THE new headteacher at Wellington School has said he is “thrilled” to replace Eugene du Toit, who will be moving on after five years at the helm.

Alex Battison will take up the post in September having been senior deputy head at the prestigious Lord Wandsworth College in Hampshire since 2018

Mr Battison has extensive strategic development experience, as well as an impressive academic and pastoral leadership background.  

He has been responsible for the day-to-day running of Lord Wandsworth College, the co-curriculum, safeguarding, character education, student voice and pastoral care as well as playing a key role in crafting its strategic journey.  

Mr Battison said: “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”.

He is chair of Educational Futures as part of Harvard University’s Human Flourishing Programme, a Fellow of The Royal Society of Arts, and a Global Ambassador for Hundred, where he helps select the top 100 educational innovations in the world each year. Furthermore, as a Salzburg Global Fellow, he collaborated on material published for the United Nations Education Conference in New York, 2022.

Alex also consults for organisations such as The Premier League on the leadership and management of high performing learning environments and is an international speaker and writer on leadership, futures and education.

Alex has a BSc (Hons) and PGCE from the University of Wales, Cardiff, a Masters from Oxford University in Learning and Teaching and is currently working towards the latter stages of his Doctorate in Leadership, Learning and Policy at Bristol University which he will complete this Summer.

Prior to Lord Wandsworth, Alex led the teaching and learning as Assistant Head at Wells Cathedral School and previously as Director of Learning and Innovation, as well as Assistant Houseparent and Head of Sports Science at Hurstpierpoint College in Sussex.  He also has over 15 years experience in boarding houses.

Anna Govey, chair of governors at Wellington School, 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 will be taking up his position in September 2024 along with his wife Pippa (a teacher, previously a Housemistress at Hurstpierpoint and Wells Cathedral School) and they have three sons: Charlie, six, Freddie, four, and Jack, 2.

Eugene du Toit who will move to Haileybury School in September.