John McNamara became Principal of Elmhurst in January 1995 and led its transition from Camberley to Birmingham in the summer of 2004. A graduate in Drama and Theatre Arts from the University of Birmingham, he received the award of 'Alumnus of the Year' from his alma mater in July 2005 for his services to the Performing Arts. A former Senior Lecturer in Drama with a specialism in teacher education, he has taught and directed theatre productions for several universities, including Manchester, Liverpool, Reading and Buckinghamshire. For six years, he was the Chief Examiner for the WJEC A-level course in Drama. Prior to his appointment at Elmhurst, he was Director of Drama and Theatre Studies at Marlborough College where his wife, Julie, was a Housemistress and Teacher of Drama. BACK