Doctor Timothy Roderick Hands is an English teacher, writer and educator, who is headmaster of Magdalen College School, Oxford.
Education
Hands comes from a family of teachers. He was educated in the state sector, later he studied the violin at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama, before reading English at, where he also gained a qualification in Theology. He then became a graduate student at Oxford, where he was senior scholar at Street Catherine’s and then Oriel College.
Career
Hands was a Lecturer in English at Oriel College before becoming a housemaster at The King’s School Canterbury, and Second Master at Whitgift School. In 1997 he became Headmaster of The Portsmouth Grammar School before moving in January 2008 to Magdalen College School as its 61st Master. Hands has appeared as a spokesman for the independent sector on educational matters, especially partnership between the sectors, and university admissions.
He was elected to the Committee of the Headmasters’ and Headmistresses’ Conference in 2003, becoming chairman of its University Committee one year later, and serving in that capacity for seven years.
In 2012 he was elected as Chairman of the Conference for 2013-2014. In July 2015 it was announced that Doctor Hands would be taking up the position of Headmaster of Winchester College in September 2016.