About Us

About Us

We are a developing group of strong, successful schools that together will become a leading voice and model for excellence in the sector.   

St Albans Education Group schools come together from a position of individual strength and the knowledge that together we are more than just the sum of our parts. Each school has demonstrably strong, capable and prudent leadership and governors who recognise the opportunities afforded by joining a group of like-minded, high-achieving schools to the benefit of all involved.  

Every STAEG school shares a common ethos of educational and pastoral excellence that instils in each pupil the values, knowledge, and skills to lead lives of consequence. We achieve this through a school’s own vision, values and aims, maintaining their individual characters and identity.   

As a charity, every surplus penny is reinvested in our schools and the outcomes of our pupils.  

OUR MISSION

To develop young people who flourish and make a positive impact on others through leading happy, healthy, intentional lives of consequence. 

OUR VISION

To be a sector-leading group of schools delivering innovative and impactful education. Our pupils benefit from excellence in academics, personal development, leadership and service, in environments designed to nurture creativity, individuality, innovation and enjoyment of learning. 

OUR VALUES
  • Excellence: We pursue the highest standards in every aspect of our educational programmes. 
  • Integrity: We conduct ourselves with honesty, kindness, and respect. 
  • Diversity: We explicitly value others so everyone feels included and appreciated for their unique perspectives and talents. 
  • Innovation: We encourage imaginative and critical thinking to solve problems creatively. 
  • Leadership: We challenge and inspire pupils to make informed and courageous decisions that affect others.
  • Joy: We value joy in education and ensure that pupils develop a life-long love of learning, exploring ideas and engagement in a wide range of academic, creative, cultural and healthy pursuits.

member schools  

STAEG currently has three member schools: STAHS Senior, STAHS Prep and Stormont School.

St Albans High School for Girls (STAHS) is one of the UK’s top-ranked independent girls’ schools, educating around 1,150 pupils aged 4 to 18 within separate Prep and Senior schools. 

The STAHS ground-breaking Teach to 25 philosophy underpins everything the School does, ensuring pupils develop the skills and attributes to thrive and make an impact at school, university and beyond.  

STAHS Senior

The Senior School, in the historic city of St Albans, has around 820 girls aged 11 to 18. The School combines academic excellence with a forward-thinking culture of wellbeing and an exciting co-curricular programme.

STAHS Prep

The Prep School sits on 19 acres of woodland in the leafy village of Wheathampstead and has around 330 girls aged four to 11. STAHS is a true ‘through school’, with Prep School pupils enjoying automatic transition into the Senior School.

Stormont School  

Stormont is a thriving independent prep school for girls aged four to 11 with a roll of around 140 pupils. The school occupies a former Victorian villa and estate, with an adjacent 20 acres of ancient parkland providing exceptional green space for the school to use. Stormont prides itself on preparing pupils for entry into leading secondary schools, primarily in Hertfordshire and North London.  

Governanceand Leadership 

STAEG is led by a team of talented governors with extensive experience of the education sector and beyond, headed by the Chair, Alison Arnold.

Day-to-day operational running and strategic planning for schools is overseen by the STAEG Executive Team chaired by Principal Amber Waite, and includes the Heads of the schools, the Chief Operating Officer, the Director of Marketing, Admissions and Development, and the Group Designated Safeguarding Lead. The Principal reports to the Chair of Governors, and all other members of the Executive Team report to the Principal.  

Ongoing professional development is central to the STAEG ethos; the Executive Team provides a forum for Heads to work collaboratively on projects and initiatives with the uninhibited sharing of information not possible in a competitive market. The annual STAEG Leadership Conference allows Heads and their Senior Leadership Teams to enjoy group strategy and leadership development sessions with time away to work as individual teams on their own school development plans.    

Teachers and support staff benefit from a framework of continuous improvement by being part of an education group, through multi-school INSETs and other collaborative ventures. 

The Executive Team

THE PRINCIPAL

AMBER WAITE 

HEAD OF STAHS PREP

MIKE BRYANT

ACTING HEAD OF STAHS SENIOR

DREW THOMSON-JONES

HEAD OF STORMONT SCHOOL

LOUISE MARTIN

GROUP DESIGNATED SAFEGUARDING LEAD

KIRSTY EDDISON

DIRECTOR OF MARKETING, ADMISSIONS AND DEVELOPMENT

CLAIRE SCHOFIELD

The Governors

CHAIR

ALISON ARNOLD

VICE CHAIR

CAROL JEWELL

CHAIR OF FINANCE COMMITTEE

DAVID ASCOTT

LARA BERNARD

MARIA CARRADICE

NEIL ENRIGHT

ROSE HARDY

BJORN HOBART

HENRIETTA HODGKISS

SARA KIRONDE-STRAIN

SIMON MARTIN

CHRIS MURRAY

BALBINDER SINGH TATTAR

Jo Kelly-Moore

As an ordained priest Jo was installed as Dean of St Albans Cathedral in 2021 and was elected to the Association of English Cathedrals in 2022.

Originally from New Zealand, she studied Law and French at Victoria University of Wellington and practised for seven years in Wellington and London. She returned to New Zealand to complete her theology degree and was eventually appointed Dean of Auckland and Deputy Vicar General. In 2017 she returned to England to be Archdeacon of Canterbury and Residentiary Canon of Canterbury Cathedral. After serving on the Steering Committee for the Cathedrals Measure she brings considerable governance skills to the board.

Prep Senior Sixth Stahs
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