Meet The Leadership Team

Ballard instils a love of learning, both inside and outside the classroom. It is a caring and inclusive community with pupil welfare at the heart of all that we do.

As a Leadership Team, our role is to support the whole of the Ballard Family by identifying and promoting our values, making sure that learning is given the highest priority and creating opportunities for all. Our primary objective is to ensure Ballard remains a rewarding and positive place for everyone to work, study and thrive. We view the management structure as an inverted pyramid, with the Leadership Team at the bottom apex, supporting the community above. Our young people, of course, sit at the top.

Andrew McCleave, Headmaster

I joined Ballard as Headmaster in September 2018. Prior to Joining Ballard, I held the role of Deputy Head (Academic) at City of London Freemen’s School, a 912-pupil boarding school, and before that, I was Assistant Head (Director of Studies) at the highly academic, all-girl Lady Eleanor Holles School in Middlesex. During my career I have taught at all-boys, all-girls and co-ed schools, and independent, maintained, and grammar schools such as Dulwich College, Emanuel School, King Edward VI Grammar School for Boys in Stratford upon Avon, Lady Margaret School, and Notre Dame School. Whilst I lived in London and Surrey I was a governor at a primary school and a specialist SEND school. I am married to Catherine and have two children, both currently attending university.

Matthew Higgins, Deputy Head Academic

I joined Ballard in September 2021 as Deputy Head (Academic) having held leadership roles in many high achieving schools. These positions include Assistant Principal (Director of Mathematics, Assessment & Digital Learning) at Magna Academy, Poole, Assistant Head (Academic) at St John’s College, Southsea, and as Head of Mathematics, Digital Lead and Trust Consultant at Brighton Girls GDST. Throughout my teaching career I have taught within the maintained, independent, sixth-form, all-girls and co-educational sectors. I graduated from the University of Portsmouth with a BSc (Hons) in Mathematics for Finance and Management and furthered my studies with an MA (Ed) in Institutional Management and Leadership from the University of Southampton. In addition, I have developed charitable partnerships that have supported, mentored, and upgraded Lasallian Schools in Columbo, Sri-Lanka. I am married to Danielle, and have two daughters, who are thoroughly enjoying life as part of the Ballard community.

Andrew Marshall, Deputy Head Pastoral

After graduating from St Luke’s College, University of Exeter in Physical Education and French, I worked as a fitness instructor at the Chewton Glen Hotel in New Milton before moving into a teaching career. Prior to joining Ballard, I held the pastoral role of Head of Year for ten years at Priestlands School, Lymington. I was also a Teacher Governor at this School. I joined Ballard as a Senior Teacher in September 2006 with a focus on the well-being of pupils and introducing a new PSHE programme. Inside and outside of School, I also enjoy coaching a number of sports to young people, having played a wide range of sports to a high level myself. I was thrilled to join the Leadership Team at Ballard in September 2019 as Deputy Head (Pastoral). I am married to Mary, who also teaches at Ballard and have two children who have both benefited from the many opportunities afforded to them at Ballard.

Victoria Gray, Director of Co-Curricular

After graduating from the Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama, I worked as a freelance performer and choral conductor before moving into a teaching career. I joined Ballard first as a peripatetic vocal teacher then returned as a class teacher. My children both attended Ballard from Nursery to GCSE and in that time I have been Director of Music, then later Director of Performing Arts leading our award-winning department through many European tours, festivals, competitions and musical productions. I have continued to be involved in the music industry outside of my role at Ballard and am currently the Musical Director of Bournemouth Symphony Youth Chorus, working regularly with the Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra and Chorus in concert halls across the country.

Rebecca Munro, Bursar

After graduating from the University of Portsmouth in Accounting, I began my career as Operations Manager at House of Fraser in Bournemouth, moving into education in 2013 as School Business Manager for a large primary school in Poole. I joined Ballard in 2018 and have leadership responsibility for all the operational functions within School. I have a passion and drive for using our charitable funds to support our amazing young people. As a charitable business, our funds are used to provide our pupils with the best opportunities and educational experiences we can offer. I live with my fiancé Mark and I have three children, two are at University and one is at school.