Committee - CISC - Catholic Independent Schools' Conference

The CISC Committee consists of representatives from a broad and diverse range of leading Catholic independent schools. Each representative brings with them a wealth of knowledge and experience to help direct and lead the work of our charity.

Matthew Burke (Chair)

St Edward’s School

Cirencester Road
Charlton Kings
Cheltenham, Gloucestershire
GL53 8EY

W: www.stedwards.co.uk

Matthew Burke's Biography

Matthew Burke is the Principal of St Edward’s School, Cheltenham. Before joining St Edward’s, Matthew was Director of Education and Enterprise at the Inspired Learning Group, one of the country’s leading operators of independent schools. Previously he was Head of St Martha’s and Mount House School in North London, and was Deputy Head of Our Lady’s Abingdon and De La Salle College, Jersey.

Educated at Prior Park College, Maryvale Institute and the universities of Southampton, Bristol and Cardiff, Matthew has worked in the independent Catholic sector his whole career. As well as serving on the CISC committee Matthew is also a member of the Futures Committee of the Society of Heads, Ex Co member of ISA and a panel member of ISTIP.

Matthew is married to Dawn, a deputy head and they have two children.

Margaret Giblin (Treasurer)

Marymount International School, London
George Road,

Kingston-upon-Thames,

Surrey,

KT2 7PE
W: www.marymountlondon.com

Margaret Giblin's Biography

Mrs Margaret Giblin is the Headmistress of all-girls senior school, Marymount International School, set in Surrey, southwest of London. She has over 23 years of experience in education both in the UK and Ireland. She holds an MA in Catholic School Leadership from St Mary’s University and obtained her Higher Diploma in Teaching and a BA in Theology and English at the National University of Ireland and St Patrick’s Pontifical University, respectively.

Prior to her commencement at Marymount in 2021, she was the Deputy Head People at Woldingham Catholic School for Girls, where she has been working since 2012 in various roles.

Margaret champions all-girls education, the value of the IB curriculum and the benefits a boarding house offers in terms of supporting the international environment she leads. She operates in a kind and objective manner which is reflective not only of her warm approach, but also of the ethos and values of the school.

Margaret Giblin is married and has two teenage children.

Fr Christopher Cann

Stonyhurst St Mary’s Hall
Stonyhurst, Clitheroe, Lancashire, BB7 9PU
W: www.stonyhurst.ac.uk

Fr Christopher J Cann's Biography

Chris was born in Monmouthshire and went to Rougemont School in Newport. He studied Modern Languages at St Andrews ( MA. 1987) which included a placement at Lausanne University, before being accepted for training for the ministry in the Church in Wales. He read Theology at Oxford ( MA 1990) and completed his theological training for Anglican ministry at St Stephen’s House, Oxford. Ordained deacon in 1990 and priest in 1991 , his title parish was St Julian’s, Newport. In 1993 he took up the post of Chaplain at Denstone College Preparatory School in Staffordshire, taking over as Head in July 1997.

Married to Honor, a fellow graduate from St Andrews and a GP, the couple now live in Uttoxeter, Staffordshire and have six grown up children and two grandchildren. Chris has been an ISI team inspector since 2007 and was a Director of IAPS from 2017- 2020. In December 2011 , Chris was welcomed into the Catholic Church and has been a Priest of the Ordinariate of Our Lady of Walsingham since September 2012.

He was appointed Head of the new Preparatory School at Ratcliffe College where he also worked closely with the Institute of Charity (Rosminians ) as Senior Leadership Lead for Catholic Life.

Chris started a new role as Headmaster for Stonyhurst St Mary’s in September 2022.

Annie Sutton

St Joseph’s Specialist Trust
Amlets Lane,
Cranleigh, Surrey, GU6 7DH
W: www.st-josephscranleigh.surrey.sch.uk

Annie Sutton's Biography

Annie Sutton started her working life aged five serving cups of tea in the family Ice Cream Parlour/Café and continued to work in the catering industry, eventually running her own events business in Clifton, Bristol.

Despite her parent’s desire for her to train and qualify as a doctor, and dutifully following the education route to point in the right direction for this objective, Annie broke her parent’s heart and trained as a teacher.

After taking a career break to raise her five children, Annie returned to the world of teaching and has been there for 25 years. She discovered her niche, vocation and very happy place in the SEN charity sector, where she has been for the last 12 years.

Annie is committed to pragmatism and efficiency and quickly gets bored when things are running smoothly or do not present as a challenge. As CEO of St Joseph’s Specialist Trust the opportunities to remain very busy and very challenged appear unending at times.

If Annie had to liken herself to an animal, it would be a shark, because she is convinced that she will suffocate if she isn’t constantly moving forwards! This means that ‘down time’ is equally energetic and at home the total ‘back to bricks’ house renovation project has been going on for many years. When not refitting and tiling bathrooms or putting down tiled underfloor heating, there are cats, chickens, garden foxes, a new campervan and a new granddaughter to ensure that life is always noisy and time consuming. Since the age of 18 Annie shares this life with her best friend, childhood sweetheart and husband – Pete. As a couple 100k continuous hikes and 100mile runs are a shared interest!

Jon Reddin

Ratcliffe College
Fosse Way
Ratcliffe on the Wreake
Leicester, LE7 4SG
W: www.ratcliffecollege.com

Jon Reddin's Biography

Mr Jon Reddin was appointed Head of Ratcliffe in 2017 having worked at the school in two senior roles since joining in 2008. Jon read Sports Science at the University of Loughborough, where he continued to complete his Masters Degree. During this time, he captained the English Universities’ Football Team, as well as developing a very high level of skills across many sports. After gaining his Post-Graduate Certificate of Education from Loughborough, Mr Reddin commenced his professional career as a teacher of Academic PE and Games and Resident Boarding Tutor at Kimbolton School, before moves to The Licensed Victuallers’ School, Ascot, and Brentwood School, where he distinguished himself in the role of Director of Sport. His commitment to the pastoral well-being of students and staff is indicative of the Ratcliffe ethos. Jon is married with two children.

Rachel Owens

St George’s College
Weybridge Road,
Addlestone,
Surrey, KT15 2QS
W: www.stgeorgesweybridge.com

Ed Hester

Princethorpe College
Leamington Rd, Princethorpe, Rugby CV23 9PX
W: www.princethorpe.com

Ed Hester's Biography

Ed Hester took up the post of Headmaster at Princethorpe College in September 2009 and in January 2023 took up the role of Foundation Principal.

Educated at Brasenose College, Oxford, where he read Engineering, Ed took his PGCE in Mathematics and was awarded a cricket blue. He taught at Downside and Mount Saint Joseph’s, Bolton before being appointed Head of Mathematics at St Christopher’s, Bahrain.

In 2000 he moved to Rugby School initially as Head of Mathematics, subsequently becoming Assistant Head.

Ed has three children, all of whom have been educated at Princethorpe.