I am now nearing the end of my second week as Head of Stockport Grammar School and I can honestly say that it has been an absolute joy to be in school getting to know the pupils, parents and staff. I look forward to getting to know the Old Stopfordians too over the coming months and years. 

From my office, I can often hear the pupils chatting about the old school photos and the information boards that line the corridors around the Hallam Hall. It is a constant reminder to me of the history of the school. I can see that I am a very small part in the lifetime of Stockport Grammar School and that my role is to act as a steward to ensure the continued success of the school. 

I am a Classics teacher by trade, first studying at Edinburgh University for my undergraduate degree, before moving to Cambridge University to undertake my PGCE. Following a three year stint at Sevenoaks School in Kent, I moved to Felsted School in Essex as Head of Classics in 2008. Fifteen years later (and, by then, Deputy Head Academic at Felsted), I was delighted to be appointed as Head of Stockport Grammar School, a school that shares so many of my own values: academic aspiration and success; the importance of a broader education with a huge range of music, drama and sport opportunities (amongst others); and, perhaps most importantly, the focus on developing the character of each pupil. 

My ‘character’ was formed in the rolling hills of West Cumbria, where I was raised on a dairy farm and attended the local independent school, St Bees School. As a child, I saw the sacrifices that hard-working parents (like my own) would make to give their children the opportunities that an independent school can provide. I know that I benefited from those experiences and I will always be grateful that my parents made the choice to give me that opportunity.  

At Stockport Grammar School, I expect our pupils to treat everyone (whether it is a fellow pupil, a teacher at the school, or anyone else they encounter) with kindness, courtesy and respect: I want SGS to be a happy place to be. I want them to take full advantage of the opportunities they have here. I want them to work hard, to push themselves and to learn from the mistakes that they might make along the way. I want them to look around the school and beyond to see what they can do to make it a better place.  

I look forward to meeting many of you in the near future, perhaps at the Remembrance Service on the 10th November or at the Old Stops' Dinner on Saturday 16th March, 2024. 

Mrs Sarah Capewell
Head