Mrs Jane Thorpe Announcement

Today, the Chair of Governors at the Stowe Group Mr Simon Creedy Smith, announces that Mrs Jane Thorpe, Head at Swanbourne House, will leave Swanbourne at the end of August and will take up a new role as Head at Eagle House Prep School in Berkshire in January 2023.

Mr Creedy Smith said “I know that Jane has hugely enjoyed her four years at Swanbourne and she has found serving the School an immense privilege. She leaves the School with a heavy heart but also excited for the future.

We thank Jane for her service to Swanbourne over the last four years. Jane will leave Swanbourne in the extremely capable hands of Mrs Simone Mitchell, current Senior Deputy, who will be stepping into the role of Acting Head until Jane’s successor is appointed. Simone will be supported by the experienced and dynamic Senior Leadership Team at Swanbourne, as well as The Stowe Group Executive Leadership Team. 

We will begin the recruitment process for the School’s new Head as soon as possible and we will be working with one of the leading recruitment specialists in the education sector to find the best possible candidate for this very important role.”

Mrs Thorpe said “I have absolutely loved my four years at Swanbourne and it has been an immense privilege to serve the school and lead our community, in particular, to a more progressive, knowledge and skills infused curriculum and a baccalaureate programme of assessment; through the pandemic, lockdowns and online learning; and through our 2021 merger with Stowe. Getting to know our pupils, from the youngest to the oldest, and helping them to discover themselves and their talents and passions and watching them grow closer to achieving their dreams has given me some of the happiest experiences of my life and I shall always be enormously grateful for that opportunity. As I reminded our Year 8 Leavers recently, once a Swanbournian, always a Swanbournian; I will always remain a firm friend and supporter of our very special school.”