Irena Barker
Our digital editor Irena Barker is a freelance journalist with more than 20 years’ experience writing and editing news and features. For ten years she was a reporter then deputy news editor at The Times Educational Supplement (Tes) where she developed her specialism in UK and international education. She enjoys interviewing education leaders, finding out what really makes them tick. She will usually also ask them about their dogs.
David Moncrieff
David has worked on numerous educational projects in recent years in association with many of the UK’s leading independent schools, universities and professional organisations. He has collaborated with the Independent Schools Council, The Boarding Schools’ Association and the Council of British International Schools. He previously worked as director of marketing and development at Mayfield School, a Catholic girls’ boarding school in East Sussex.
Ann Mroz
Ann Mroz was editor of Tes (formerly The Times Educational Supplement) for seven years and editor of Times Higher Education for four years. She is on the education advisory group of the Sutton Trust, the advisory board of the Education Endowment Foundation and the advisory board of the Education Policy Institute. She received an MBE for services to education in the New Year Honours 2021.
Dr Helen Wright
Dr Helen Wright is an internationally recognised educationalist who until very recently led top UK independent schools. In her two decades in UK independent education, she spent 12 years as an energetic headmistress of UK girls’ schools. During this time Helen was recognised in her appointment as president of the Girls’ Schools Association and as vice chair of the Independent Schools Council.
Andrew Lewer
Andrew Lewer MBE is the former Member of Parliament for Northampton South. He was first elected to Westminster in June 2017. Andrew was a member of the Education Select Committee and chaired the All-Party Parliamentary Group for Independent Education. He attends the Boarding Schools Association Executive.
Alex Russell
Alex has led Bourne Education Trust since its inception in 2012 having previously been headteacher of two secondary schools. The trust consists of 26 schools across primary, secondary and special phases in Hampshire, Surrey and the London Boroughs of Richmond and Sutton. He was awarded an OBE in the Queen’s Birthday Honours in July 2021 for services to education.
Andrew Thraves
With a distinguished background in educational publishing, Andrew Thraves is now the chair of academy trust Big Education and a non-executive director of Academies Enterprise Trust and The Confederation of School Trusts. He is also chair of the charity Yes Futures, which works to boost young people’s resilience, confidence, mental health and wellbeing.
Nick Gallop
Nick Gallop has been headmaster of Brighton College Bangkok since 2022. Prior to this post he was headmaster of Stamford School in the UK. He has taught and led top UK schools for 25 years. He is editor of Politics Review and author of Hodder Education’s UK Politics Annual Update.
Ian Hunt
Ian sits on a number of boards in the UK and the Middle East. He became chairman of the board of governors at Haileybury Almaty and Astana in 2017.
Colin Bell
Colin has been COBIS CEO since 2010. Alongside a talented executive team and board, he works with and supports students, teachers, leaders, support staff and governors from high quality British international schools in more than 80 countries worldwide.
Louise Bennett
Louise Bennett is Joint CEO of the Institute of Development Professionals for Education (IDPE).
Tory Gillingham
Tory has been the AMCIS CEO for 16 years and had previously worked as marketing and development director at two independent schools in the north of England.
Richard Harman
Richard is CEO of AGBIS. He was previously headmaster of Aldenham and subsequently Uppingham. Richard is a past chairman of the BSA and of HMC.
Robin Fletcher
Robin Fletcher is CEO of BSA Group, comprising the British Association of Independent Schools with International Students (BAISIS) and The Boarding Schools’ Association (BSA). BSA Group’s mission is to support excellence in boarding, safeguarding, inclusion and health education. BSA Group delivers services for more than 1,000 organisations and individuals in 39 countries worldwide.
