Highbury Preparatory School welcomes new principal

THE start of the third term has been especially exciting at Highbury Preparatory School as they welcome Roland Lacock as their new principal.

Lacock, has moved to Highbury from Uplands Preparatory School in White River, Mpumalanga, accompanied by his wife, Lindy, and their three daughters.

While 41-year-old Lacock’s career has taken him abroad to the Middle East where he gained invaluable experience in boys’ education, he returned to KwaZulu Natal, the province of his youth and formative years, as principal.

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He was schooled at Merchiston and Maritzburg College and chose to dedicate his life to teaching.

He studied a Higher Diploma in Education at Edgewood College, a Bachelor of Arts at UNISA and holds a Masters in Educational Leadership from the Open University in the UK.

Returning to his home school of Merchiston and then Cowan House to teach, he was later appointed acting principal at Glenelg Boys’ School in Abu Dhabi before returning home to South Africa to take up the role of deputy headmaster at Uplands Preparatory School.

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In addition to his reputation as a professional executive keenly involved in strategic planning and advancing education through technology, Lacock has coached rugby, cricket, hockey, athletics and swimming.

“It is a great privilege to be appointed by the board as the next principal of Highbury Preparatory School. I am both humbled and excited by the opportunity of working with and leading the team of dedicated staff, getting to know the Highbury boys and building a healthy relationship with all the stakeholders.

“Highbury has a wonderful reputation of academic, cultural and sporting excellence and I look forward to being part of this prestigious school’s story,” he said.

Brendan Stewart, chairman of the Highbury Board of Governors said there is no question that appointing the right person to head up this fine school with over a century of tradition and stellar achievements behind it, was critically important to its future.

“The role of principal demands natural leadership, vigour, compassion, strong Christian values and a clear vision of the future of education. We believe that we have found these qualities and more in Mr Lacock,” said Stewart.

He added that Highbury Preparatory now enters what they believe will be one of the most exciting eras in its illustrious history.

“Led by a principal who is focused, passionate about education and goal-driven, the school is set to grow a new generation of young men not only secure in their early grounding but confident to pursue their future goals and dreams,” said Stewart.

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