Sherborne Schools Group has appointed Dr Ruth Sullivan as its first Group Chief Executive Officer, as plans progress to bring Sherborne Prep, Sherborne Boys and Sherborne Girls together under one unified Sherborne structure.
From January 2027, Dr Sullivan will lead a restructured executive team, reporting to the Chair of Governors. Simon Heard has been appointed Head of Schools and will work alongside her to lead a combined Senior Leadership Team across Sherborne Boys and Sherborne Girls.
The changes follow the announcement in June that the three schools will move towards a single brand and shared educational pathway for pupils aged three to 18.
Under the planned ‘Separate, yet together’ model, pupils will learn co-educationally at Sherborne Prep before moving into single-sex teaching through the GCSE years. The Sixth Form will become increasingly co-educational, with the transition expected to be completed by 2028.
Hanford, the group’s all-girls boarding school for Years 3 to 8, will remain part of Sherborne Schools Group but will continue to be marketed separately. Head Sophie Blewitt will report directly to Dr Sullivan.
Christopher Samler, Chair of Governors, said: ‘There is something about Sherborne that anyone connected to it recognises: its community, its humanity, its excellence.
‘This new leadership structure is designed to bring that spirit into sharper focus – building a genuinely cohesive team and staff body, sharing best practice across our schools, and keeping pupils at the centre of every decision we make.’
The restructuring comes alongside further changes to the group’s educational programme, including the appointment of a Director of Digital Innovation and Director of Enterprise.
Sherborne will also hold its inaugural Turing Conference in October, marking 100 years since mathematician and computer science pioneer Alan Turing joined Sherborne School as a pupil.
Across its schools, the group currently has more than 1,200 pupils, including more than 850 full boarders.
https://www.sherborneschools.group/
