Moira House welcomes girls from the age of two to eighteen with full, weekly or flexi-boarding offered from the age of ten.
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Meet the staff
Senior Leadership Team
Principal
Mrs Lesley A Watson, MA(Ed) M Inst D
Mrs Lesley Watson took up her first Headship in 1991, and was appointed as Principal here at Moira House Girls School in 2006, following headships in both co-educational and single sex schools. Early in her career, Lesley taught Mathematics, IT and Physical Education, and spent 12 years as a Housemistress in co-educational and girls schools. During this time, Lesley took her Masters Degree in Management in Education at the University of Southampton. She is married to Andrew and has a daughter who attends the Junior School. Mrs Watson has a wide range of interests and particularly enjoys tennis, music and ski-ing with family and friends. Mrs Watson is in membership of GSA, BSA and is an associate member of SHMIS. In addition, she serves on the GSA Sports Committee, was a member of the ISSP Forum (Independent State School Partnership Forum) committed to partnership programmes between the Independent and State sector, a past trustee of JET (Joint Educational Trust), and has recently become a member of the EEBP (Eastbourne Education Business Partnership).
Deputy Principal
Mrs Cynthia May, M Ed(Mgmt), B Ed
Mrs Cynthia May grew up on a property in South Australia and graduated from The University of South Australia with a B Ed, majoring in Mathematics and English. She has been a curriculum leader, head of year level and manager of information technology in eight independent schools in Australia and has taught Mathematics and English to Year 12 and History, Drama and IT in the middle years. She has also lectured in business communications and run an information technology training business. Cynthia completed her M Ed (leadership) from Flinders University with a thesis on Computer Anxiety in Women. She has been Deputy Principal in her last three schools, two all-girls and one all-boys (IB), all of which were boarding and nursery-Year 12. In 2010 she took leave to complete her doctoral thesis Women Leading Women which is currently being examined.
Cynthia is married to Grant and they share three adult children and a grandson. They enjoy running, golf, cycling and travelling. Cynthia also enjoys reading and music in her quiet moments. They have migrated to England in order to experience living in another country rather than as a tourist and to date have loved every moment of their time in Eastbourne.
Deputy Principal
Mr Kevin D Ashby, MA, BA (Hons) QTS
Kevin Ashby graduated from Hertford College, Oxford and spent the next year working as a Scientific Officer in the Civil Service before starting a career in education. He taught Mathematics at The Habersahers’ Aske’s Boys’ School, Elstree, for nine years and during his time there he took on responsibility for the Duke of Edinburgh Award Scheme and the Senior Cross Country Team, running the London Marathon in 1983. After joining Moira House Girls School as Head of Mathematics in 1988 he was subsequently appointed as Director of Studies before taking up his present post in 2006. He is actively involved in the leadership of a local church and in the warmer months he enjoys fishing and the occasional game of golf. Although his running days have long gone he retains an avid interest in most sports.
Head of Junior School
Mrs Linda Young, Cert Ed NPQH
Linda Young started her teaching career as a PE teacher in the secondary sector. She then moved to be responsible for KS2 in a local primary school and then to become an Advisory Teacher in East Sussex. Following eight years in Bangkok as Head of the Junior School at Bangkok Patana British International School Linda returned to the UK to take up a position at Chiddingly Primary School and completed her National Professional Qualification for Headship. In 2002 she moved to her current post as Head of the Junior School at Moira House Girls School.
Senior Management Team
Director of Pastoral, Boarding and Sixth Form
Mrs Carol J Richards, BA, PGCE
Carol Richards graduated from University College Dublin in 1982 with a Bachelor of Economics and Politics and went on to do a Higher Diploma in Education in 1983. She moved to the UK in 1983 and worked in the maintained sector. Carol moved into independent education and worked at Greshams School teaching Economics and History, St John's School Leatherhead as Head of Business Studies, Housemistress, and Guildford High school as Head of Economics. Carol joined Moira House Girls School as Senior Housemistress of Boston in 2001. She took up her current post in 2006. In September 2010 Carol took over the careers portfolio. Carol lives at Moira House Girls School with her husband and two children. In her spare time she is a keen amateur genealogist. She has supported families embarking on international adoption.
Director of Admissions
Mr James Harding
James Harding joined Moira House Girls School in August 2010 having previously been Media Director for a company based at Pinewood studios creating online digital marketing platforms for Independent Schools. James has previously worked in theatre and television and produced many promotional films for a variety of commercial organisations and Independent Schools. James enjoys distance running, playing the guitar and spending time with his daughters.
Director of Human Resources
Mrs Patricia Gates, CIPD
Patricia Gates has worked at a senior level both in the public and private sectors and, prior to joining Moira House Girls School in August 2005, had her own Consultancy which included advising Head Teachers and Management Teams on the Investors In People Standard. Additionally, Patricia is involved in voluntary work, has a family history of working in the theatre, and with her husband Nigel is enthusiastic about athletics.
Staff Development Co-ordinator
Miss Aileen Rickard, M BSc PGCE NPQH
Aileen Rickard graduated from Exeter University with a degree in Mathematics and Geography and a Postgraduate Certificate of Education. She began teaching in Kent then moved to The Bishops Stortford High School in Hertfordshire and then to Seaford Head Community College initially as Head of Mathematics but then as Assistant Principal where she completed her National Professional Qualification for Headship. In September 2005 Aileen joined Moira House Girls School initially to teach Mathematics and Geography, then quickly became Head of Mathematics, and in 2007 joined the Senior Management team as Staff Development Coordinator. Aileen lives in Seaford and enjoys walking, visiting historic properties and gardens and doing most types of puzzles. She regularly attends All Saints Church, in Eastbourne.