The governors and I were determined to appoint a visionary head of STAHS Senior who will build on the outstanding foundation that she inherits. Ann very clearly shares STAHS’s ethos and values and has a firm understanding of excellence in independent education. Her significant strategic and leadership experience in the sector set her apart in a highly competitive field of candidates, and I am confident that she will lead the school through the next exciting phase in our development with kindness and natural authority. Ann has lofty ambitions for the future of STAHS, and I look forward to working with her on making her vision a reality.’

Independent school sector recruitment firm RSAcademics advised on this appointment.