Who will be new head at Dulwich College?

[Dulwichdreaming]

The incredible Dr Joe Spence is leaving after 15 years as head of Dulwich College. I have DC at the school and would be interested in who people think might take over or who would be a good fit.

I feel very lucky that our DC had him but they have a few years to go yet and am worried the school will lose some of his down to earth star dust (if that’s not an oxymoron) without him.

Who will be the next Head?

It will be announced in due course. Why speculate unless this is a weird way of bragging that you are the first to know?

Has someone been appointed? I’ve no idea who it is if so. Am just a bit worried and we have some big life decisions to make. One of the main reasons we have stayed in London despite the crazy cost of living is due to the school.

The post will attract some high quality Heads and I have no doubt that the governors are aware of how an important an appointment it is to continue Dr Spence's legacy; a Head with a similar ethos and understanding of Dulwich and the vision to take it to the next level

I’m not in the sector so beyond someone super high profile like Anthony Seldon - who is possibly close to retirement - I have no idea who a likely successor would be! If there are any teachers on here, please feel free to post your dream Heads. Who are some up and coming heads?

I imagine it will be another HMC Head. Not only is educational vision needed yet also an understanding of the sector and the current threats posed by VAT on fees and other trends. May be Head of an all boys' school or co-ed.

The Head of Emmanuel has been confirmed as the new DC head from Sept 2025

Yes, Mr Milne, current Headmaster of Emanuel school has been appointed as Dr. Spence's successor.

@Dulwichdreaming you have your answer now on who is appointed the new head :) What are your thoughts?

Thanks! I don’t know enough about him to make a judgement to be honest and would prefer to give him the benefit of the doubt (even if Emanuel is not the most prestigious jumping off point). If they’d been gunning for someone local, my money would have been on the St Dunstan’s progressive head. Though rumour is he may be tapped up for Colfes as that head is retiring.
Joe Spence has big shoes to fill so I wish the new head as much support and luck as possible.
If anyone has any insight that would be fab.

up and coming heads? what a weird concept. There are nowhere near enough people prepared to be heads, so "up and coming" is more likely to mean " most easily arm twisted"

I think the Dulwich job comes with a salary of between 200-300k which isn’t bad plus other perks. Yes it’s a tough slog but it’s a lovely school and some might want the challenge of helping it overcome some of the fallout from the ‘everyone’s invited’ years @sixtyandsomething .

sorry, I am finding this discussion hilarious! You really take this seriously, don't you.

@sixtyandsomething most people are interested in who the head of a school is if they are considering it....

sure 😂

It’s 26k a year and rising for a day pupil… Damn right I am taking it seriously! I wish you well with your Covid recovery @sixtyandsomething . It can be grim.

I think I have seen it announced that it will be the current head of Emmanuel, Robert Milne.

do you honestly believe that your "up and coming" heads excel at anything other than PR? They are no better or worse than the heads at the local comp, at the local pupil referral unit, at the local nursery. Heads are administrators and PR specialists. some are or have been good teachers, but never the best. some are good people managers, but again, rarely the best. PR is their specialism. Swap your "up and comer" for the head from the local comp, and it is 50/50 whether your school will be performing better of worse. Swap your head for the head of the local bus station - same odds!

It looks like the change is happening sooner than expected.

Why?

Indeed.

Yikes. Anyone have the inside story outside the essentials in the press?

An altercation with another member of staff.