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 Chairman for The Independent Schools Association (ISA)

13 December 2005

Colin Ashby, Headmaster of Trinity School in Teignmouth, Devon, is to become the Chairman of the Independent Schools Association on 1st January 2006, taking over from David Vanstone, Headmaster of North Cestrian Grammar School in Altrincham, Cheshire.

The Independent Schools Association was founded in 1879 and is one of the oldest of the independent school heads' organisations. It exists to provide professional support to headteachers, to provide training opportunities for heads and their staff, and to offer a wide range of sporting and cultural activities to pupils in around 300 schools. ISA schools educate approximately 70,000 girls and boys.

"In building further on the progressive developments within ISA, I am keen that ISA widely promotes and celebrates the diversity and excellence within our schools. As a partner with the other bodies of accredited independent schools within ISC it is essential for ISA to work collaboratively and serve our members with high quality professional support.

"I see ISA as a forward thinking association with the widest range of type of school of all the five heads associations within ISC: Nursery, Prep, Senior, Day, Boarding, International, Mixed and Single Sex, Christian and other faiths. Some have restricted age ranges, others like Trinity offer places to children from 3 months to young adults up to 19 years of age. Some are highly selective and others cater for children over a range of abilities, offering excellent learning support to pupils with special educational needs. ISA schools have characteristics that make them popular choices for many parents as a result of high quality teaching and learning. In addition, they offer high levels of individual attention, pastoral care and personal support to pupils in our schools, which are often much smaller than our counterparts.

"As Chairman of ISA, I am keen to raise the Association's profile further and help ISC schools speak with one voice."

Biography
Colin Ashby has been Headmaster of Trinity School since 1992. He was educated at Sir Thomas Rich's Grammar School before reading Chemistry at Birmingham University. He studied for his PGCE at Oxford University where he gained his rugby Blue in 1973. His first teaching post was at Epsom College during which time he and his wife, Patricia, ran a girls' boarding house. After two years at Bromsgrove School as Second Chemist, he spent 8 years as Housemaster at Elmshurst School. Colin has examined for Cambridge Examinations Syndicate and Cambridge Schools Examination Board and is an ISI inspector. A former 1st class rugby player for Richmond and Surrey, watching sport is his favourite pastime.

Trinity School
Trinity School has expanded massively in recent years, from 220 pupils in 1992 to over 600 today, of whom about a quarter board. The school has a joint Roman Catholic and Anglican foundation and, therefore, a strongly ecumenical Christian outlook while being respectful of other faith communities. The school teaches the full age range from 3months to 19. There are about 100 nursery children and the same number of 6th Formers. Trinity was the first accredited independent school in Devon and Cornwall to win the Investors in People Award and is one of the top 2% of schools nationally in terms of value-added. Trinity excels at sport and has students competing nationally in fencing, tennis, athletics, swimming and squash.