Drew Quayle, currently Senior Lecturer and Course Leader at Anglia Ruskin University in Chelmsford has been appointed as the new Diocesan Director of Education. Drew was previously Headteacher at Bures CEVCP School in Suffolk from 2013-2017 and was a member of the Diocesan Board of Education from 2014 until 2022. Drew is currently completing a PhD in Education.
The diocese serves 87 Church of England schools throughout Suffolk. The current Director, Jane Sheat, is retiring this summer.
Archdeacon Rich Henderson writes: “As Chair of the Diocesan Board of Education, I am delighted that Drew has accepted the invitation to be our next Director of Education and I am confident that Drew’s collaborative leadership style and strategic vision will strengthen our partnerships with school leaders, clergy, and communities across the diocese as we grow in faith. At a time of both challenge and opportunity in education, Drew’s passion for excellence, inclusion, and Christian distinctiveness will help ensure that our schools continue to be places where every child is known, valued, and inspired to achieve their God-given potential. Please keep Drew in your prayers as he prepares to join us.”
Bishop Joanne writes: “I am looking forward to Drew joining us, bringing wisdom and experience from a variety of educational settings. I am confident that he will help us to shape our diocesan vision so that schools continue to play an important part in ministry and mission across the diocese, as they serve children and young people of every faith and cultural background.”
Drew writes: “It is a real privilege to be joining the Diocese of St Edmundsbury and Ipswich as your new Diocesan Director of Education. I am very much looking forward to serving our schools, clergy, and communities across the diocese as we pursue our vision for human flourishing, seeking that our pupils ‘live life in all its fullness’. I am delighted to be joining such a dedicated and passionate team in supporting school leaders and governors. As I prepare to begin in September, my priority will be to listen, so that I can develop a strong understanding of the opportunities and challenges you are navigating. Ensuring a smooth handover will be an important part of this. I would like to recognise the significant contribution of Jane Sheat. Having previously served on the Diocesan Board of Education, I have experienced firsthand her caring and wise leadership. I am committed to working with you as we continue to shape our church schools as places where every individual is known, valued, and able to thrive. I look forward to meeting you.“
Drew will start in September 2026.