Please find below a letter from the Chairman of Governors at Benenden School regarding a successor to Samantha Price.
I am delighted to let you know that, following a thorough recruitment process, Governing Council has appointed Ms Rachel Bailey as the next Head of Benenden. She will take up her position from September 2024.
Rachel is an experienced educational leader in both the independent and state sectors, with a clear track record of delivering a holistic education centred on strong academics while building the confidence, resilience and self-esteem that are so necessary for life and work in the 21st Century.
Rachel is currently Head of Senior School at Royal Masonic School for Girls, having previously been its Senior Deputy Academic. Prior to that she was Assistant Head Teacher Academic and Head of Sixth Form at John Hampden Grammar School.
Rachel attended Badminton School for Girls and Haberdashers’ Monmouth School for Girls. She holds a BSc (Hons) in Economics from the University of York and completed her teacher training at the University of Warwick. Rachel is also an accomplished musician and music aficionado, and is passionate about equestrianism and reading.
When I wrote to you in June to announce Sam Price’s decision to leave Benenden, I said that Governing Council would be looking for an outstanding candidate with the experience and qualities which will be needed to lead Benenden successfully into its second century. We are confident we have delivered on this aim with our appointment of Rachel. As you would expect, this vacancy attracted a strong field of candidates and Rachel possesses the expertise and vision to build on Sam’s enormously successful decade as Head of Benenden.
Rachel has asked me to pass on the following message to the Benenden community:
“I am delighted and honoured to have been appointed to lead such a wonderful school as Benenden as it moves into its second century at the forefront of girls’ education in this country and, increasingly, internationally. I am very much looking forward to getting to know the girls and the entire Benenden community over the coming months.
“Benenden is clearly a remarkable school and I am excited about working with such an outstanding staff body to continue to build on Sam Price’s success.”
Rachel will be visiting the School informally throughout the next two terms and will be working closely with Sam and the Senior Leadership Team to ensure a smooth transition.
I would like to take this opportunity to thank Sam for her steadfast support during the process to appoint her successor. Sam has been as keen as Governing Council that she should eventually hand over to an exceptional candidate to continue the Benenden legacy.
This is exciting news for the future of the School but for now it is very much a case of business as usual at Benenden. There is an enormous amount ahead of us in the coming months, not least the remaining events to mark the School’s Centenary.
Anna Birkett
Chairman, Governing Council