Nearly one year into his role as head of one of Worcestershire's most prestigious independent schools, Dr Gareth Lloyd is creating a culture of 'can do' at Malvern St James Girls' School — from cultivating an academic environment that encourages altruism, to helping girls develop the confidence to stand out in a competitive world.
SoGlos finds out all about his successes and aspirations for the school — which is an increasingly popular choice among Gloucestershire families — as the first ever male head at this historic all-girls' institution.
Congratulations on a successful start to your headship at Malvern St James! Can you tell us about your career so far, and what attracted you to the position?
Thank you very much! I am absolutely loving headship at MSJ.
I am working with amazing teachers and operational staff, and with truly
wonderful girls. Parents and governors are incredibly supportive, and of course
it is a beautiful location.
My ten happiest years were as director of music and housemaster in an all-girls’ school, and so it feels very special to return to such an environment. Having been head of five schools, including overseas, as well as having inspected schools in the UK and abroad for two decades, I can truly say that any self-respecting parent of a daughter would be thrilled to embrace the educational experience that MSJ offers.
How do you feel about being the first male head in the school's history?
Humbled, excited, and a significant weight of responsibility!
Funnily enough, during my interview a fifteen-year-old girl asked me: 'why should an all-girls’ school appoint a male head?' I thanked her for her courage and honesty. I said that experience and an alignment of values should be the key drivers in a successful appointment, and that gender should not be a factor — but acknowledged that for many girls and women, this is still sadly the case.
I promised the girls at my first assembly that I would be wholeheartedly committed to providing opportunities which give them the confidence to demonstrate their competencies in a competitive world, and to prove their worth every single time, carrying the values of MSJ with them.
How do you see your leadership style contributing to the overall academic and personal development of the students at Malvern St James?
I am a passionate, energetic and enthusiastic person by nature, and I am extremely competitive! I want to see our girls achieve their academic best, and arguably more important, to be their best.
This means leading my teaching staff in delivering inspirational lessons and creating an environment that nurtures happiness, kindness, confidence, courage and compassion, not least because all the evidence demonstrates that girls do indeed achieve their best in an all-girls’ school, and out-perform both boys and girls in other settings.
What were your primary objectives when you first stepped into the role, and how do you feel you have progressed towards achieving them so far?
I wanted to nurture an environment of 'can do', with teaching and learning made fun and memorable, with engagement in extra-curricular activities to develop essential life-skills, and a school that buzzes with energy.
I would give myself eight out of 10, with room for improvement. Watch this space!
What measures are you taking to support the mental health and wellbeing of your staff and students?
I take the wellbeing of my staff and students incredibly seriously. There are many layers of support for positive mental health available to the entire school community, which on occasion may also extend to parents as well as former pupils.
Support ranges from light-touch, ongoing mentoring to higher levels of intervention and counselling. This incorporates external professional bodies, as and when appropriate. At MSJ, happiness is key to everything: happy pupils and staff will engage productively and make sustained progress both academically and socially.
Have you identified any key areas for growth within the school?
Absolutely. Girls undoubtedly achieve their best within an all-girls’ school. We celebrate every girl’s achievement, no matter how small or big and I am deeply committed to an academic environment that prepares our pupils to have a positive impact on the lives of others, both now and in the future.
This year, we've introduced our new MSJ Sixth Form Diploma in Global Competencies, giving our girls valuable preparation for university, but more importantly, skills and confidence for life after MSJ so that they may lead fulfilled and rewarding lives and careers.
Our recent membership of Round Square also enables our girls to engage with girls and boys from around the world, within a group of approximately 300 schools which focus on sustainability and environmental issues, ethical practices and deep academic learning and sharing. Our longer-term aim is to create an exceptionally vibrant community of 450 girls, 200 of whom are UK and international boarding pupils.
Looking ahead to the next academic year and beyond, what are your aspirations for the school as you continue to lead and shape its direction?
Our academic focus this year is on enhancing pupils' ability and confidence in learning at every stage, to develop individual confidence and competence in all areas. We recognise that this will be enhanced by AI opportunities which will champion the independent thinking we value in our pupils.
We encourage the girls to always question the purpose of an activity, whether in the classroom or outside, so that they can understand the relevance of academic rigour and the development of personal qualities with a view to making a better world. Ultimately the most successful pupils will be those who have learned how to learn.
