New Head Joining the Oratory Prep School

Mr Andrew De Silva will be joining The Oratory Prep School in Goring Heath as Head from September 2022.

Currently Head of the Junior School at St Edmund’s School in Canterbury, Andrew brings with him a wealth of experience, honing his skills through Headships in both the state maintained and independent sectors, in addition to a Master’s degree in Educational Leadership and Management and the NPQH (National Professional Qualification for Headship).

Mr De Silva is hugely enthusiastic about working with the talented staff team at The Oratory Prep School, and indeed the wider school family. How can you say, “The sky’s the limit”, when there are footsteps on the moon? The motto above is central to Andrew’s beliefs as a teacher, leader, manager and parent. He believes that every child has the ability to succeed and it is the job of schools, working closely with parents, to unlock this ability. Indeed, Andrew brings a wealth of experience to the school in this area, as a specialist in Teaching and Learning, Curriculum design and Assessment.

However, Andrew very much classes himself as a ‘head Learner’ rather than a ‘head teacher’, and looks forward to learning from all community members so that The Oratory Prep School can realise its vision to be the market leader in Preparatory Education. In addition to his role at St Edmund’s, Andrew is also the current Chair of IAPs (Independent Association of Preparatory schools) District 2 and is the Chair of the newly formed IAPs EDI group (Equality, Diversity and Inclusion).

Andrew will be joined at The Oratory Prep School by his family: his wife Nicola, who works as an IT professional, Florence who will join the Nursery when she turns two and David who is eight years of age. David is starting his journey as a Cathedral Chorister at St Paul’s, where Andrew is also a Governor, but will undoubtedly enjoy his time becoming integrated into The Oratory Prep School family when not at St Paul’s.

Andrew looks forward to an exciting educational journey for The Oratory Prep School and is eager to meet children, parents, staff, members of the Bellevue Board and colleagues from beyond the school gate, including Heads, in the coming weeks.

Upon news of the appointment, Mr Rob Stewart, current Headmaster at The Oratory Prep School said, “I am thrilled that I will be succeeded by a Head who shares the vision and ambition of our Founder, St. John Henry Newman, to develop the character, skills and values of all the pupils and inspire them to make a difference in the world.”