Headmaster
It is an immense privilege to be Headmaster of this wonderful school. It is my role to ensure that we create, for our boys, the very best opportunities to learn and to grow as young men, to ensure they leave Sherborne happy, confident and humble, ready to give more to the world than they take.
Sherborne’s unique character education, which pervades every aspect of life here at Sherborne, helps prepare our boys for life, nurturing the character they will need to thrive. This is a full-boarding school for the 21st century; a warm and supportive boarding community which enriches all those within it, interwoven with an all-round education, where a boy’s character and academic development are inseparable.
People and relationships are at the centre of this. We are fortunate to have an exceptional community: the pupils and their parents; a fantastic staff team; loyal and supportive alumni; a dedicated and professional governing body. We are particularly fortunate to be part of the Sherborne Schools Group (SSG) based in the beautiful and historic town of Sherborne. Our relationship with Sherborne Girls, Sherborne Prep and Hanford Prep continues to provide an educational richness of opportunity, for our young people to learn about life and each other in an outstanding setting. This wonderful place provides our pupils with the very best of both worlds – single-sex academic and boarding environments (with increasing coeducational sixth form teaching) set in the context of a small, friendly and vibrant town, offering multiple coeducational opportunities, to the benefit of all.
Our boys must understand their context in the wider world, for example, the importance of the sustainability and biodiversity, of social challenges, cultural difference, and be empathetic to those less fortunate. An awareness, therefore, of our place on this wonderful planet, gives the boys the perspective they need to be decent global citizens.
Ultimately, the excellence of education we provide is paramount, and is something for which Sherborne has been known over the many centuries of its existence. There is a responsibility on us, and on me as Headmaster, to ensure that the education we provide in the 21st century is relevant, interesting and exciting. I very much hope you will visit us at your convenience to see this in action. You will be warmly welcomed.
Allister Sheffield BSc
Deputy Head (Pastoral)
Allister joined the School in January 2019 having previously worked at Dauntsey’s School in Wiltshire. During his time at Dauntsey’s he was a Boarding Housemaster and taught Geography, having also been Head of their PSHE Department, as well as Master in Charge of their Lower School Outdoor Activity programme.
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Dr Dominic Luckett BA, DPhil, FRSA, FHA, FCCT
CEO
Dominic took up his appointment as CEO in January 2016. In November 2024, he stepped back from his responsibilities as Headmaster to focus on discrete projects for the School and newly formed Sherborne Schools Group. Dominic received a congratulatory first class degree in History from the University of Leicester and then studied for his doctorate on Henry VII at Magdalen College, Oxford. Dominic taught for eleven years at Harrow School, where he was Head of History and an Assistant Housemaster, before moving to Worth School as Deputy Head. In 2007, he became Headmaster of Mill Hill, an HMC coeducational day and boarding school in north London, and Chief Executive of the Mill Hill School Foundation comprising the senior, prep, pre-prep and international schools. He is a governor of Westminster School; The Pilgrims’ School, Winchester; Perrott Hill School; King Arthur’s School, Wincanton; and Sherborne Qatar. Between 2009 and 2018 he was member of the Council of the University of Leicester, the university’s governing body. He has published various articles on early Tudor history and in September 2019 was named Best Head of a Public School at the Tatler awards. Dominic is married to Cara, a barrister specialising in clinical negligence, and they have two daughters and two badly behaved dogs. His interests include music, antique clocks, indoor rowing and skiing.
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Dr David Cole BSc, MSc, PhD
Chief Operating Officer
David assumed the role of Bursar in January 2021 having previously held a number of senior roles within both the private and public sectors. On completion of the the merger with the Sherborne Girls School group his role was extended to become COO for the Group.
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Dr Tim Filtness BA, MA, Phd
Deputy Head (Academic)
Tim joined Sherborne in 2014. Prior to that he was Director of Learning at Sir William Perkins’s School and, before that, Head of Biology at Merchant Taylors’, Northwood and at Wellington College. As Deputy Head (Academic) Tim is responsible for teaching and learning at Sherborne, including arranging the School’s curriculum and its staffing.
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Alex Boyd-Williams BA, MEd, PGCE, DipEFC
Deputy Head (Sixth Form)
Alex holds a first-class honours degree in Drama from the University College of Wales, Aberystwyth, a PGCE from the University of Cambridge, and an MEd in Educational Leadership (with Distinction) from the University of Buckingham. He is currently pursuing an Executive MBA with the University of Bath, which he will complete in September 2025. A passionate advocate for global education, Alex spent a year studying at the European Film College in Denmark and later lived and worked in the Swiss Alps. His teaching career includes roles at Millfield, where he was Director of Drama, and at Aiglon College and Uppingham School, where he served as a Housemaster. Most recently, Alex was Deputy Head (Sixth Form) at Framlingham College. Outside of work, Alex enjoys reading, cooking, music, walking, running, tennis and cycling. He is married to Kate, a coach; together, they have two teenage daughters and two cavapoos.
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Anne Megdiche
Director of Admissions
Anne joined Sherborne School in June 2022 and is responsible for the development and delivery of the pupil admissions strategy. Having worked in the independent education sector for 17 years, both at prep school and senior schools, Anne has extensive experience in supporting prospective pupils and their parents during the admissions journey.
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Judy Thurman BA
Director of Teaching & Learning
Judy Thurman joined the MFL department in Sherborne School in 2005, having previously worked in boys’ grammar schools and an international school in Brunei. She was appointed as Head of German in 2006 and Head of Languages in 2009. As a key member of the careers team, Judy has supported boys with university and career pathways. In 2020 she took on the additional role of Head of Specialist Higher Education, working closely with boys applying for competitive university courses. She has also worked on initiatives to develop literacy and reading across the school. Judy studied German and Russian at Oxford university and is a keen advocate of ensuring boys have access to a wide range of language options. Her interests include trekking, drama and cooking. She has enjoyed being involved in school drama, as a director of House plays and a producer of school musicals.
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