Ralph Townsend
Encyclopedia
Dr Ralph Douglas Townsend (born 13 December 1951) is Headmaster of Winchester College
. He was previously Headmaster of Oundle School
and before that Headmaster of Sydney Grammar School
.
He was educated at Scotch College, Perth
, from which he went on to read English at the University of Western Australia
, having won a Commonwealth Scholarship. He then began his graduate studies at the University of Kent
at Canterbury. After brief teaching appointments at Dover College
and Abingdon School
, he proceeded to further study at Oxford. He was first Senior Scholar at Keble College, then a Junior Research Fellow, Tutor and Dean of Degrees at Lincoln College
. He taught in the Theology Faculty at Oxford.
Townsend took up a teaching post at Eton College
in 1985. He left as Head of English in 1989 to become Headmaster of Sydney Grammar School
. Whilst in Sydney, Townsend was Patron of the Australian Musicians' Academy and President of the New South Wales Classical Association. After ten years in that post, he returned to England to become Headmaster of Oundle School. In 2005 he was appointed Headmaster of Winchester, the first Roman Catholic to hold that post since the Reformation
.
Townsend has written books, articles and reviews in the areas of church history, religious literature and education.
He has been a Governor of Terra Nova School (Cheshire) 1999-2003, Old Buckenham Hall School (Suffolk) 1999-2006, Ardvreck School
(Crieff, Scotland) 2000-2005, Ampleforth College
(Yorkshire) 2003-2006, Bramcote Lorne School (Nottinghamshire) 2003-2005, Mowden Hall School (Northumberland) 2000-2007 and Worth School (Sussex) 2004-2010. From 2005-2011 he was a Trustee of the United Church Schools Trust and an adviser to the United Learning Trust. He is currently a member of the Court of the University of Southampton
, a Governor of The Pilgrims' School (Winchester), St Swithun's School (Winchester), Midhurst Rother College
(United Learning Trust
Academy) and St John's School Beaumont (Windsor). He is a Trustee of the Cothill Educational Trust. He is an Adviser to the African Leadership Academy, the Raffles Institution of Singapore, and the National College of Music
(London).
In 2010 he became Dean of a group of ten schools known as the Winchester International Symposium, each of which has agreed to meet annually in each of the schools in rotation, when senior pupils and staff will study an aspect of global development; the member schools are African Leadership Academy (South Africa), Colegio Claustro Moderno (Colombia), Garodia International Centre for Learning (India), Johannes Kepler Grammar School (Czech Republic), Karachi Grammar School (Pakistan), Montgomery Bell Academy
(USA), Nada High School (Japan), Raffles Institution (Singapore), Shiyan Co-operation High School (China) and Winchester College (UK). He is an Honorary Liveryman of the Grocers' Company
.
Winchester College
Winchester College is an independent school for boys in the British public school tradition, situated in Winchester, Hampshire, the former capital of England. It has existed in its present location for over 600 years and claims the longest unbroken history of any school in England...
. He was previously Headmaster of Oundle School
Oundle School
Oundle School is a co-educational British public school located in the ancient market town of Oundle in Northamptonshire. The school has been maintained by the Worshipful Company of Grocers of the City of London since its foundation in 1556. Oundle has eight boys' houses, five girls' houses, a day...
and before that Headmaster of Sydney Grammar School
Sydney Grammar School
Sydney Grammar School is an independent, non-denominational, selective, day school for boys, located in Darlinghurst, Edgecliff and St Ives, all suburbs of Sydney, New South Wales, Australia....
.
He was educated at Scotch College, Perth
Scotch College, Perth
Scotch College , is one of Australia's leading independent schools for boys, situated in Swanbourne, Western Australia, Australia. The school is a member of the Public Schools Association and is now a Uniting Church school, although it was founded in 1897 by the Presbyterian Church of Australia...
, from which he went on to read English at the University of Western Australia
University of Western Australia
The University of Western Australia was established by an Act of the Western Australian Parliament in February 1911, and began teaching students for the first time in 1913. It is the oldest university in the state of Western Australia and the only university in the state to be a member of the...
, having won a Commonwealth Scholarship. He then began his graduate studies at the University of Kent
University of Kent
The University of Kent, previously the University of Kent at Canterbury, is a public research university based in Kent, United Kingdom...
at Canterbury. After brief teaching appointments at Dover College
Dover College
Dover College is a co-educational independent school in Dover in southeast England. It was founded in 1871, and takes both day pupils and boarders....
and Abingdon School
Abingdon School
Abingdon School is a British day and boarding independent school for boys situated in Abingdon, Oxfordshire , previously known as Roysse's School. In 1998 a formal merger took place between Abingdon School and Josca's, a preparatory school four miles to the west at Frilford...
