Alex Tate

The governing council of St John’s School in Leatherhead, Surrey has appointed Alex Tate as the school’s 15^th head effective from August.

St John’s is a co-educational independent day and boarding school for pupils aged 11 to 18.

After studying modern history at Oxford University, Tate began his career in the shipping industry. He spent 11 years working in the UK and overseas, with placements in New York, Taiwan and Hong Kong with his final position as general manager for the business in China, based in Shanghai. In 2006, he decided to become a teacher and returned to Oxford to study for his PGCE.

He became head of politics at Dulwich College and ran a day and boarding house at Abingdon School. He later deputy head of St John’s School from 2014 to 2017, leaving to take up the headship of Bedford Modern School, a co-educational independent day school for pupils aged 7-18, which he has led for the past six years.

Tate is a keen sportsman who previously coached rugby, cricket and hockey. He has also travelled widely in the Arctic, including spending a winter in Northeast Greenland as part of a scientific expedition and participating in a race to the Magnetic North Pole raising £30,000 for charity.

Tate said: “I am delighted to be rejoining St John’s, which is already a special place for me and my family. I feel deeply privileged to be given the opportunity to lead a school with such a strong sense of community. I am looking forward to getting to know the pupils, staff and parents and reacquainting myself with those I already know. Going beyond impressive academic and co-curricular achievements, St John’s has an excellent reputation for developing emotionally intelligent, optimistic, resilient pupils, ready to thrive in today’s complex world. I am excited to build on this and develop its vision for the years ahead.”