I have been very warmly welcomed into the school and am very much looking forward to meeting many of you over the next few weeks and months, whether virtually or in real life, as soon as this is possible. I am particularly thrilled to have been asked to take up the Headship at Lincoln Minster School. Having spent much of my teaching life in and around Canterbury, working in partnership with the Cathedral there, as well as with various other sections of the community, moving to Lincoln feels like a natural fit. I have been a Director of Music in Grammar Schools for much of my career but have kept up sporting interests too: largely rowing, tennis and running. I have also been a boarding Housemistress and Deputy Head Pastoral, before becoming a Head. I am married to Paul, a professional singer, and have two sons, one teaching Modern Languages in a Sussex boarding school and the other, a Drama graduate, currently awaiting Officer Selection with the Army.

It is obviously early days for me at LMS, but I am very much looking forward to the year ahead. At a time in which it would be very easy to become rather inward-looking, we need to have inspiring things to look towards: I especially look forward to continuing to develop the excellent partnership projects begun by Mark Wallace. I shall also be seeking new opportunities for the school and ensuring that LMS continues to grow it's extraordinarily rich co-curricular offer alongside achieving such impressive academic results. What really inspires me as a Head, is helping all students to discover and pursue their ‘spark’ in life, and to ensure that we provide as many opportunities as possible for your child to be able to do this. An interesting thing for me is that the teacher who provided my real ‘spark’ experience at school – my Head of Music – has lived in Lincoln for many years, and I have always kept in touch with her. It feels particularly right to be coming to Lincoln, as a result!

In the meantime, the whole team here has done an amazing job in readying the school for a safe return. The quarantined boarders are now back in circulation, nearly all pupils have returned and the serious business of getting on with learning begins anew. The exact shape and content of public examinations next year is not finalised by Ofqual, but we feel confident that we are all rather more resilient now and are ready to adapt to the situation as it develops. We will, of course, update you with further details as they emerge.

We are very aware that 2020 brought with it a new range of challenges and pressures for our students, and we will be very alert for signs of anxiety and stress, as always. Please don’t hesitate to get in touch with us if anything is concerning you, Covid-related or not. We are here to help.

I would like to take this opportunity to wish all our students and their families a very happy and successful year with Lincoln Minster School.

Best wishes,

Maria Young
Lincoln Minster School Headmistress