New Head of School at St Martin's Ampleforth

Dr David Moses

Ampleforth Abbey and College have appointed respected Housemaster Dr David Moses as Head of School at St Martin's Ampleforth, the College's preparatory school. He will take over in September 2016, replacing Mark O'Donnell, who will leave in July.

David has taught English at Ampleforth College since 2005. Before becoming Housemaster of St John's in 2010, where his pastoral care was recognised by parents, he also played music with the orchestra and was Head of Music Scholars, alongside playing the bagpipes.

An integral figure on the leadership team at Ampleforth and with a decade of living in the valley with his wife Clare and sons James and Ethan, he will bring a focus on academic excellence as well as a parents' perspective to the preparatory school.

Prior to Ampleforth, David had taught in the Department of English Literature at the University of Edinburgh where he took a First Class degree in English and Scottish Literature. This was closely followed by a doctorate in Medieval Literature and Theology.

Headmaster David Lambon, said: "Ampleforth is a unique place. We are the world's foremost provider of Catholic education and it is critical for the Head of School at St Martin's Ampleforth to have the academic, pastoral and leadership skills to help children flourish and work in partnership with their parents, whether they are from the next village or from overseas. I very much look forward to working closely with David as we enter this next stage of development at St Martin's Ampleforth."

St Martin's Ampleforth is the Preparatory School for Ampleforth College and welcomes boys and girls as day or full-boarding students from the ages of seven to 13, with a nursery and pre-prep for children aged three to six. The school is located in a Grade I listed castle within the 2,000-acre estate of Ampleforth Abbey.

Set in one of North Yorkshire's Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty, Ampleforth is the UK's largest and most forward-looking Benedictine community.
Steered by a moral 'Compass for Life' nurtured by the Benedictine ethos, children are taught at co-educational Preparatory School St Martin's Ampleforth (3-13) and Ampleforth College (13-18). Ampleforth also runs a permanent private hall at Oxford University, St Benet's Hall.

Ampleforth Abbey visitor centre welcomed its 50,000th visitor in August 2015 and the Benedictine monastery at Ampleforth is a centre for spirituality, education, pastoral work and evangelisation.

Ampleforth was established in 1802 when the monks returned to England following a 200-year exile in France following the dissolution of the monasteries by Henry VIII. The famous Abbey orchard now has some 2,000 trees and more than 40 varieties of apples, some of which are used to make the famous Ampleforth Abbey Cider and Cider Brandy. The Abbey also started selling Ampleforth Abbey Beer in 2012. Derived from a 17th century recipe in the Belgian Trappist style, the beer is brewed in partnership with local brewery Little Valley Brewery.