Brendan Walsh appointed
Head of Collège.

Originally from Ireland, Brendan is a graduate of the National University of Ireland, Galway, where he studied Mathematics and Botany, before completing further training in education and, subsequently, educational leadership in the United Kingdom.

He began an international career in education that took him to the Middle East before settling in France in 2005. Over the past twenty years, he has worked in international and bilingual schools, supporting pupils, colleagues and families within ambitious and culturally diverse school communities.

Throughout his career, Brendan has guided successive cohorts of pupils towards national and international examinations, underpinned by a strong belief that academic excellence is at its most meaningful when accompanied by high expectations, confidence, character and close attention to the development of the whole child.

Married with four children, Brendan is actively involved in his local community and is a keen runner.

At Concordia, Brendan will lead the next stage of the Collège’s development, building upon the school’s founding vision: to bring together the very best of the French and British educational traditions and prepare pupils to flourish in the world of the 21^st century.

His priorities will include:

• Developing Concordia’s bilingual academic pathway towards the Brevet – Option Internationale and Cambridge IGCSEs, deepening the school’s commitment to rigorous bilingual excellence;
• Strengthening the wider skills that pupils will need alongside strong academic foundations — critical thinking, eloquence, creativity, confidence and collaboration;
• Developing ambitious opportunities beyond the classroom, including the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award, through which pupils learn independence, commitment, resilience and responsibility.

“At Concordia School Paris, our ambition is to educate young people who are intellectually curious, rigorous in their thinking and confident in facing the future. We believe that pupils in the 21st century need both a strong foundation of knowledge and the human qualities that will enable them to use it wisely: the ability to think critically, communicate with confidence, create with imagination and exercise sound judgement. Brendan shares deeply in our vision of an ambitious bilingual education, drawing upon the very best of the French and British educational traditions.” Aurore Grierson — President of Concordia School Paris

“At a time of extraordinary technological change, the rapid development of artificial intelligence and profound shifts in society, education has perhaps never mattered more. Knowledge remains fundamental, but our responsibility extends beyond knowledge alone. We must equip young people with the judgement, confidence and adaptability to work with others, respond intelligently to change and make thoughtful decisions about the world around them.” Brendan Walsh — Head of Collège

Brendan Walsh’s appointment marks an important new chapter in Concordia’s development as the school continues to build an outstanding bilingual education — from Maternelle through to Lycée — in the heart of Paris.

We wish Brendan a wonderful start to this new chapter with us.