Assistant Head (Academic)
Judy Thurman became Assistant Head (Academic) in September 2025, following her position as Director of Teaching and Learning. Judy originally joined the MFL department in Sherborne School in 2005, having previously worked in boys’ grammar schools and an international school in Brunei. She was appointed as Head of German in 2006 and Head of Languages in 2009.
As a key member of the careers team, Judy has supported boys with university and career pathways. In 2020 she took on the additional role of Head of Specialist Higher Education, working closely with boys applying for competitive university courses. She has also worked on initiatives to develop literacy and reading across the School.
Judy studied German and Russian at Oxford university and is a keen advocate of ensuring boys have access to a wide range of language options. Her interests include trekking, drama and cooking. She has enjoyed being involved in school drama, as a director of House plays and a producer of school musicals.
Simon Heard, BA (Hons), PGDip
Headmaster
It is an immense privilege to be Headmaster of this wonderful school. It is my role to ensure that we create, for our boys, the very best opportunities to learn and to grow as young men, to ensure they leave Sherborne happy, confident and humble, ready to give more to the world than they take. Sherborne’s unique character education, which pervades every aspect of life here at Sherborne, helps prepare our boys for life, nurturing the character they will need to thrive. This is a full-boarding school for the 21st century; a warm and supportive boarding community which enriches all those within it, interwoven with an all-round education, where a boy’s character and academic development are inseparable. People and relationships are at the centre of this. We are fortunate to have an exceptional community: the pupils and their parents; a fantastic staff team; loyal and supportive alumni; a dedicated and professional governing body. We are particularly fortunate to be part of the Sherborne Schools Group (SSG) based in the beautiful and historic town of Sherborne. Our relationship with Sherborne Girls, Sherborne Prep and Hanford Prep continues to provide an educational richness of opportunity, for our young people to learn about life and each other in an outstanding setting. This wonderful place provides our pupils with the very best of both worlds – single-sex academic and boarding environments (with increasing coeducational sixth form teaching) set in the context of a small, friendly and vibrant town, offering multiple coeducational opportunities, to the benefit of all. Our boys must understand their context in the wider world, for example, the importance of the sustainability and biodiversity, of social challenges, cultural difference, and be empathetic to those less fortunate. An awareness, therefore, of our place on this wonderful planet, gives the boys the perspective they need to be decent global citizens. Ultimately, the excellence of education we provide is paramount, and is something for which Sherborne has been known over the many centuries of its existence. There is a responsibility on us, and on me as Headmaster, to ensure that the education we provide in the 21st century is relevant, interesting and exciting. I very much hope you will visit us at your convenience to see this in action. You will be warmly welcomed.
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Dr Tim Filtness BA, MA, Phd
Deputy Head (Academic)
Tim joined Sherborne in 2014. Prior to that he was Director of Learning at Sir William Perkins’s School and, before that, Head of Biology at Merchant Taylors’, Northwood and at Wellington College. As Deputy Head (Academic) Tim is responsible for teaching and learning at Sherborne, including arranging the School’s curriculum and its staffing.
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Allister Sheffield BSc
Deputy Head (Pastoral)
Allister joined the School in January 2019 having previously worked at Dauntsey’s School in Wiltshire. During his time at Dauntsey’s he was a Boarding Housemaster and taught Geography, having also been Head of their PSHE Department, as well as Master in Charge of their Lower School Outdoor Activity programme.
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Alex Boyd-Williams BA, MEd, PGCE, DipEFC
Deputy Head (Sixth Form)
Alex holds a first-class honours degree in Drama from the University College of Wales, Aberystwyth, a PGCE from the University of Cambridge, and an MEd in Educational Leadership (with Distinction) from the University of Buckingham. He is currently pursuing an Executive MBA with the University of Bath, which he will complete in September 2025. A passionate advocate for global education, Alex spent a year studying at the European Film College in Denmark and later lived and worked in the Swiss Alps. His teaching career includes roles at Millfield, where he was Director of Drama, and at Aiglon College and Uppingham School, where he served as a Housemaster. Most recently, Alex was Deputy Head (Sixth Form) at Framlingham College. Outside of work, Alex enjoys reading, cooking, music, walking, running, tennis and cycling. He is married to Kate, a coach; together, they have two teenage daughters and two cavapoos.
