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Aug
Shaping the female leaders of tomorrow: meet the New Head of Queen Mary’s School
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As Queen Mary’s School in North Yorkshire steps confidently into its second century, it does so with a renewed vision of what it means to educate girls for the future. At the heart of that vision is Fe Beadnell, the school’s newly appointed Head, whose passion for girls’ education is matched only by her belief in what young women are capable of achieving.
Fe is at Queen Mary’s to do more than lead a school — she’s there to prepare girls to lead the world.
What employers and communities need now are people who can listen, adapt, collaborate, think critically and creatively, and lead with integrity. And those are exactly the skills we teach our girls.
It’s a compelling perspective in an era where emotional intelligence, creativity, and communication consistently top the list of most sought-after workplace skills. For Fe, these traits aren’t just desirable — they’re foundational.
Leadership isn’t about being the loudest voice in the room. It’s about having the courage to speak up, the curiosity to listen, and the resilience to keep going when things get tough.
Fe’s belief in the power of girls’ education is deeply personal. Having grown up in an all-girls school, she saw first-hand how leadership opportunities could be shaped to fit different personalities and strengths.
I was always encouraged to lead in ways that felt right for me. Whether I was captaining a team or speaking up in a meeting, I was never made to feel that leadership had a fixed definition.
Fe Beadnell is the new head of Queen Mary's
Now, she brings that same ethos to Queen Mary’s — a school with a long tradition of nurturing independent, capable young women. As she steps into her new role, Fe is launching a dedicated leadership programme, designed to equip pupils with the self-belief, skills, and emotional intelligence they’ll need to thrive — not just in school, but in life.
This is about real-world readiness.
It’s about giving girls the toolkit they need to lead, wherever life takes them — whether that’s a business boardroom, a research lab, a creative studio, or a local community group.
Fe Beadnell joins Queen Mary’s at a moment of celebration and transformation. This year marks the school’s centenary, and the community is honouring 100 years of girls' education with a vibrant programme of events — from a festival-style party in Queen Mary’s parkland and a commemorative service at Ripon Cathedral, to a glittering Centenary Ball.
But the focus is not only on the past. With Fe at the helm, Queen Mary’s is looking firmly to the future.
There’s something truly powerful about watching a girl realise she can lead.
Our all-girls environment is critical to what sets Queen Mary’s apart from other schools. Girls thrive in our school where they are free to be themselves and encouraged to be bold, confident leaders. The skills they gain here carry them forward in life and we see this in our amazing and diverse alumnae who work across many different industries and in varied roles.
We are a Top 10 school for girls to age 16, sharing an inspiring and empowering environment that enables every girl to happily make their way in the world, their way.
Find out more about the all-girls advantage at Queen Mary’s at queenmarys.org.
Register for the school's Open Morning on October 4 by emailing admin@queenmarys.org or calling 01845 575000.
Baldersby Park Topcliffe North Yorkshire England YO7 3BZ.
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