Kilgraston School’s Board of Trustees and Board of Governors are delighted to announce the appointment of Mrs Tanya Davie as the School’s new Head teacher.
Mrs Davie will be taking over from Mrs Dorothy MacGinty, who will be retiring at Easter 2022 after seven years in the role.
Mrs Davie is currently the Academic Deputy Head at St Bede’s College in Manchester an independent co-educational day school for 750 pupils aged between 3 and 18.
David Beal, Chairman of the Board of Governors, said: “Mrs Davie will be joining Kilgraston School at an exciting time where we have continuing high intake from both day and boarding pupils and a significant number of enquires for both our co-educational junior school and our all-girls senior school.” Mr Beal continued: “Mrs Davie was the stand-out candidate from an extremely rigorous selection process. Kilgraston’s Senior Leadership Team, Board of Governors and Trustees are all absolutely thrilled about the appointment and very much looking forward to her stepping into the role and carrying forward Mrs MacGinty’s excellent legacy.”
As part of the Senior Leadership Team at St Bede’s, Mrs Davie works closely with the School’s Head teacher and wider staff body to safeguard high-quality teaching and learning throughout the School. Formerly Head of Mathematics and Physical Education at St Bede’s, Mrs Davie has also previously held posts at all-girls schools, including St. Margaret’s School, Edinburgh, and North Manchester High School for Girls. She is also a former Head of Department at The Royal High School, Edinburgh.
Commenting on her appointment, Mrs Davie said: “What I hope to bring to Kilgraston is an energy and enthusiasm to carry on and develop the spirit and success of this incredible school. I am very excited at the prospect of leading the School into its next phase.”
Originally from County Clare, Ireland, Mrs Davie has a close affinity with Scotland, having previously spent eight years teaching in Edinburgh. Commenting on her return north of the border, she said:” I am very much looking forward to moving back to Scotland: it feels like we are moving home.”
During her career, Mrs Davie has had extensive experience of teaching in both the independent and state sectors: “While at The Royal High School in Edinburgh, I was seconded by Strathclyde University to form a team, tasked with the development and implementation of the first PGCE Physical Education course in Scotland.” In addition to this sabbatical, Mrs Davie worked closely with Manchester City Football Academy, heading-up the club’s education provision for their elite performers in the 11 to 16 years age range.
Mrs Davie will be moving to Perthshire together with her husband, Deno. The couple has a daughter in her second year at university in Scotland and a son in his final year of secondary education.
Passionate about providing opportunities for young people to become the best version of themselves, Mrs Davie intends to develop a programme of competence in 21st century skills (collaboration, digital literacy, critical thinking, and problem-solving) within Kilgraston, “empowering the women of the future workplace to develop an appetite for becoming solution-based innovators, thereby making a positive contribution to society.”
Mrs Davie will begin her new appointment from April 2022.
Kilgraston – short biography
Kilgraston is an independent, day and boarding, school for girls aged from five to eighteen and boys aged five to twelve. The Head teacher is Mrs Dorothy MacGinty. The School is based in Bridge of Earn, just south of Perth and has 265 pupils. 2020 marked the School’s ninetieth anniversary.
Kilgraston is part of the international ‘Sacred Heart’ network, having links with over one hundred and forty schools throughout the world. At the heart of the School’s ethos is its focus on the concept of the whole person, through the five Sacred Heart goals of a living faith, personal growth, intellectual values, building community, and active social awareness.
The school was founded in 1930 and the original name was ‘Gilgryston,’ with an early reference to be found in a 13th century charter. The current main building was built by Francis Grant of Glenlochy, in the classic style of the Adam Brothers, around 1800. It was a private house until the First World War when it was used as a hospital for wounded officers.
Pupils attend Kilgraston from throughout the world and study the Scottish SQA’s curriculum.
ENDS
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION PLEASE CONTACT MAIRI FRASER, PRESS OFFICER AT KILGRASTON SCHOOL mfraser@kilgraston.com or 07713401067