In Conversation with Dr Richard Malpass – Head of Senior School
Meet Tanglin’s new Head of Senior School, Dr Richard Malpass.
He joins us from Sydney Grammar School, where he served as its twelfth Headmaster. Before that, he was Head of English at Tonbridge School in Kent, then Academic Head at Christ’s Hospital School in Sussex, a role that prepared him well for his first Headship at Sydney Grammar School. Now he’s bringing his wealth of experience to Tanglin. Let’s find out what brought him to Tanglin.
Tell us about yourself.
I was born and raised in Sydney, Australia, and attended Sydney Grammar School as a boy.
What attracted you to Tanglin Trust School?
Sydney Grammar brought two musical tour groups to Tanglin in 2017 and 2019, and I was struck then by the excitement and ambition of the school. It is abundantly apparent to me that this spirit of excitement and ambition is on the rise at Tanglin, and I’m thrilled to be a part of it all.
What are your first impressions of Tanglin and the community here?
My first impressions are that the school, its students, parents and its staff are a warmly bonded community. Tanglin is clearly about high expectations. It is exciting to be part of a school in which people do what they believe in, and (at the risk of being trite) believe in what they do.
Are there any educational philosophies or ideas you’re particularly passionate about?
I am convinced that an education which focuses on a Renaissance-styled child development is optimal. In other words, it should be an education typified by discovery, curiosity, and multi-disciplinary experiences. A sense of standing on the shoulders of intellectual giants, the aestheticism of music and the arts, the vibrant dynamism of sport and thus the particular combination of pathways which young people will discover through the school.
What are some of your proudest moments as an educator or school leader?
These moments are typically when you see your students achieve something beyond their best expectations, where they become greater than the sum of their apparent parts. As a teacher, I think back to a lower-ranked GCSE English class at Tonbridge where the students had no expectation of success. Those students all emerged with A* and As. Most recently at Sydney Grammar, our rowers, who were not expected to even compete at any high level, went on to win not only the state championships but further the nationals to become the finest under-19 crew in Australia.
August 2025