King Edward’s School has today announced the appointment of Dr Mark Fenton as Chief Master from September 2016.
Dr Fenton will succeed John Claughton as Chief Master of King Edward’s School, Birmingham, one of the top independent boys’ schools in the country, who will retire in August 2016 after 10 years’ service.
Dr Fenton, aged 49, has been Headmaster of Dr Challoner’s Grammar School, a leading state grammar school in Buckinghamshire, since 2001. Dr Challoner’s was graded as ‘outstanding in every category’ at its last inspection and was subsequently granted an ‘Exceptional Schools Award’.
Educated at Brentwood School, Dr Fenton is a graduate from Peterhouse, Cambridge with First Class Honours in History and has since been awarded a PhD in Education Management. He was Chairman of the Grammar School Heads’ Association in 2012-13 and is also Chairman of the Buckinghamshire Schools Cricket Association, as well as an English Cricket Board coach and umpire.
Dr Fenton will also hold the role of Headmaster of the King Edward’s Foundation, representing all of its eight schools on the main Board, with particular responsibility for the development of educational policy.
Following a rigorous selection process by the Governors of the School, Tim Clarke, Chairman of the Governors, said: “In an outstanding field, Mark’s candidature stood out for his qualities of proven leadership and academic distinction, combined with his belief in the School’s fundamental commitment to being accessible to all boys of ability. I look forward to his building upon John Claughton’s remarkable achievements of the past decade.”
On his appointment, Dr Mark Fenton said: “I am honoured to have been given the opportunity to lead King Edward’s School at such an exciting moment in its illustrious history. Birmingham deserves a truly great school such as King Edward’s and I am looking forward to working with the staff, boys and parents to build on the superb legacy which John Claughton will leave behind.”
King Edward’s School has an outstanding academic reputation and last year celebrated record GCSE results with over 90% of entries graded A* or A. In the Sixth Form, all boys study the International Baccalaureate Diploma, of which on average one third score 40 points or above, higher than the equivalent of four A*s at A-level and around 20 boys go to Oxford or Cambridge universities each year.
Accessibility is central to the purpose of the School and it is currently fundraising for its Assisted Places 100 Campaign, which aims to raise £10 million to fund 100 Assisted Places within the School by July 2016. Over £8 million has already been raised by the School over the last five years and it is well on the way to the target £10 million. The King Edward’s Foundation is also funding over 120 boys in the School on Assisted Places.
John Claughton, Chief Master of King Edward’s School, said: “It has been a matter of great pride to me to be Chief Master of this School, a school that transformed my own life as a pupil.
“This has been an exciting decade with major developments – the introduction of the International Baccalaureate Diploma, massive fundraising from the alumni and major development in facilities. I’d like to thank the whole School community, staff, governors, boys, parents and alumni for putting up with me and for playing their vital part in these developments. King Edward’s truly is a great school and all these people make it so.”
