New Deputy Head joins the Senior Leadership Team

Sherborne Girls is delighted to welcome Mrs Jessica Briggs as the new Deputy Head, Pastoral and a member of the Senior Leadership Team. 

Jessica’s previous roles include being a Housemistress at Dean Close School and prior to that, Housemistress at Cheltenham Ladies College. 

Headmistress, Dr Ruth Sullivan, said: “I am thrilled to welcome Jessica to Sherborne Girls as Deputy Head, Pastoral. As a full boarding school, our pastoral care underpins everything we do. Jessica’s experience, energy, work ethic, vision and personable approach have already made an excellent impression, and I am excited to work with her as we continue to focus on this fundamental aspect of our offering.” 

To give a little more insight, we asked Mrs Briggs some questions about starting her role at Sherborne Girls. 

What attracted you to the role at Sherborne Girls? 

I have always pursued positions of pastoral responsibility and believe that strong leadership leads to well-rounded pupils. I also firmly believe that girls learn best in a single sex environment, allowing them to focus on their abilities and achieve their potential. When the position opened up at Sherborne Girls, I felt that I could bring my years of pastoral experience to bear in the ideal environment for the young women here.  
 

What have been your first impressions since joining Sherborne Girls? 

I knew that it was a world-renowned school with an excellent reputation for nurturing the individual and developing strong, 21st Century women. So far, the school, particularly the pupils, have exceeded my expectations! I was lucky enough to spend four days at SG in early March, and I was so warmly welcomed. The girls were confident, calm, polite and fun-loving. I am looking forward to getting to know them, and their families, better. 

What about this role most excites you and are there any projects that you are especially keen to get started on?  

I am really excited to be working with such a strong leadership team. I feel so inspired by their vision to send out into the world girls of character, commitment and compassion and I am looking forward to contributing to this. 

Although planning for the school’s re-opening and mitigating the risks of COVID-19 for our community has, and will continue to be, a major priority, I am eager to  further develop the pupil voice so that the girls have a strong platform from which we shape the future of the school. 

Have other family members joined you here in Sherborne? 

My husband, Thomas, and our two children, Matilda (four) and Florence (two) have all moved with me to Sherborne. Matilda joined the Reception class at Sherborne Prep and Florence will start at the nursery once she turns three. My husband is a trained Primary School teacher and has been a stay-at-home dad for the last four years.  

What do you enjoy doing in your down-time? 

I love spending time in our house in Cornwall where we swim, walk and kayak. 

Any achievements of which you are most proud? 

Aside from being offered the job at SG, I’m really proud of being a working mother and am pleased that my girls are growing up with a role model where their father is the parent taking them to ballet class, doing the laundry and cooking the supper. I hope that it will inspire them to reach for whatever they want in life. 

Do you have a fun fact about yourself? 

I only drink water!