KEY CONTACTS

Louise Higson Headmistress	I am passionate about education. My career has been devoted to teaching and leading in schools in the UK and abroad - Calday Grange Grammar School for Boys in West Kirby, The Sir James Henderson British School of Milan and Croydon High School for Girls. I have overall responsibility for the strategic leadership of Farlington School. I aim to create and share a vision which expresses the core values of the School: Individuality, Opportunity and Community. I am committed to providing a creative, inclusive and purposeful learning environment which challenges every student to embrace challenges, seize opportunities and achieve their full potential. headmistress@farlingtonschool.com
Mandy Higgs Assistant Head (Senior School and Boarding)	Following a degree in Education and Maths at Cambridge, I started my teaching career as the music specialist in a county junior school in Cambridgeshire. I then moved to Windlesham House, an all-boarding coed prep school in Sussex where I was a residential houseparent for many years. Consequently, I line manage the Boarding and Medical Centre teams at Farlington. Fourteen years after leaving Farlington as a pupil, I returned as Head of the Lower School, teaching Maths. I now have overall responsibility for the timetable, day-to-day logistics and staff wellbeing. mhh@farlingtonschool.com
Alison Binns Assistant Head	I have held a variety of roles during my teaching career at Farlington. I am currently Assistant Head, Head of Sixth Form and oversee the Maths department. I enjoy working with the students, making sure they reach their potential whether that is in the classroom or pastorally, supporting individual students through the UCAS process. I work with an amazing team of Sixth Form tutors to ensure every student receives the support they need during this important stage of their academic journey, from choosing A Level subjects, to providing the skills and self-knowledge they will need when they leave Farlington. I also work with the Heads of Year across the Senior School to ensure all of the pupils are given the pastoral support as required. Lifeskills (PSHE) plays a very important part of the curriculum and we work hard to provide a structured and balanced programme of talks and discussion-based lessons to cover topics including careers, health, wellbeing and resilience and sex education.
Sara Povey Assistant Head (Prep School)	It is my firm belief that children must be happy at school in order to gain confidence and progress with their learning; this has been my personal ethos throughout my long teaching career. My first post was at Dulwich College Prep School, a large co-ed school where I was a Housemistress and French teacher. This was followed by a move to The City of London Freemen’s School where I was a Head of House teaching maths, French and running the Junior ICT department. I joined Farlington as Prep School Deputy Head and I am now an Assistant Head with responsibility for leading the Prep School. I am also an Inspector with the Independent Schools Inspectorate. Working as a member of the DFE Teachers’ Panel for SATs developed my interest in primary maths teaching. I lead a talented team of teachers in the Prep School who work tirelessly to ensure that their pupils are happy at school and help them to make excellent progress in all their subjects, equipping them with the skills they will need in their school career. sp@farlingtonschool.com
David Walker-Smith Head of Curriculm	I joined Farlington from a management background in civil aviation, including service development, training, customer relations and internal communications. I am a member of the Chartered Institute of Linguists and am passionate about languages and their real-world application. I have overall responsibility for the quality of the Senior School curriculum and teacher delivery to ensure that it inspires our students. I also lead Professional Development and line manage IT staff and strategy, in addition to those in the Faculty of Languages. dws@farlingtonschool.com
Alan Maude Head of Assessment and Reporting	alm@farlingtonschool.com
Jo Robinson Director of Finance and Operations	Following a 20 year career as a Fund Manager and Banker in the City of London, I joined Farlington in September 2017. I oversee Operations, Finance, PR and Marketing, I am a member of SLT and I am responsible for the 33 acre Estate. I have three children in both the Senior and Prep schools at Farlington and they all love it here. I am also Clerk to the Governors of Farlington School Trust Limited. jr@farlingtonschool.com
Sara Whittaker Head Creative & Expressive Arts	I joined Farlington having taught in the private sector for a number of years since qualifying. I have overall responsibility for Physical Education in the Prep and Senior Schools which encompasses Riding. I am passionate about delivering a curriculum which inspires lifelong participation for all. We aim to ensure that our more talented students perform at the highest level whether that is in or out of school. sjw@farlingtonschool.com
Caroline Newell Head of Faculty	I joined Farlington in April 2016 after almost eleven years in the state sector and haven’t looked back! Starting as a classroom teacher of History and Religion, Philosophy and Ethics, I progressed to Head of RPE and have recently been appointed as the Head of Faculty of Social Sciences. Teaching at Farlington is always a pleasure and I feel very fortunate to lead a wonderful team of Social Scientists who are equally passionate about their subjects. I am currently in my final year studying for a Masters’ in History with the University of Edinburgh, and you may also see me playing in my clarinet in Slinfold Concert Band, or of course, in Farlington concerts. cn@farlingtonschool.com
Claudine Maude Head of Sixth Form	cm@farlingtonschool.com
Dan Cronin Deputy Head of Sixth Form	dc@farlingtonschool.com
Penny Hart Head of Years 10 & 11	phh@farlingtonschool.com
Sarah-Jane Gilbert Head of Years 8 & 9	sjg@farlingtonschool.com
Kathryn Purcell Head of Year 7	kp@farlingtonschool.com
Louise Mursell Head of Admissions	admissions@farlingtonschool.com
Camilla Gibson Finance Manager	finance@farlingtonschool.com

