The Independent Schools Council is a politically independent, not-for-profit organisation representing 1,270 independent schools educating more than 500,000 children. It exists to promote choice, diversity and excellence in education, developing talent at all levels of ability and from all backgrounds.

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New President for GSA

18 December 2006

Pat Langham, Headmistress of Wakefield Girls' High School, is to become President of the Girls' Schools Association on 1 January 2007, taking over from Dr Brenda Despontin, headmistress of Haberdashers' Monmouth School for Girls.

The Girls' Schools Association (GSA) is one of the five professional associations in the Independent Schools Council. Its 205 members are all single-sex schools, educating over 107,000 girls in England, Scotland and Wales. Year on year, GSA schools dominate the academic league tables.

Mrs Langham, who is also principal of the Wakefield Grammar School Foundation, said, ‘I am very honoured to represent the Girls' Schools Association. Our schools have a rich diversity of provision, day and boarding, large and small, academically selective and not. What we all have in common is also our unique selling point: we are specialists in the provision of education of and for girls. We provide a female-specific learning environment and are fine-tuned to accommodate the cognitive, social and developmental growth of teenage girls. In a girls' school there is not only equal opportunity, there is every opportunity.

‘During my presidency, I will be seeking to explore further ways in which the GSA can work with the state sector in order to enhance the educational provision for all, but especially for girls. I am a member of the Independent State School Partnership Forum and a passionate advocate for the scheme. Wakefield Girls' High School has been involved in various partnerships since its inception.

‘The GSA will also continue to work closely with the other associations in the independent sector in order to inform and influence the national educational debate.'

Biography
Pat Langham (55) was born in Carlisle and educated at Carlisle and County High School for Girls. She studied English and Russian at Leeds University and Leningrad Polytechnic, obtaining a BA Hons degree followed by a PGCE. In 1987, she obtained her Master of Education degree, also from Leeds University. Her first three posts were in state co-educational comprehensive schools. She was appointed headmistress of Wakefield Girls' High School (WGHS) in 1987. WGHS is a former direct grant selective school, situated in the centre of Wakefield. There are 735 girls in the senior school, and a total of 2200 pupils aged from 3 to 18 in the Wakefield Grammar School Foundation. Mrs Langham is Chairman of the North East Area Training Board, and is also a Trustee of the Royal Armouries and of The Hepworth.

Issued for the GSA by Brown Lloyd James. Media enquiries to Sheila Thompson or Samantha Williams on 020 7 591 9610 (sheilat@blj.co.uk or samanthaw@blj.co.uk)