Building on Success Welcome to this, the latest edition of ‘Flourish’. 2017 closed with the College community bidding a very fond farewell to Alex Peterken as he moved on to take up the Headship of Charterhouse in Surrey. Working closely with the College Council, Dr Peterken has provided the vision and leadership that has helped College firmly re‑establish itself as one of the leading co-educational boarding schools in the UK and internationally. We owe him a very considerable debt of gratitude. We have been delighted to appoint Mrs Nicola Huggett, currently the very successful Head of Blundell’s School in Devon, to lead College through the next phase of its development, building on the excellent work and strong foundations laid by Dr Peterken. Mrs Huggett joins us in September; in the meantime the leadership of College is in the very capable hands of Acting Head, Crispin Dawson. Next September will also see Tom O’Sullivan join us from Old Buckenham Hall, as Head of the Prep, when Jon Whybrow retires following five very successful years at the helm. Jon’s Headship has seen the Prep develop and improve in so many ways and he leaves the school in very good heart.
In a number of other ways 2017 has been a transformational year for College with the purchase of a new Girls’ Boarding House, College Lawn, and big changes to our catering facilities at the Senior school. We have also made important improvements to our existing boarding facilities, with more to come this year. We are immensely grateful for the generous support received from Parents, Old Cheltonians and Friends of College that has enabled these and the other projects completed during the year, some of which you can read about over the next few pages. The continuity of approach that I referred to in my introduction to ‘Flourish’ 12-months ago, remains steadfast. The twin foundation stones of further raising academic standards alongside a full and varied co-curricular programme, and at the same time running the business of College efficiently, remain firmly in place. During a prolonged period of economic uncertainty College has not only continued to thrive but has also succeeded in expanding and moving forward. Sustaining this momentum is vital and your support of College is genuinely important to our mission of securing the future for this great school. We remain grateful, as always, for all gifts to College and along with my Council colleagues I shall look forward to seeing many of you in 2018.
William Straker-Nesbit President of Cheltenham College Council