A NEW headteacher has been appointed at Wellington School.

Alex Battison will replace Eugene du Toit, who will be moving to Haileybury School in September 2024 after five years leading the school.

Alex has a wide range of experience in the field, having worked as senior deputy head at Lord Wandsworth College in Hampshire in 2018 and working as the Chair of Educational Futures as part of Harvard University’s Human Flourishing Programme.

He is also a Fellow of The Royal Society of Arts and a Global Ambassador for HundrED.

In 2022, he collaborated on material published for the United Nations Education Conference in New York.

On top of this, Alex also consults for organisations such as The Premier League on the leadership and management of high performing learning environments.

Before working at Lord Wandsworth, Alex acted as assistant head at Wells Cathedral School and previously as Director of Learning and Innovation.

He has over 15 years of experience in boarding houses, including his time working as assistant houseparent and head of Sports Science at Hurstpierpoint College in Sussex.

Alex has a range of qualifications, including a BSc (Hons) and PGCE from the University of Wales, Cardiff, and a Masters from Oxford University in Learning and Teaching.

He is currently working towards the latter stages of his Doctorate in Leadership, Learning and Policy at Bristol University.

Anna Govey, Chair of Governors, said: “I am confident that we have found an outstanding leader with exceptional experience, breadth of knowledge and an impressive academic pedigree who will take Wellington School successfully into the future.

"Alex showed an immediate affinity with our culture and ethos as well as enormous energy and passion for the possibilities that being part of the Wellington community will offer him.

“Alex impressed us with his warmth and integrity and his vision for education closely allies with Wellington’s ethos of collaborative learning with a focus on future skills.

"In particular, his values resonate with the kindness and sense of community that are so much a part of our culture."

Alex added: “I am thrilled to have been entrusted to help lead such a wonderful community in the next stage of its journey and build on the many successes and achievements in recent years. 

"I am particularly looking forward to getting to know students, staff, parents and alumni over the months ahead, and collaborate to further inspire the remarkable education that goes on here. 

"My family and I are also very much looking forward to returning to the South West and settling in this summer”.