Statement from Jonathon Peck, CEO (Maiden Erlegh Trust)

We were looking for an exceptional candidate to lead this exceptional school and build on the strengths embedded by Andy Hartley and his team over the past four years. The selection panel were most impressed by the quality and calibre of the candidates who were attracted to the post which speaks volumes of the school and its transformation since it joined the Trust in 2018. I am delighted, therefore, that Briony Bowers has accepted our offer to lead the school as its new Headteacher from January 2024.  Briony brings with her significant senior leadership experience gained within the Ridgeway Education Trust and shares our core values of aiming high, being inclusive and working together. I have no doubt that she will be an asset to the school and Trust community, and I look forward to working with her when she takes up the post in January 2024.

I would also like to acknowledge the contribution of Andy Hartley and wish him all the best as he transitions into his new post within the Trust as Headteacher of River Academy.

Statement from Andy Johnson, EDE (Maiden Erlegh Trust)

We are delighted to welcome Briony Bowers as the next Headteacher at Maiden Erlegh Chiltern Edge and the latest member of our skilled and experienced Headteacher team across the Maiden Erlegh Trust. From her visits to the school and throughout the appointment process, Briony has impressed colleagues and students with her values driven approach to leadership, warm personality and sharp thinking. Her proven leadership impact in the schools across the Ridgeway Education Trust and her unwavering commitment to inclusive and aspirational education make Briony an ideal fit for our organisation and for the MECE community. As Director of Education, I am confident that she will build on the legacy of Andy Hartley’s transformational leadership as he moves to the leadership of the new River Academy. We look forward to Briony’s work starting in earnest from January 2024.

Statement from Briony Bowers, newly appointed Headteacher (January 2024)

I am thrilled to be appointed as the new Headteacher of Maiden Erlegh Chiltern Edge. It has always been my ambition to lead an inclusive school which is at the heart of the community and MECE truly fits that description. I have been inspired by the transformation of the school under the leadership of Andy Hartley,  and I am ready to pick up the baton and lead the next phase of development. 

During my visit to the school and over the interview process, I have been impressed by the sense of community in the school and the commitment and ambition of the students and staff who are still working hard at the end of this long term. 

After 15 years in school leadership in the Ridgeway Education Trust in Didcot, I am very excited to join the Maiden Erlegh Trust and I look forward to working closely with the other trust schools, parents and the wider community to ensure that all our students have every opportunity to be successful.