Staff

Peter Gardner B.A., DipPsych., M.A., Ed.D., A.F.B.Ps.S., C.Mgr.M.C.M.I., F.Inst.D., is the founder of Appleford School.

Dr Gardner is a Chartered Educational Psychologist, a Chartered Forensic Psychologist and a Chartered Counselling Psychologist of the British Psychological Society. He is a Full Practitioner Member of the British Psychological Society Division of Neuropsychology, is on the Special Register of Clinical Neuropsychologists and is a Member of the BPS Faculty of Pediatric Neuropsychology.

He is a Health and Care Professions Council Registered Psychologist:

• Practitioner Educational Psychologist
• Practitioner Counselling Psychologist
• Practitioner Forensic Psychologist

He was a Committee Member of the former BPS Psychology and Psychotherapy Association.

In terms of management qualifications, he is a Member of the Chartered Institute of Management and a Fellow of the Institute of Directors.

Much of his work is legal work, including the preparation of detailed court reports and submission of oral evidence, working for Crown Courts and County Courts. He acted as an expert witness in the precedent-setting Phelps v London Borough of Hillingdon education negligence case in the High Court in July 1997 and was described by Mr. Justice Garland as “particularly well qualified, careful and fair.”

Dr Gardner takes an active role in all aspects of Appleford life; he is involved in all the SMT meetings, and established an Advisory Board to the School in January 2014. The latest ISI Inspection Report rated the quality of governance at Appleford as Excellent:

“The proprietor provides very effective oversight of all aspects for the school.  He has combined the best elements of the governance characteristics of charitable schools and the corporate business world by establishing an advisory board.

The proprietor, well advised by the advisory board, has high expectations of school leaders and staff, using good systems to check the performance of staff.   He discharges his responsibilities for the oversight of regulatory compliance, by conducting a thorough annual review of the school’s policies, procedures for safeguarding, welfare, health and safety, ensuring that these are implemented effectively.

The proprietor fulfils all legal responsibilities extremely well across all sections of the school and ensures that pupils are effectively safeguarded”.

David King B.Ed (Hons) MIA was appointed Headmaster of Appleford School in 2012. After attending The Wallasey Grammar School, Wirral and the University of Liverpool where he studied History and Art, his career in education began as a Primary School teacher, followed by Maths Coordinator and then SENCo. He gained Dyslexia Friendly Status for one of the first Somerset Primary Schools and was part of a pilot group which developed strategies for Teaching for Effective Learning, which has now become part of mainstream policy. After prior Headships of two independent senior schools, Mr King took time out of education for five years in business as owner and chairman of an Outdoor Adventure company.

Since joining Appleford School as Headmaster, Appleford has grown from a small Prep school of 58 pupils, to a successful Prep, Senior and 6^th Form school with a 150% increase in pupil numbers. As a specialist dyslexia school, Appleford is particularly proud of its achievements.