At Ryde, the safety and wellbeing of your children are our absolute priorities. All staff are trained to respond to concerns.
We believe that keeping children safe is a partnership between school and home, and this dedicated space is designed to provide you with the essential tools, updated policies, and guidance you need to feel confident in how we protect our community.
We believe safeguarding is everyone’s responsibility, every single day. At Ryde, we operate under a simple but vital ethos that we share with our staff and pupils alike: If in doubt – shout!
We encourage a culture of total transparency where no concern is too small to share. We encourage our whole community that if they “See it or hear it,” we ask that they “Own it and report it.”
By working together, we ensure our school remains a secure, supportive, and inclusive environment where every pupil can thrive.
Meet the Team
Mrs Jemma Harding
Deputy Head (Pastoral) and Designated Safeguarding Lead
Mr Andrew Daville
Head of Senior School & Deputy Designated Safeguard Lead (Senior School & Boarding)
Mr Matt Thomas
Head of the Prep & Deputy Safeguarding Lead
Gilly Gallerwood
Deputy Safeguarding Lead
Michelle Legg
Vice Chair of Governors, Safeguarding Governor & Chair of Education Committee
Mrs Jemma Harding
Deputy Head (Pastoral) and Designated Safeguarding Lead
Email: jch@rydeschool.netA principled, empathic and dynamic educational leader, Jemma Harding brings extensive senior leadership experience across both state and independent sectors to her role as Deputy Head at Ryde School. With a First-Class Honours degree in Psychology and a background in Psychological Research, she champions a holistic approach to education- ensuring that exceptional academic ambition goes hand-in-hand with world-class pastoral care, safeguarding, and student wellbeing.Jemma Harding is a trained Independent Schools Inspectorate (ISI) inspector, co-chairs the Isle of Wight Safeguarding Children Partnership (LSCP) Education Subgroup, and sits on the Safeguarding Partnership Executive Board. A highly respected Designated Safeguarding Lead (DSL) with previous experience of consulting on Safeguarding nationwide, she has written innovative whole-school Personal Development and Safeguarding curricula that have been adopted at a national level. Having led on numerous whole-school wide projects, ranging from academic to business and project management and having served as a Primary School Governor and chair of pay and finance, her experience in governance and compliance expertise spans the entire educational journey from Early Years to Sixth Form. Jemma is deeply committed to nurturing confident, resilient, and curious young people who are fully equipped to flourish in a rapidly changing world.
Mr Andrew Daville
Head of Senior School & Deputy Designated Safeguard Lead (Senior School & Boarding)
Andrew Daville joined Ryde School in September 2022 as Deputy Head (Boarding, Staffing and Enrichment). He took up the role of Head of Senior School in September 2024.
After graduating from the University of Oxford with a degree in Physics, Andrew taught Physics at Magdalen College School, Oxford, before working in Asset Management in London for Schroders.
Andrew then returned to teaching at Brighton College, becoming Head of Physics before moving on to Hurstpierpoint College. At Hurst he held the roles of Head of Science and Head of Physics before becoming a Housemaster. As a housemaster, Andrew ran a boys’ day house and a co-educational sixth form boarding house.
Andrew believes in an all-round education and has extensive experience coaching a variety of sports, which he continues to do at Ryde. Andrew is also an ISI Team Inspector and a School Governor. In his spare time, he enjoys running, cycling and spending time at the beach with his family.
Mr Matt Thomas
Head of the Prep & Deputy Safeguarding Lead
Matt Thomas began his career in the maintained sector, serving as an LEA Leading Teacher and Head of Humanities, before transitioning to the independent sector as Deputy Head (Academic) at Moulsford Prep School and subsequently spending nine years as Headmaster of Dorset House School. He holds a BAEd (Hons) from Exeter, a Masters of Educational Leadership from the University of Buckingham and is a Fellow of the Royal Geographical Society. Matt joined Ryde School as Head of Prep in January 2026.
Matt’s leadership is shaped by a simple conviction: that a school’s culture is its most important asset and that the adults in a school must model the qualities they hope to see in its children. Having taught across all age groups, he believes the prep years matter enormously, not simply as preparation for what comes next but as the time when children form their character, confidence and sense of community.
Beyond school, Matt has a particular interest in online safety and the thoughtful use of technology in education. He lives on the Isle of Wight and, when time allows, is happiest sailing, skiing or travelling.
Email: mrt@rydeschool.net
During term time, please contact the School Safeguarding Team as above.
If your concern is urgent, or out of hours, please contact the Isle of Wight MASH line on: 01983 823435 during office hours or 0300 555 1373 at all other times to contact the out-of-hours service.
Further information can be found on the website: https://www.iowscp.org.uk/. If there is an emergency and you believe a child is in immediate danger, you must call 999 without delay.
