Meet Mrs Lois Gaffney

Published by Brighton College Prep Kensington on Tuesday 22nd of November 2022

We were delighted to welcome Mrs Lois Gaffney to Prince's Gardens for a week-long visit, before she joins us in the upcoming academic year as Headteacher. Here, Mrs Gaffney introduces herself in an open letter, and shares her vision for the school.

Dear Parents,

I am writing to introduce myself to you. I am incredibly proud to have been appointed as the next Head of Prince’s Gardens Preparatory School and my family and I are very much looking forward to joining the community in the next academic year.

I have been fortunate to spend the last 13 years leading teams at some highly successful schools. I have a teaching qualification in Science and in Early Years and Primary. I have experience in 11 and 13 schools and the International Primary Curriculum, the International Baccalaureate Primary Years Programme, and The Prep School Baccalaureate. Most recently, this broad experience has allowed me to write a complete curriculum as a founding Deputy at Brighton College Singapore.

I am confident that I know what excellent looks like for children, regardless of context. Education needs to be progressive and dynamic to prepare pupils more appropriately for the 21st Century and beyond. It must enable children to be positive contributors to life and fully prepared to embrace the opportunities and challenges that will break down geographic and cultural borders like never before.

While I work with my current Year 5 pupils as they make applications to schools such as St Paul's Girls, Wycombe Abbey, and Habs' Boys, I am mindful that our role is not just to secure their place at their chosen senior schools but also to make sure they are prepared to thrive there and beyond. This will be a primary focus for me; ensuring our school is at the forefront of pedagogical practice, emphasising innovation and outstanding academic achievement balanced by nurturing character development for each child.

To prepare children for the opportunities that await them beyond prep school, learning must be fun yet rigorous and ambitious. We want to instil a passion for lifelong learning in all our children whilst giving them the chance to explore and experience a feast of exciting opportunities, both within the classroom and across all areas of school life. Most important to me, however, is the happiness of each child. Happy children succeed, and I place the relationships between staff, children and parents at the forefront of my ethos for education. I know at Prince’s Gardens we have a team who cares deeply about children, and a parent body who are engaged and present. I look forward to developing this further, working together to strengthen our community as we grow as a school.

Best wishes,
Mrs Lois Gaffney