It is with great pleasure that the Trustees announce the permanent appointment of Peter Middleton as Headteacher of the Day School and Sixth Form at ArtsEd.

Peter has held the role in an interim capacity over the last 18 months and The Chair of Trustees, Claire Blunt, wrote:

‘On behalf of the Trustees, I want to thank Peter for the integrity, warmth, and purpose he has brought to the role over the past 18 months. We look forward to working closely with him as we continue to support the remarkable young people here at ArtsEd.

Peter joined ArtsEd in September 2023 as Interim Headteacher, stepping into the role at a pivotal time for our school community. Since his arrival, Peter has brought clarity, calm, and purpose to the day-to-day running of the School. His impact has been evident in every aspect of school life — from the culture and morale of the staff team to the confidence and well-being of our students.

What has stood out though is Peter’s unwavering commitment to the success of our students. His leadership is characterised by his care, fairness, and ambition for all. He fosters an environment where students are listened to, challenged, and supported in a place where academic achievement and personal development go hand in hand. Peter has clearly demonstrated that the students are at the heart of all that he does whilst building strong relationships with parents and colleagues too.

He has gained the trust and respect of his team with his collaborative leadership style, open communication, and clear vision for the future. He has also engaged thoughtfully and purposefully with parents, carers, and the wider ArtsEd community — recognising the importance of partnership and shared ambition in achieving long-term success.

The Day School and Sixth Form has made both meaningful and measurable progress under Peter’s interim leadership and that positions us even more strongly for the future. Having undertaken a thorough process of reflection and review, the Board of Trustees is confident that Peter is the right person to lead the Day School and Sixth Form into its next chapter.’

Peter Middleton is delighted and said:

‘It has been a privilege over the past 18 months to be part of this amazing school – working closely with our staff, students and their families.  During this time, it has been wonderful to see the students’ develop and witness the outstanding achievements in all areas of the ArtsEd Curriculum.  I am most grateful to the Trustees for their support and for the confidence they have placed in me.  I look forward to leading the Day School and Sixth Form at this key time and to working closely with Louise Jackson as she arrives as Principal.’

ArtsEd is beaming with pride as two of its remarkable alumni have received prestigious nominations for the 2025 Tony Awards, honouring outstanding achievement on Broadway.

David Cumming, MA Acting 2009 Graduate, has earned nominations in four major categories for Operation Mincemeat — Best Musical, Best Book of a Musical, Best Original Score (Music and Lyrics) Written for the Theatre and Best Performance By An Actor In A Featured Role In A Musical. The critically acclaimed production, co-created and performed by Cumming, has captivated audiences with its wit, originality, and musical brilliance.

“It’s wonderful to see MA Acting alumnus David Cumming deservedly nominated for a Tony Award for his charming and hilarious work as co-creator and performer of Operation Mincemeat directed by Robert Hastie. The MA course at ArtsEd enables students to learn multiple skills and celebrates actors who are also writers, musicians, directors and more. David is an amazing example of how developing your skillset and championing who you are can lead to great things.”
George Richmond-Scott, MA Acting Course Leader

In another major category Tom Francis, BA Musical Theatre 2020 Graduate, has been nominated for Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role in a Musical for his outstanding portrayal in Sunset Boulevard. Tom’s powerful performance has won acclaim both in London and now on the Broadway stage.

“We are all delighted and thrilled for Tom on his Tony nomination for Best Performance by An Actor In A Leading Role In A Musical for his performance in Sunset Boulevard. Tom is an outstanding performer and ambassador for the school. He epitomises the very best of ArtsEd, and the world-class training facilitated and delivered here by our brilliant faculty of expert tutors.”
Jonathan O’Boyle, Director of the School of Musical Theatre

At ArtsEd, we are committed to nurturing the next generation of performers, storytellers, and theatre-makers. The success of David and Tom is a testament to their exceptional talent, dedication, and the comprehensive training they received during their time with us.

Congratulations Tom and David, from all of us at ArtsEd! We’ll be cheering you on at the Tony Awards.

The Board of Trustees is delighted to announce the appointment of four new Trustees. They were selected for their expertise in leadership and experience across a range of sectors including Finance, Legal and Secondary Education.

“They all have a passion for the performing arts and I have no doubt that they will make excellent additions to our board.”

Claire Blunt, Chair of Trustees

Sarah Hopwood (Finance)

Sarah Hopwood is an experienced business leader and CFO; a qualified Chartered Accountant, with extensive experience in financial services, media and entertainment, family businesses, education, and the arts. Sarah has been involved in the management of the international opera charity, Glyndebourne, for nearly 30 years as Trustee, Managing Director and previously CFO. Sarah now has a portfolio of non-executive and Trustee roles in organisations ranging from Ed-Tech to the Arts. She lives in East Sussex and is very committed to local community engagement, particularly in ensuring access to the Arts for everyone.

Laura McGaughey (Finance)

Laura McGaughey is a senior finance and operational executive who has spent her career in UK and international media organisations. She qualified as a Chartered Accountant at Ernst & Young and has since worked largely in TV and Film, starting at the BBC/BBC Studios, where she played a key role in the transformation of BBC Studios production to a commercial operation. She is currently Chief Financial and Operating Officer at Anton Studios, a European independent studio. Throughout her career she has supported boards in delivering growth and organisational change, as well as chairing gender and diversity boards, including setting up and supported mentoring and women’s finance networks. Laura holds non-executive roles on BAFTA’s Audit and Risk Committee, as well as at Knowledge Schools Trust, a multi-academy Trust, where she sits on the Board of Governors and chairs their Finance and Operations Committee.

Richard Nicholson (Secondary Education)

A musician by training, Richard Nicholson was a chorister at Southwell Minster and subsequently organ scholar at Lichfield Cathedral before being elected Organ Scholar at Pembroke College, Oxford. Richard began his teaching career in west London and was Director of Music in two schools before moving into school leadership. He is currently Foundation Principal of Warwick Schools Foundation, one of the largest educational charities in the U.K. He is passionate about the place of the arts as part of every child’s educational entitlement and actively supports instrumental and choral projects to bring that to fruition in the town of Warwick and the wider region.

Matthew Wilson (Legal)

Matt is Chief Legal Officer at Fremantle, which is a global content producer of over 12,000 hours of original programming every year across drama, entertainment, documentaries, and film. He joined Fremantle in August 2021 and sits on the global board. Prior to Fremantle, Matt was based in Amsterdam as General Counsel for EMEA & APAC for Uber, leading a diverse, international team who helped Uber Rides to scale, launch Uber Eats and JUMP bikes (now Lime) and stabilise and grow the business across over 50 countries, culminating in a successful listing on the NYSE in 2019. Matt started his career with four years at Baker & McKenzie, followed by an overall six-year stint in senior roles for global telco Telefónica with a spell at Arsenal Football Club in the middle. Matt studied Economics and Politics and is a practicing Solicitor (England and Wales).

We are thrilled to welcome Sarah, Laura, Richard and Matthew to ArtsEd.