New Head announced for Eagle House School

Joining from Swanbourne House School, Buckinghamshire, Mrs Jane Jones will commence her appointment at Eagle House School in January 2023.

Jane consistently excelled throughout a comprehensive and robust recruitment process and was the unanimous choice of the final interview panel, which consisted of seven members of the Eagle House Council and two representatives from Wellington College.

Jane was an England U18 hockey trialist, before reading law at Cambridge University, where she also played Rugby Union for the Women’s Blues team and rowed for her College. Having spent the first half of her career as a very successful Barrister and, later, a District Judge in the Family Courts, Jane then moved into the education sector and, for the past four years, has been Head of Swanbourne House prep school in Buckinghamshire, a 4-13 coeducational day and boarding school where she has established herself very quickly as one of the leading prep school leaders in the UK. As well as steering the school through the pandemic with great success, Jane introduced the Pre Senior Baccalaureate to replace Common Entrance and was the driving force behind the creation of the Stowe Group, incorporating both Swanbourne House and Winchester House prep schools into the Stowe School charitable trust.

Martin Rickards, Chair of Governors, Eagle House School commented: "Her vision, drive, and forward-thinking approach to what a modern, child-centred educational offering should look like in 2022 and beyond ensured that Jane was the stand-out candidate in a large and very strong field. We have no doubt whatsoever that, under Jane’s leadership, the next chapter in Eagle House’s illustrious history will be as exciting as it is successful."

Reflecting on her appointment, Jane writes: “I am thrilled and honoured to be appointed as the next Head of Eagle House Prep School. Eagle House has felt like the perfect fit for my second Headship throughout the thorough, appropriately challenging and highly enjoyable recruitment process. I am very much looking forward to spending more time getting to know the school and its community of pupils, parents, colleagues and governors over the coming months before taking up my post in January 2023. Eagle House is clearly a good and very special school and together we have a great deal of potential to be even better. The school is also most fortunate to have its partnership with the mightily impressive Wellington College, from which we will be looking to build stronger relationships and create further opportunities for our pupils.

“I am very excited to have the opportunity to work with the Eagle House and Wellington College teams to lead and serve Eagle House through its next successful chapter of educating, supporting and inspiring our wonderfully diverse cohorts of day and boarding children from age 3 to 13 to be the best and most fulfilled that they can be, with us and in their future lives.”

Jane brings with her to Sandhurst her husband, Mark, a horticulturist, strength and fitness trainer and former international middle and long distance triathlete, and two of her three children, Connie (Year 10) and Alex (Year 2). Her eldest daughter, Lydia, will remain in Lincolnshire where she is in the Sixth Form at school and trains as a recently selected member of the GB Pony Eventing Team.

Andrew Barnard will departure in December after giving 17 years of remarkable service and leadership to the Eagle House Community.