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Ben Sunderland BEng
Deputy Head (Operations)
Ben became Deputy Head (Operations) in Trinity Term 2025, following his roles as Assistant Head (Boarding), Director of Boarding, Senior Housemaster and Housemaster of Lyon House. He is a teacher of Mathematics, a Deputy DSL and also coaches rugby and cricket. In his time in the school Ben has had a variety of roles including Contingent Commander of the CCF, Master in charge of the Leadership and Teambuilding course and he has been heavily involved in Sherborne’s outdoor education programme. Ben has been working in the boarding community extensively throughout his time at Sherborne; having been a Housemaster in Lyon for 12 years, and resident tutor at The Digby and Abbey House and also Senior Tutor at The Digby and Harper. He is married to Lisa and has three children, Imogen, Harry and Alfie. He enjoys cycling and generally keeping fit.
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Judy Thurman BA
Assistant Head (Academic)
Judy Thurman became Assistant Head (Academic) in September 2025, following her position as Director of Teaching and Learning. Judy originally joined the MFL department in Sherborne School in 2005, having previously worked in boys’ grammar schools and an international school in Brunei. She was appointed as Head of German in 2006 and Head of Languages in 2009. As a key member of the careers team, Judy has supported boys with university and career pathways. In 2020 she took on the additional role of Head of Specialist Higher Education, working closely with boys applying for competitive university courses. She has also worked on initiatives to develop literacy and reading across the School. Judy studied German and Russian at Oxford university and is a keen advocate of ensuring boys have access to a wide range of language options. Her interests include trekking, drama and cooking. She has enjoyed being involved in school drama, as a director of House plays and a producer of school musicals.
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Dr David Wild BSc, PhD
Director of Digital Learning
David joined Sherborne in September 2019. Before that David was Head of Computer Science and a teacher of mathematics at Bedford School. Before becoming a school teacher, David was a senior member of various educational software companies, including Wimba Inc. (Blackboard Plc) as Director of Assessment, RM (Product Manager) and BPP Publishing Plc and EQL International Ltd (Director of Assessment and CTO). Many moons ago, he was a post-doctoral Research Associate and then lecturer in Mathematics at Heriot-Watt University, Edinburgh. His work in industry and at university pioneered early work in on-screen assessment and his Ph.D. in Computer Based Assessment in Mathematics featured the first known formal examination, by computer, in a British University (as shown on the 6 O’Clock national news!). This work won the British Nuclear Fuels Prize and the first Bank of Scotland Tercentenary award. He is well published in Computer-Based Assessment and Computer Aided Learning and was a founding director of the E-Assessment Association. He created and commercialised i-Assess, an assessment platform that powered some of the world’s most prestigious international awarding bodies, such as ACCA, CIMA, ICAEW, AAT and Cambridge Assessment. He has also worked with City & Guilds, IBO and the Indian Government as an educational consultant in e-assessment. At Sherborne, David is Head of Computer Science and is Digital Lead as well as creator of our own AI platform, Sherbot. David lives with his partner, Sharon, in Sherborne and has two children, Adam and Scarlett. He enjoys playing classical guitar and riding his Triumph motorcycle.
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Alexander Eadon BA, LRAM, ARCO,
Director of Music
Alexander has been Director of Music at Sherborne Boys’ since 2024 having previously held positions at King Edward VI Southampton, Eastbourne College, Oundle School and Dean Close Cheltenham. He has also been organist at St Martin-in-the-Fields, Tewkesbury Abbey and Arundel Cathedral as well as a Chorister at King’s College, Cambridge and is also a Trustee of the Rodolfus Choral Foundation. He is a firm believer in Music being an essential part of anybody’s education and that Music is something for all to enjoy at any level. Alexander is married to Nicki and has a son and a cat. He has a healthy interest in rugby (and is often to be found refereeing at School on a Saturday) and an unhealthy interest in Formula 1 and cookery.
read more.jpg "Lucy Mackenzie")
Lucy Mackenzie
Operations Bursar
Bio to follow