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Dear parents, alumni and friends of the College,

Since starting at St. Clare's just over a month ago I have been busy absorbing information about this dynamic and fascinating organisation. Time is going very quickly so I want to take a few moments to write to you and tell you a little more about my professional background and why I decided to come to St. Clare's.

I was born and educated in South Wales and was lucky enough to have been taught by several inspirational teachers. From them I learned both the importance of hard work and the importance of "stretching" young minds to consider difficult problems and issues.

I graduated from the London School of Economics and spent three years in the financial services sector before moving to Hong Kong and entering the teaching profession. I have been fortunate in having spent so much of my working life overseas. Over the last twenty-five years I have taught and counselled young people from all over the world. I have taught in the Middle East, South Korea and Hong Kong as well as here in the United Kingdom and have also had direct experience of the American school system. I was Head of the Latifa School in Dubai as well as Ashford School in Kent. As a result, I feel very much at home in the international environment which St. Clare's embodies. I also have a background in EFL and Applied Linguistics which helps me understand and appreciate some of the challenges which our students face studying in this country for the first time.

One of the reasons I came to St. Clare's is because of the College's mission - to promote international education and understanding. Founded over 50 years ago, the St. Clare's mission has withstood the test of time and is just as important to our current generation of students as it was in 1953.

We had our first Open Day on 1 October 2005 and I was delighted to see the enthusiasm with which our students represented the College. One of the highlights of the morning was a session along the lines of "A Day in the Life of a Student at St. Clare's". The students who talked about their typical day emphasised that the academic work is clearly very important but is balanced by the extraordinary range of sporting, voluntary and other activities which form such a significant element of the IB programme as a whole.

Although I have only been here a very short period of time, I have come to realise that St. Clare's is a very special place. I believe that the College gives meaning and life to its mission and that students who receive an education here will receive something of lasting benefit, an education, moreover, which may well change how they think about the world.

If you are visiting Oxford I would be delighted to meet you. I can be contacted at principal@stclares.ac.uk. You can be very sure of a warm welcome.

With my best wishes