WINCHESTER College has appointed its first female head in the history of the college - and it will be letting girls join its sixth form.

Winchester College announced that Ms Elizabeth Stone will take over from Dr Tim Hands as head of Winchester College from September 2023.

Ms Stone has served as principal of Queenwood School, Sydney, an independent girls’ school for the past eight years.

Previously, the newly appointed head has worked as vice principal of Cheltenham Ladies College from 2012-14 and before that a maths teacher and undermaster at Winchester.

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Ms Stone said: “I am delighted to be re-joining Winchester College, which is already a special place for me and my family and feel deeply honoured to be invited to lead a school with such a proud history and contemporary outlook.”

Ms Stone will be the first female head of the prestigious college, founded in 1382 by William of Wykeham.

Parents and guardians of Winchester College students received a letter on Tuesday, July 19 informing them of the new appointment.

The letter addressed from the Winchester College warden said: “The governing body was unanimous in judging that Ms Stone was the outstanding candidate in a remarkably strong field.

“We are fortunate that Ms Stone and her husband, Rob, have decided to leave a happy and successful life in Sydney in order to come back to Winchester. I much look forward to welcoming them here next summer.”

Sir Richard Stagg, warden of Winchester College said: “We are very fortunate to have appointed such an outstanding candidate.

"Throughout the competitive recruitment process, we were impressed by Elizabeth’s breadth of experience and by her values and vision.

"They are aligned closely with our own, as we continue to increase access to the school through an expansion of the bursary programme and the admission of girls in the Sixth Form."

Hampshire Chronicle: Ms Elizabeth Stone. Credit: Winchester College

Winchester College currently provides education and independent boarding for boys aged 13-18 and a co-education Sixth Form with day places for boys and girls.

One of its most famous alumni is current Prime Minister contender Rishi Sunak.

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The new female head was educated at Ascham School before achieving undergraduate degrees from the University of New South Wales, where she studied Maths, German and Law.

Ms Stone then went on to study as a Rhodes Scholar at Oxford University and complete a master’s degree at University College.

Ms Stone will succeed Dr Hands in September 2023, after seven years as the independent boarding school and sixth form’s headmaster.

 

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