, he proceeded to further study at Oxford. He was first Senior Scholar at Keble College, then a Junior Research Fellow, Tutor and Dean of Degrees at Lincoln College
Lincoln College, Oxford
Lincoln College is one of the constituent colleges of the University of Oxford in the United Kingdom. It is situated on Turl Street in central Oxford, backing onto Brasenose College and adjacent to Exeter College...
. He taught in the Theology Faculty at Oxford.
Townsend took up a teaching post at Eton College
Eton College
Eton College, often referred to simply as Eton, is a British independent school for boys aged 13 to 18. It was founded in 1440 by King Henry VI as "The King's College of Our Lady of Eton besides Wyndsor"....
in 1985. He left as Head of English in 1989 to become Headmaster of Sydney Grammar School
Sydney Grammar School
Sydney Grammar School is an independent, non-denominational, selective, day school for boys, located in Darlinghurst, Edgecliff and St Ives, all suburbs of Sydney, New South Wales, Australia....
. Whilst in Sydney, Townsend was Patron of the Australian Musicians' Academy and President of the New South Wales Classical Association. After ten years in that post, he returned to England to become Headmaster of Oundle School. In 2005 he was appointed Headmaster of Winchester, the first Roman Catholic to hold that post since the Reformation
Reformation
- Movements :* Protestant Reformation, an attempt by Martin Luther to reform the Roman Catholic Church that resulted in a schism, and grew into a wider movement...
.
Townsend has written books, articles and reviews in the areas of church history, religious literature and education.
He has been a Governor of Terra Nova School (Cheshire) 1999-2003, Old Buckenham Hall School (Suffolk) 1999-2006, Ardvreck School
Ardvreck School
Ardvreck School is an independent boarding school, located in Crieff in Perth and Kinross, Scotland. It was established in 1883.-History:When W E Frost founded Ardvreck as a Preparatory School in 1883, he did so with the express intention of teaching all of his pupils 'patience, justice, obedience...
(Crieff, Scotland) 2000-2005, Ampleforth College
Ampleforth College
Ampleforth College in North Yorkshire, England, is the largest Roman Catholic co-educational boarding independent school in the United Kingdom. It opened in 1802, as a boys' school, and is run by the Benedictine monks and lay staff of Ampleforth Abbey...
(Yorkshire) 2003-2006, Bramcote Lorne School (Nottinghamshire) 2003-2005, Mowden Hall School (Northumberland) 2000-2007 and Worth School (Sussex) 2004-2010. From 2005-2011 he was a Trustee of the United Church Schools Trust and an adviser to the United Learning Trust. He is currently a member of the Court of the University of Southampton
University of Southampton
The University of Southampton is a British public university located in the city of Southampton, England, a member of the Russell Group. The origins of the university can be dated back to the founding of the Hartley Institution in 1862 by Henry Robertson Hartley. In 1902, the Institution developed...
, a Governor of The Pilgrims' School (Winchester), St Swithun's School (Winchester), Midhurst Rother College
Midhurst Rother College
Midhurst Rother College is a mixed Academy for students aged 11 to 18, in Midhurst, West Sussex. It was officially formed on 1 January 2009 following the closure of three predecessor schools in the area. It serves a wide rural area in the Rother Valley of West Sussex...
(United Learning Trust
United Learning Trust
The United Learning Trust is an education charity and the largest single sponsor of academies in the UK with 20 academies and one City Technology College currently open. ULT's objective is to bring out "the best in everyone", driving educational improvement across its family of academies and...
Academy) and St John's School Beaumont (Windsor). He is a Trustee of the Cothill Educational Trust. He is an Adviser to the African Leadership Academy, the Raffles Institution of Singapore, and the National College of Music
National College of Music
The National College of Music, London is a music examination organisation, offering external grade examinations in music, drama and speech both in the UK and overseas.- History :...
(London).
In 2010 he became Dean of a group of ten schools known as the Winchester International Symposium, each of which has agreed to meet annually in each of the schools in rotation, when senior pupils and staff will study an aspect of global development; the member schools are African Leadership Academy (South Africa), Colegio Claustro Moderno (Colombia), Garodia International Centre for Learning (India), Johannes Kepler Grammar School (Czech Republic), Karachi Grammar School (Pakistan), Montgomery Bell Academy
Montgomery Bell Academy
Montgomery Bell Academy is a preparatory day school for boys in grades 7 through 12 in Nashville, Tennessee.The school ideal is "Gentleman, Scholar, Athlete." Montgomery Bell Academy is noted for a large number of National Merit and other scholarship winners...
(USA), Nada High School (Japan), Raffles Institution (Singapore), Shiyan Co-operation High School (China) and Winchester College (UK). He is an Honorary Liveryman of the Grocers' Company
Worshipful Company of Grocers
The Worshipful Company of Grocers is one of the 108 Livery Companies of the City of London. It is ranked second in the order of precedence of the Companies and, having been established in 1345, is one of the original Great Twelve City Livery Companies....
.