Private School News

New Head for Prior Park College – September 2009

The Governors of Prior Park College, Bath, are delighted to announce the appointment of Mr James Murphy-O’Connor, to be Headmaster from September 2009. The appointment has been made following the retirement announced earlier this year of Dr Giles Mercer. Dr Mercer has given 13 years of distinguished service to the school and retires in July 2009. 
From school at St Benedict’s, Ealing, where he was Head Boy, James Murphy-O’Connor read History at Oxford and gained a PGCE at Cambridge. After teaching at Stamford School and Sherborne, where he was a Housemaster, he was invited in 2004 to be the founding Headmaster of Sherfield School. In this enterprise he has been highly successful, seeing this co-educational, independent school set up from scratch, with the school roll rising to 540 pupils.

James Murphy-O’Connor and his wife, Ali, have four children and are actively involved in their local parish church. They have a very high regard for, and commitment to, Prior Park’s Catholic Christian character and life, and to its all-round educational philosophy. James Murphy-O’Connor’s father and four uncles were educated at the school.

page two Prior Park CollegeBath BA2 5AHTelephone: 831000www.priorparkschools.co.uk

The Chair of Governors, Sister Jane Livesey CJ, said: “We are absolutely delighted that Mr Murphy-O’Connor, so ably supported by his wife, will be leading Prior Park into its next very exciting phase of development, whilst at the same time cherishing all the vital strengths of the school which has gone from strength to strength under Dr Mercer’s outstanding leadership”.

Mr James Murphy-O’Connor added “I am very pleased to have been offered the position of Headmaster of Prior Park College. It is a privilege to be asked to continue and develop the strong traditions and the all round excellence of the school. I am looking
forward to leading the staff and pupils from September 2009”.