Welcoming Our New Director of Sailing, Miss April Whiteley

We are thrilled to introduce Miss April Whiteley as Windermere School’s new Director of Sailing. Miss Whiteley brings extensive experience, passion, and a high level of qualification to our water sports programme. As an RYA Senior Instructor and Level 2 Race Coach, Miss Whiteley is an expert in her field and comes equipped with a BA in Primary Education with QTS from Edge Hill University—along with a variety of sailing and adventure qualifications. We’re also grateful she’s a qualified mini-bus driver, ready to support our team on excursions!

Miss Whiteley will be on-site at Hodge Howe, our water sports centre, most Saturdays throughout the year. Her dedication increases direct race coaching time for our pupils, which will especially benefit our Development and Race Teams. Her enthusiasm for the outdoors extends beyond sailing, with experience in mountain biking, hill walking, rugby, netball, golf, and climbing; all activities we share a love for at Windermere School.

Miss Whiteley’s sailing career has taken her across the UK and Europe, and she brings with her competitive experience in Toppers, Optimists, Teras, Fevas, and RS200s at National and European levels. As well as, being a Head Coach for the RYA Scotland Feva Academy Team and Assistant Coach for the Feva Scottish Sailing Team. Her extensive coaching background and enthusiasm for youth development is a fantastic addition to our staff team.

Reflecting on her first Saturday with us, Miss Whiteley shared her excitement: “It was an incredible start and really captured what I was looking forward to when joining Windermere School. Growing up in the Lake District and being part of the sailing community, I’ve always loved the camaraderie it brings. That same feeling was exactly what I experienced on Saturday. The parents, pupils, and fellow instructors all made me feel so welcome. Despite the light winds and chilly temperatures, there were 23 sailors out on the water—a testament to the energy and passion within our community!”

Miss Whiteley has already begun working with our Adventure Team and exploring the Adventure Curriculum, a hallmark of Windermere School’s unique approach to experiential learning. She’s eager to blend her experience with our programme, saying, “I’m excited to be part of this unique Adventure programme and look forward to building on this strong start to shape the future of sailing at Windermere School.”

Please join us in warmly welcoming Miss Whiteley to Windermere School. We can’t wait to see how her expertise and enthusiasm propel our Race Team to new heights!

Windermere School is an Independent Boarding and Day School for ages 3-18, across Junior School, Senior School and Sixth Form. The school offers holiday courses and a summer school programme, as well as short term immersion courses for international pupils, as well as an award winning IB programme. Join the adventure today >