Wednesday 6 March 2019 The Grammar School at Leeds (GSAL) has made two key appointments as it prepares for an exciting new chapter in the school’s long history. Two new vice principals will oversee a major project that will bring the school’s youngest pupils, in nursery to Year 2, from Rose Court in Headingley to the school’s main site at Alwoodley. The move will create a single school community of pupils from age three to 18, from September 2020. Mrs Gabrielle Solti will join GSAL as Vice Principal and Head of Primary School, to lead the new unified primary phase that will be formed by merging Rose Court and Junior School. Mrs Solti graduated in history from the University of Oxford, and has a wealth of teaching experience in the state and independent sectors, in both coeducational and single sex schools. Although based in London as Head of the Junior School of South Hampstead High School, Mrs Solti has a strong family connection to Leeds and GSAL. She is the daughter of Sir Georg and Lady Valerie Solti, who is an old girl of Leeds Girls’ High School which merged with Leeds Grammar School to create GSAL in 2008. The new Vice Principal and Head of Senior School will be Dr Graham Purves, who joins GSAL from Portsmouth Grammar School, where he is Assistant Head (Teaching and Learning). Dr Purves is also an Oxford graduate and holds a PhD in atomic physics from Durham University. He has experience in large, city-based independent schools like GSAL where he has held leadership roles encompassing curricular and co-curricular briefs, and the implementation of digital learning for maximum impact in the classroom. GSAL Principal Mrs Sue Woodroofe said: “We look forward to welcoming Gabrielle and Graham to GSAL in September. Both bring considerable experience, energy and enthusiasm to their roles and will be pivotal in rolling out the exciting developments we have planned for the future.” Visit our Rose Court pages for the latest on the relocation plans. Pictured are (L-R) Dr Graham Purves, Mrs Sue Woodroofe and Mrs Gabrielle Solti (Photo: Justin Slee) General News Whole School
