Announcing the appointment of our new Principal

Published September 22, 2023

I am delighted to share the news that the Trust Board has appointed Charlotte Avery as the new Principal of St Cuthbert’s College.

Charlotte is currently the Principal of St Mary’s School, Cambridge, a leading independent day and boarding school for girls from pre-school to Year 13, in the United Kingdom.

With an outstanding reputation in girls’ education, Charlotte brings a deep understanding of international best practice in delivering a well-rounded, intellectually rigorous, and future focused curriculum.

The Trust Board has spent considerable time getting to know Charlotte and met her in person when she visited Auckland last month. She is a dynamic leader, who is passionate about “developing curious, creative and compassionate young women, with the aspiration, confidence and integrity to shape a better world”.

Charlotte has an exceptional blend of skills and experience to lead St Cuthbert’s into our next chapter. She is a significant voice in contemporary girls’ education, initially in the UK as President of the Girls’ School Association, and more recently as a Board member of the International Coalition of Girls’ Schools.

Charlotte’s own education is of the highest calibre, with an MA in English from Oxford University, and an MA in Education Management from Kings College London.

Charlotte’s official start date is August 2024, however, she has been granted a sabbatical from St Mary’s and so will be in New Zealand during April and May to meet the team, our students, and families.

Acting Principal February – July 2024

Our highly experienced Head of Senior School and Deputy Principal, Suzanne Winthrop, will be the Acting Principal of St Cuthbert’s from the start of Term 1 2024, until Charlotte is officially employed by the College from 1 August.

The Board undertook a thorough recruitment process for this critical role, and we were delighted with the high level of interest in the position. It is a testament to our wonderful Principal, Justine Mahon, and our staff, that St Cuthbert’s attracted such a fantastic calibre of applicants, both domestically and internationally.

Charlotte can’t wait to meet you all! This is exciting news to end the term on, and we look forward to welcoming Charlotte and her husband, Pierre, into our St Cuthbert’s community next year.

With warmest regards

Leigh Melville
Chair, St Cuthbert’s Trust Board