We are delighted to announce that Mr Tyrone Howe has been appointed as Headmaster of Shiplake College from September 2019.
Mr Howe moves to Shiplake from Uppingham School in Rutland, which he joined in 2011 and where he has been housemaster of a very popular boarding house for the last seven years. At Uppingham, the position of housemaster provides exposure to the diverse nature of school life, bringing with it experience and responsibility for a wide range of academic, pastoral and disciplinary issues.
Mr Howe was educated at Banbridge Academy in Northern Ireland and holds a MA Joint Hons in German and International Relations from St Andrew’s University and a Master of Studies in European Literature from Oxford University.
Mr Howe started his teaching career at Marlborough College but left to become a professional rugby player for Ulster, going on to represent Ireland, the British and Irish Lions and the Barbarians. Following his retirement from rugby Mr Howe spent five years in industry before returning to education. In addition to his housemaster duties at Uppingham he teaches politics, languages and business and has coached rugby at all levels of the school including the 1st XV. He is also involved in many other aspects of school life such as prefect training, meeting with prospective parents, and implementing the school’s pastoral strategic plan.
Mr Howe has been a regular on Sky Sports rugby coverage as a commentator and analyst. In wider educational roles, he has delivered talks at conferences and has served on the board that works with eight academy schools in Northamptonshire.
Mr Howe and his wife Alex, who is also a teacher at Uppingham, have ten-year-old twins, Hugo and Georgia, and two dogs – an old man called Murphy and an excitable and ever-hungry 18-month-old Golden Retriever called Simba. He enjoys a wide spread of interests including reading, music and sport and has a particular interest in sports psychology.
The selection process, with the support of recruitment consultancy specialists RSAcademics, was extremely thorough and we were fortunate to have a very strong field of candidates, including current heads and deputy heads. All the governors, staff and pupils who met with Mr Howe commented on how Mr Howe really understood Shiplake and demonstrated the many qualities required to lead and inspire those around him. Mr Howe has also remarked on how, throughout the process, he has felt a real positivity about the school's ethos and a tangible sense of community amongst those whom he met.
This is a hugely exciting time for Shiplake College and we are confident that Mr Howe is absolutely the right person to take the school yet further forward, after 15 very successful years under Gregg Davies.
Mr Howe will be in touch himself in due course and there will, of course, be opportunities to meet with him during the spring and summer terms.
