Head - Mr Will Phelan
Mr Will Phelan is the thirteenth Head of Clifton High School. His professional journey has evolved through a series of senior leaderships roles at distinguished British independent schools,most recently as Principal of The Stamford Endowed Schools which he held for eight years. He also stood as a trustee within the HMC (The Head’s Conference) and is currently Chair of Education at St Hugh's Preparatory School in Woodhall Spa, Lincolnshire.
Following an education at Queen Elizabeth’s Hospital, Bristol, Mr Phelan completed degrees at Royal Holloway, University of London (BA (Hons) Medieval and Modern History), University of Reading (PGCE, Education) and University of Leicester (MBA, Education Leadership and Management).
Mr Phelan’s wealth of experience in pedagogy combined with his interest in sport, most especially rugby and cricket, and an emphasis on the facilitation of a well-rounded holistic education for all children, are the strengths that echo Clifton High School’s current reputation. His innovative vision and personal philosophies are unique in leading our School and pupil population to be future-ready.
Head of Infant and Junior School - Mrs Alice Taylor
Mrs Alice Taylor graduated with a degree in Psychology from Cardiff University and later completed a Primary PGCE at Cardiff Metropolitan University. She has a wealth of experience in both the state and private school sectors including teaching and leading at the British School of Paris. During her career at Clifton High School, she has advanced from Junior School Lead to Infant and Junior School Head.
Mrs Taylor is passionate about offering an enriched and diverse education, challenging and inspiring children to achieve their very best in all that they do. She believes that learning should be engaging and exciting, equipping children with vital academic and life skills.
Senior Deputy Head – Dr Mark Caddy
Dr Caddy holds a degree and PhD in Chemistry from the University of Warwick. His career has seen him undertake both management and teaching roles in Mathematics and Science in all-through schools as well as Deputy Head at a previous school. He is experienced in managing successful school inspections with an expertise that lies in academic, curricular and pastoral matters. He currently runs the Adventure Programme at Clifton High School.
Deputy Head: Pastoral / Designated Safeguarding Lead (DSL) - Mr Chris Collins
A keen mathematician, Mr Collins completed an MMath degree and a PGCE, both at Oxford University. Mr Collins joined Clifton High School in 2015, having previously worked in two schools in Oxfordshire where he taught Mathematics and worked as a Head of Department. At Clifton High School, Mr Collins has held the posts of Head of School Mathematics, Assistant Head: Teaching Enhancement and Quality Assurance, before being appointed Deputy Head Academic in September 2020. He has worked across all age groups at Clifton High School, driving forward learning opportunities and positive outcomes for all pupils. Recently, he has been appointed Deputy Head Pastoral, allowing him to persue a more active role in fostering the wellbeing and overall development of pupils within the school community. As our Designated Safeguarding Lead (DSL), he is passionate about pupil welfare and ensuring every pupil feels supported, valued, and equipped to navigate their educational journey successfully.
Deputy Head: Academic - Mr Luke Goodman
Mr Goodman completed his BA (Hons) degree in Geography and PGCE at the University of Birmingham, before travelling the world. Within the past ten years Mr Goodman has taught at a large independent school, where he successfully held a range of positions including Head of House, Head of Geography and Assistant Head. During his time at Clifton High, Mr Goodman has held the role of Deputy Head Academic, Acting Head of School, and now takes on the position of Deputy Head Academic. His experience and knowledge of high acadmdic success paired with his awareness and genuine regard for pupils' individual goals, makes him an obvious choice for this role so each individual at Clifton High can acheive their best outcomes.
Deputy Head: Staff - Mr Manolis Psarros
Following his short military service abroad, a keen philologist and linguist, Mr Psarros completed his BA (Hons) in Classics at the University of Wales and his MA degree in Ancient History at the University of Bristol. His first teaching position was at a large independent school in Bristol, followed by a Head of Department role at an independent boarding school in Somerset. Since embarking upon a career at Clifton High School, Mr Psarros has held a variety of pastoral and academic positions including Head of Classics Department, Head of Years 7 to 11, Head of Sixth Form and Senior Assistant Head with responsibility of pupils, staff and school operations. A lifelong learner, he has completed a MEd on Educational Leadership at the University of Bristol alongside his dedication to working at Clifton High School and since September 2020, his role as Senior Master has overseen pupil admissions and staff recruitment.
Assistant Head: Learning and Teaching - Ms Louise Brackenbury
Ms Brackenbury graduated with a degree in Chemistry from Cardiff University and obtained PGCE the following year from Cardiff Metropolitan. She has a wealth of experience in the classroom, previously teaching in Australia and New Zealand where she held a range of positions including Head of KS3 Science. During her time at Clifton High School she has advanced from Head of Chemistry to Assistant Head.
Ms Brackenbury cares passionately about pupil outcomes, both academically and those related to their wellbeing. She is responsible for development across the whole School, manages the Pupil Council and regularly garners pupil input on important decisions throughout the school. She is consistently inspired by working with young people and believes it is important that pupils have a lasting, positive impact upon the Clifton High Community.
Head of Sixth Form - Miss Katherine Rich
Raised and educated in Bristol, Miss Rich has a wealth of education accolades to include degrees in Medieval and Modern History from the University of Birmingham, an MA in Contemporary History from the University of Bristol, and a PGCE, also from the University of Bristol. She has undertaken varied teaching roles in Bath, Cambridge, Nottingham and Malaysia, working as Head of History, Deputy Housemistress and Coordinator of Applications to Oxford and Cambridge. This wealth of experience makes her well-placed to lead the Sixth Form at Clifton High School where she encourages students to hold high aspirations, strive for academic excellence and develop a strong sense of self and social responsibility.
Estates and Operations Director - Mrs Louise Brennan
Mrs Brennan is passionate about education and has worked in Primary Schools, Senior Schools and Multi-Academy Trusts, providing the essential services and leadership required for teaching and learning from Early Years to Sixth Form. She has considerable experience building successful teams, delivering complex programmes and providing excellent customer service. Training in Commercial Business Management together with over twenty years’ experience managing international commercial teams affirms her responsibility for business strategy and growth at Clifton High School. She joined the Senior Leadership team in April 2021 and currently holds the position of Director of Estates and Operations.
Marketing, Communications and Events Director – Rebecca Brown
Graduating with a degree in Drama and Theatre Arts from the University of Birmingham, Mrs Brown began her career in the Television and Media industry. Almost a decade later, she left her career at the BBC in the Natural History Unit, working in Talent Management, PR and Marketing, to pursue more marketing focused opportunities.
Rebecca worked in the commercial world as Digital Marketing Manger for several global e-commerce website before intentionally transitioning to the education sector and joining Clifton High School. Her expertise in a people-focused environment, dedicated to ensuring more meaningful outcomes, has resulted in positively developing Clifton High School’s community, beyond the realms of the teaching and learning provision. She has actively led the rebranding of the School, updated the communication systems and website interaction as well as created more opportunities for parents to feel connected to the community.
Director of Finance, Mr Michael Stewart
A qualified Chartered Accountant for over twenty five years, Mr Stewart trained with an international accountancy firm in London, where he became Partner, specialising in advising international entrepreneurial businesses and charities. Since moving to Bristol in 2009, he has worked at a senior level within the independent education sector before joining Clifton High School in 2019 to oversee the School’s finances and IT. Mr Stewart has a wealth of experience in charity accounting, governance and risk management, has served as trustee and non-executive adviser for several other charities and is an active member of the Independent Schools Bursars Association.
