It has been announced that Mr John Davies, Senior Deputy Head and Vice Principal at Kingswood, has been appointed as the next Head of Dauntsey’s School in Wiltshire. He will therefore be leaving Kingswood at the end of the academic year to take up this role.

Since joining Kingswood, first as Deputy Head Academic and latterly as Senior Deputy Head and Vice Principal, Mr Davies has made an outstanding contribution across many areas of Kingswood School life, including guiding the senior school to a double excellent grading in the ISI inspection in the 2022/23 academic year. Mr Davies joined Kingswood from Abingdon School in September 2017 where he was Director of Teaching and Learning.

Mr Andrew Gordon-Brown, Headmaster and Principal of the Kingswood Foundation, said: “I offer my huge congratulations to John on his appointment to Dauntsey’s. This is richly deserved following seven years of exemplary service to Kingswood. John has been a first-rate Senior Deputy and Vice Principal, is an inspirational teacher and leader, and our loss is very much Dauntsey’s gain.”

Mr Davies commented on this exciting time for him and his family: “Whilst I am hugely excited to take up my new position as Head of Dauntsey’s, I am also sad to be leaving the Kingswood community, which has been my home and family for the last seven years.

“I am grateful to all the parents, pupils and staff who have made my time at Kingswood so joyful and enriching. I am thankful, too, for the faith placed in me by both Simon Morris and Andrew Gordon-Brown, and the support of the Governors. I have learned so much from them all during my time here and will always be thankful for their influence on my leadership journey, and my life. I look forward to following the further success of Kingswood in the future, and meeting former pupils, parents, colleagues and friends on the touch line next year.”

Mr Gordon-Brown continued: “John’s are big shoes to fill but I anticipate a very strong field as we set about finding a worthy successor, with recruitment beginning this term. Our school is in fine health with a wonderful ethos, talented and dedicated staff, and pupils who achieve amazing things; this will be an excellent opportunity for an experienced leader to join our strong team.”