Leadership Team

Robert’s journey to ACS has had many stops along the way. British by birth, raised in Australia, educated in Australia and the UK and living and working internationally since 1991.

Robert’s international school career has taken him to Rome, Frankfurt, Berlin, Ho Chi Minh City and Jakarta. During that time, he taught in the Lower School, as well as Middle School English, Mathematics, and Learning Support. He has been a divisional Principal, Assistant Principal, Head of School, Curriculum Coordinator, teacher trainer and member of authorisation teams for the International Baccalaureate Organisation.

Kris has worked at ACS for 10 years as a teacher and then in Senior School administration. Her mission is to engage, support and challenge all our lifelong learners.

Sara has 23 years of teaching and leadership experience, having worked both in the UK and internationally in Dubai. As a previous Head of Sixth Form, Head of Boarding and Deputy Headteacher, Sara is excited to bring this wealth of experience to a new role.

Ian joined ACS in 2017, he believes that through collaboration all members of the Cobham community can transform the way we all demonstrate lifelong learning for a better world.

Sophie has been an educator for 19 years, starting as a French and Spanish teacher in the UK. Her career has taken her to Turkey, China, Malaysia and now back to the UK, within roles including classroom teacher, Head of Department/Faculty, Assistant Head of Secondary, Middle School Principal. This is Sophie’s 6th year within the ACS organisation where she has embraced the power of its values to nurture well-rounded and driven young people. Sophie believes strongly in the power of education to be transformative and that “education is not the learning of facts, but the training of the mind to think” (A. Einstein).

Michelle Quirin is thrilled to be joining the ACS Cobham community to support the High school community as school Principal.

Ms Quirin spent the first twenty years of her career as a teacher and school leader in the suburbs of Washington, DC in the United States and is joining the ACS team after serving as a school leader at an international school in Seoul, South Korea for the past nine years. ACS’s long standing traditions of excellence and commitment to continual improvement make the school an ideal fit. Providing an inclusive place of belonging where each & every member of the community can thrive is the number one priority for Ms Quirin to support the healthy growth, learning, and confident development of all in our care.

Luke Welch is excited about leading the new Upper School division at ACS Cobham.

Previously an Assistant Principal in the High School, Luke has a rich history within the school and he brings an unparalleled understanding of our school’s ethos and a profound dedication to the international education philosophy that lies at the heart of ACS Cobham. His extensive experience and familiarity with the school’s values make him a natural fit to take on the role of Upper School Principal where the focus is on the development of the whole student. He’s committed to building a culture that fosters global citizens, curious explorers, and kind-hearted individuals.

Darren Sheldrake has been with ACS for 7 years and was previously the Middle School Assistant Principal.

He has been in education for 18 years where he spent the majority working in the British system but moved over to International Schooling because it aligned with his philosophy of holistic education. In addition to teaching, Darren spent 10 years as a match official in the English Football League and uses many of the skills in his work as a Middle School leader.

Judith Kingsbury has 28 years of teaching and leadership experience, 26 of which have been working in leading international schools. After starting her career teaching in London, she taught in Switzerland and the UK, before becoming the Primary Vice Principal at Istanbul International Community School.

Throughout her years in international education, she has been committed to developing inquiry-based learning, where students learn through authentic contexts and are motivated to become lifelong independent learners. Judith has served as a trainer for the International Baccalaureate Primary Years Programme, guiding teachers and evaluating schools across Europe and the Middle East.

Previously, Judith was the Principal at Southbank International School, London and the Principal at Istanbul International Community School before relocating to the UK and ACS Cobham. As Principal, her aim is to create and support a challenging and innovative program that responds to the needs of a changing world.

As the Dean of Admissions at ACS Cobham, Helene extends a warm welcome to you. Helene was educated both at an international school in Africa and at British schools in the UK. She holds a degree in education and has a background in teaching English as an Additional Language, as well as experience in sales and customer service for an international airline. Helene began her journey with ACS International Schools at our ACS Hillingdon campus in 2000. She subsequently spent time at all three ACS campuses in the UK (Hillingdon, Egham, and Cobham) before taking on the role of Dean of Admissions at ACS Cobham in 2019.

Our friendly and professional Admissions team is here to support you. Whether you are looking to join us from a different country or from a local UK school, transition can always be challenging, so we have support and expertise on hand to help you every step of the way.

We run regular Open Days, as well as Personal Tours which are available throughout the working week. We look forward to welcoming you to our school.

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