Rydal Penrhos is delighted to announce that Year 12 pupils Ruby Merrick and Will Tavernor have been appointed Heads of School for the 2023/24 academic year.

To be one of Rydal Penrhos’ Heads of School is a dream for many of our children and young people. From the moment pupils first start life on the Senior site in Year 7, they look up to their Heads of School as role models that set the standard of what a Rydal Penrhos pupil should be. Several of our best and brightest pupils have held this position, many of whom have gone on to achieve amazing feats across a range of careers and industries.

Our school community can expect similarly great things from our new Heads of School, Ruby Merrick and Will Tavernor. The pair overcame a thorough application process to be awarded their new roles, which included taking part in multiple rounds of interviews, presentations, writing letters and being voted for by both staff and pupils within the school. There were many strong candidates and Rydal Penrhos is excited to see how Will and Ruby will go about leading an exceptionally strong Senior Prefect team.

This is a special moment for both pupils, who have been with the school for many years and held pupil leadership roles during their time in the Prep; Will was Head Boy, while Ruby was Deputy Head Girl.

Ruby joined Rydal Penrhos when she was only three years old. A true all-rounder, she has excelled in academic, sporting and extra-curricular pursuits throughout her time at Rydal Penrhos. Last year, Ruby achieved four A*s, five 9s and an A grade in her GCSE exams, effectively dropping only one grade across her entire set of GCSE subjects – a truly remarkable feat.

Away from the classroom, Ruby takes an active role in supporting younger pupils as a member of the school’s trained team of peer mentors. She has proven herself to be a fine sportsperson, regularly making important contributions to the first-team netball side, and has demonstrated real talent in the arena of dramatic performance, excelling in LAMDA examinations and taking a leading role in the recent Senior production of ‘Under Milk Wood’.

Will has similarly shown himself to be a gifted actor. A long-time Speech and Drama student, Will regularly secures impressive results during festivals and examinations, including a Distinction in his Grade 7 LAMDA qualification. On the sports field, he is a vital force in the success of our first-team sides in rugby, hockey, and cricket. In true Rydal Penrhos style, Will has also taken a keen interest in Eton Fives!

A sharp academic and entrepreneurial mind, Will possesses a prodigious interest in the world of business; something that Rydal Penrhos has tried to introduce to its pupils through its recent careers focused events, such as the Industry and Enterprise Day and ongoing Lunch With… series. In the classroom, Will is building upon his GCSE successes and Distinction in Engineering as he works diligently towards A-Levels in Business Studies, Geography and Design Technology.

Will and Ruby said: “We are delighted to be appointed as Heads of School, it is a real privilege and a unique opportunity. We look forward to working with the new Principal, Mr Hutchinson, and hope to bring new ideas as we put our own spin on the role.”

We are sure that fellow pupils, parents, alumni, and friends of the school will join us in congratulating our new Heads of School and wishing them well in their new roles.

Well done both!