Mr. Lawton has written on behalf of the Chairman of Governors to all parents to announce that Michael Crossley is to be his successor as Headmaster of Taverham Hall when he and Mrs. Lawton retire next year. He added that he is "delighted with the appointment as we see Mike Crossley and his wife, Alex, to be an ideal couple to lead the school".
Mike is forty-four years old and has been Deputy Head at Bishop Stortford College Junior School since 2004. He has a Bachelor of Education degree from the University of Liverpool and has a strong background in prep school education where he has taught English up to scholarship level with much success. He has a National Professional Qualification for Headship from the National College of School Leadership, and certificates in teaching English as a foreign language and teaching children with specific learning difficulties.
His previous appointments were Head of English and Master in Charge of the Upper School at The Beacon School in Amersham and as an English teacher at St. Faith’s School in Cambridge.
He coordinated and designed Bishop Stortford’s performance management process and introduced the school’s behavioural and anti-bullying policies. He currently oversees the Head of Boarding and boarding procedures amongst his other duties.
Mike, in his younger days, played rugby to a high level and was captain of Hertfordshire for a period, as well as being selected to play for the Eastern Counties. He also enjoyed a successful season in Australia playing for Melbourne Rugby Club and represented Victoria whilst travelling to the Far East in 1991.
Mike and Alex have a daughter and a son aged seven and three respectively, and the family will live in the flat within the school.
We will all have an opportunity to meet Mike and Alex Crossley during the course of the coming school year, as they will be invited to several of the school’s functions.