About Alleyn’s
Jane is the 2020 recipient of the Tatler Schools "Best Head of an Independent School" award.
After her education at North London Collegiate School and the University of Bristol (reading English), Jane began her career by dabbling in the world of marketing and research and enjoyed the excitement of a daily London commute in high heels and shoulder-pads, until she saw the light, ditched the heels and the shoulder pads and became an English teacher. This, she quickly discovered, was the best job in the world. (Paid to read books and talk about them!)
Jane has had experience of both single-sex and co-educational environments, working at Wellington College and Prior’s Field School and enjoying learning lots more about herself and the joy of education in variety of roles: Head of English, Assistant Director of Studies, Head of Sixth Form, Deputy Pastoral and Housemaster’s wife. She returned to Wellington College in 2010, to be Anthony Seldon’s Senior Deputy, before becoming Head of Wimbledon High School in September 2014 and spending six inspiring, exciting and very happy years running the school.
Jane is a trustee of the Royal Springboard Foundation, sits on the Board of Governors for the London Academy of Excellence Tottenham, Barrow Hills School and King Edward’s School, Witley and sits on the HMC Universities Committee. Her first book, “The State of Independence”, co-written with Dr David James, was first published by Routledge in 2019 and examines the challenges and opportunities for independent education. A second edition is due for publication in Febuarary 2023. She is now working on her second book: “Schools of Thought”.
Her home-life is pretty full-on. She is married to Neil Lunnon who is also a Head (of Fulham Prep School) and has two children (Josie and Jamie). Her identical twin sister, Jenny Brown, is also Head of an independent London day school - which makes for many interesting conversations over dinner!
"When children are happy, of course, they do well. And we are very proud of the truly outstanding exam results which our pupils achieve. But rather like the original Renaissance scholars, we see exam results as a by-product of the education we offer, not the central goal. Instead, we seek to open the hearts and minds of our pupils. We encourage them to approach the acquisition of knowledge as a great adventure; to be generous and reflective in their study and to recognise that learning doesn't stop when you leave the classroom, or even, when you leave the School."