Friday 24 April 2015 The governors of The Grammar School at Leeds (GSAL) are very pleased to announce the appointment of Mrs Sue Woodroofe as Principal with effect from April 2016. Currently the Principal of The British School of Brussels (BSB), Mrs Woodroofe has a distinguished career in teaching and educational leadership. Brought up in Yorkshire and completing her secondary education at York College for Girls, Mrs Woodroofe trained at Durham University as a teacher of English and History. She has worked in a wide range of schools in the UK, both single sex and co-educational, selective and comprehensive. After a family move took her to Belgium, Mrs Woodroofe was appointed Secondary School Deputy Head at BSB in 2004. She achieved promotion two years later to Head of Secondary School (ages 11-18) and Vice Principal of the whole school (ages 1-18). After five years in that post, she was appointed Principal in 2011. Mr David Gravells, GSAL’s Chairman of Governors, said: “We are delighted that Sue Woodroofe is going to be our new Principal. She will bring vision, passion and considerable experience to the role having been a successful leader in a number of state and independent schools in the UK and Europe. Sue offers a unique perspective to GSAL as we develop our young people for the future.” Mrs Woodroofe said: “I’ve long admired The Grammar School at Leeds and I’m very excited at the prospect of becoming its new Principal. I’ve been privileged to hold leadership positions in schools across the education sector both in the UK and more recently in Europe. I’m passionate about helping young people achieve their potential and I’m looking forward to returning to my Yorkshire roots.” One of a small number of female heads of a HMC (the Heads’ Conference) school, Mrs Woodroofe replaces Mr Mike Gibbons who is retiring at the end of the current academic year. For the start of the next academic year, the governors have asked Mr Kevin Carson, Senior Deputy Head (Academic), and Mr Neal Parker, Senior Deputy Head (Co-Curricular,) to act as interim co-heads at GSAL. General News
