Queenwood is a school that was founded in 1925 on enlightened women’s aspirations for the leadership and education of girls and young women.
It is with this heritage in mind that I write on behalf of the Council to announce that our Principal, Ms Elizabeth Stone, has been appointed as the next Head of Winchester College in the UK. Founded in 1382 as a boys’ boarding school, Winchester has the longest continuous history of any English school and is poised to introduce girls to the College for the first time. Ms Stone has been chosen as their first female Head since its inception and she will continue to lead this significant change, offering young women the opportunity to experience a unique educational experience at Winchester.
Our warmest congratulations go to Elizabeth on this ground-breaking appointment and the achievement it represents for women’s leadership. It is of great importance for education globally and heralds a change in the traditional ideas that have shaped school and female leadership in the sector. In this regard, Elizabeth is an exceptional role model not only for our Queenwood girls and staff but for girls and women in general.
We are of course sad to be losing Elizabeth from Queenwood after 9 years of service. Her leadership of our girls and community has been one of integrity, inspiration, energy and intellectual rigour. She is also a leader within the girls’ school network in Australia and throughout the education sector as a whole. There will be much to celebrate regarding Elizabeth’s tenure and contributions in our Queenwood community before her departure for the UK in July 2023.
Ms Stone and the senior leadership team are absolutely committed to maintaining the ongoing success and stability of Queenwood and there is ample time for the Council to work with her towards a smooth and successful leadership transition.
In the meantime, the Council has appointed leading recruitment firm Odgers Berndtson to commence the search for our next Principal and we will keep you informed of our progress over the coming months. We will also be ensuring the School’s operational continuity and, most importantly, the constancy of exceptional teaching and learning. This is an exciting time to be looking for the next leader of Queenwood as we approach the School’s centenary in 2025.
Again, our sincere thanks and congratulations to our Principal, Ms Elizabeth Stone.
Read our FAQs about this announcement here.