Bishop’s Stortford College announces appointment of new Head of College

Bishop’s Stortford College appoints new Head, John Maguire, from September 2024.

Bishop’s Stortford College is delighted to announce the successful appointment of John Maguire as the new Head of Bishop’s Stortford College from September 2024. He will become the 11th Head of the College, following Kathy Crewe-Read’s decision to take a position in Italy at the end of this academic year.

John was selected from a strong field of candidates from around the world, a testament to the strength of the College’s reputation. Locally educated at Heath Mount and Felsted School, John graduated in Geography and Geology, before commencing a successful career in teaching and leadership at a number of schools in the UK. John joins the College from the British School of Bahrain where he has been Executive Headmaster since 2019.

A co-educational school of 2900 students for children aged 3-18, The British School of Bahrain is renowned as the leading school within the Kingdom of Bahrain, combining academic excellence with a holistic education, developing students’ talents in sport, and performing arts. Under John’s leadership, the school has consecutively achieved the best academic results in the country as well as being awarded a host of international awards for student wellbeing, environmental initiatives, and community engagement, including a Daily Telegraph’s Independent Schools of the Year Award in 2023. John is also a trained ISI inspector and is currently a Lead Inspector for the British Schools Overseas Inspectorate. He has previously been a governor of a school in St Albans and regularly speaks at conferences worldwide.

Bishop’s Stortford College has remained a constant in John’s life, having played sports against the College as a student. John and his family are looking forward to returning to the UK, and his two daughters will be joining the College in September.

Chair of Bishop’s Stortford College Governing Council Guy Baker, said, “We are delighted to announce John Maguire’s appointment and look forward to him leading the College through the next stages of its strategy, to the benefit of all pupils. John has significant experience as a Head and we are confident that under his leadership, the College will go from strength to strength.”

John commented, “I am absolutely delighted to be joining Bishop’s Stortford College in August. The school is renowned for having a welcoming, inclusive, and happy community, and I look forward to getting to know each child and their family over the first year. Having known the College for years, I was immediately attracted to the role and am looking forward to leading the school over the next decade. The College’s excellence in academic, sports and performing arts align closely with my belief in what makes an outstanding school. My entire family are very much looking forward to joining the Bishop’s Stortford College community in August.”