Louise Higson

Headmistress

I am passionate about education. My career has been devoted to teaching and leading in schools in the UK and abroad - Calday Grange Grammar School for Boys in West Kirby, The Sir James Henderson British School of Milan and Croydon High School for Girls. I have overall responsibility for the strategic leadership of Farlington School. I aim to create and share a vision which expresses the core values of the School: Individuality, Opportunity and Community. I am committed to providing a creative, inclusive and purposeful learning environment which challenges every student to embrace challenges, seize opportunities and achieve their full potential.

headmistress@farlingtonschool.com

Mandy Higgs

Assistant Head (Senior School and Boarding)

Following a degree in Education and Maths at Cambridge, I started my teaching career as the music specialist in a county junior school in Cambridgeshire. I then moved to Windlesham House, an all-boarding coed prep school in Sussex where I was a residential houseparent for many years. Consequently, I line manage the Boarding and Medical Centre teams at Farlington. Fourteen years after leaving Farlington as a pupil, I returned as Head of the Lower School, teaching Maths. I now have overall responsibility for the timetable, day-to-day logistics and staff wellbeing.

mhh@farlingtonschool.com

Alison Binns

Assistant Head

I have held a variety of roles during my teaching career at Farlington. I am currently Assistant Head, Head of Sixth Form and oversee the Maths department. I enjoy working with the students, making sure they reach their potential whether that is in the classroom or pastorally, supporting individual students through the UCAS process. I work with an amazing team of Sixth Form tutors to ensure every student receives the support they need during this important stage of their academic journey, from choosing A Level subjects, to providing the skills and self-knowledge they will need when they leave Farlington.

I also work with the Heads of Year across the Senior School to ensure all of the pupils are given the pastoral support as required. Lifeskills (PSHE) plays a very important part of the curriculum and we work hard to provide a structured and balanced programme of talks and discussion-based lessons to cover topics including careers, health, wellbeing and resilience and sex education.

Sara Povey

Assistant Head (Prep School)

It is my firm belief that children must be happy at school in order to gain confidence and progress with their learning; this has been my personal ethos throughout my long teaching career.

My first post was at Dulwich College Prep School, a large co-ed school where I was a Housemistress and French teacher. This was followed by a move to The City of London Freemen’s School where I was a Head of House teaching maths, French and running the Junior ICT department. I joined Farlington as Prep School Deputy Head and I am now an Assistant Head with responsibility for leading the Prep School. I am also an Inspector with the Independent Schools Inspectorate. Working as a member of the DFE Teachers’ Panel for SATs developed my interest in primary maths teaching. I lead a talented team of teachers in the Prep School who work tirelessly to ensure that their pupils are happy at school and help them to make excellent progress in all their subjects, equipping them with the skills they will need in their school career.

sp@farlingtonschool.com

David Walker-Smith

Head of Curriculm

I joined Farlington from a management background in civil aviation, including service development, training, customer relations and internal communications. I am a member of the Chartered Institute of Linguists and am passionate about languages and their real-world application.

I have overall responsibility for the quality of the Senior School curriculum and teacher delivery to ensure that it inspires our students. I also lead Professional Development and line manage IT staff and strategy, in addition to those in the Faculty of Languages.

dws@farlingtonschool.com

Alan Maude

Head of Assessment and Reporting

alm@farlingtonschool.com

Jo robinson

Jo Robinson

Director of Finance and Operations

Following a 20 year career as a Fund Manager and Banker in the City of London, I joined Farlington in September 2017. I oversee Operations, Finance, PR and Marketing, I am a member of SLT and I am responsible for the 33 acre Estate. I have three children in both the Senior and Prep schools at Farlington and they all love it here. I am also Clerk to the Governors of Farlington School Trust Limited.

jr@farlingtonschool.com

Sara Whittaker

Head Creative & Expressive Arts

I joined Farlington having taught in the private sector for a number of years since qualifying. I have overall responsibility for Physical Education in the Prep and Senior Schools which encompasses Riding. I am passionate about delivering a curriculum which inspires lifelong participation for all. We aim to ensure that our more talented students perform at the highest level whether that is in or out of school.

sjw@farlingtonschool.com

Caroline Newell

Head of Faculty

I joined Farlington in April 2016 after almost eleven years in the state sector and haven’t looked back! Starting as a classroom teacher of History and Religion, Philosophy and Ethics, I progressed to Head of RPE and have recently been appointed as the Head of Faculty of Social Sciences. Teaching at Farlington is always a pleasure and I feel very fortunate to lead a wonderful team of Social Scientists who are equally passionate about their subjects. I am currently in my final year studying for a Masters’ in History with the University of Edinburgh, and you may also see me playing in my clarinet in Slinfold Concert Band, or of course, in Farlington concerts.

cn@farlingtonschool.com