Haberdashers’ Monmouth School Head Melvyn Roffe has been awarded an MBE by HRH The Princess Royal in recognition of his outstanding leadership and lifelong contribution to education.
Haberdashers’ Monmouth School is proud to announce that its Head, Melvyn Roffe, has been presented with his Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) insignia by HRH The Princess Royal at a recent investiture ceremony at the Palace of Holyroodhouse, Edinburgh.
The honour recognises Melvyn’s exceptional contribution to education and his long‑standing commitment to strengthening the relationship between schools and their communities. Throughout his career, he has championed the belief that young people thrive when education is rooted in civic responsibility and meaningful community engagement.
His work has included national initiatives to widen access to subjects such as Mandarin and computing, as well as developing partnerships that bring schools and local communities closer together. These endeavours played a central role in the award of his MBE.
Melvyn’s educational journey began in Monmouth, where he held early leadership positions at the former Monmouth School for Boys between 1993 and 2001. Those formative years instilled the values of service, ambition and community that have shaped his leadership ever since. Over the following two decades, he went on to lead major independent schools across the UK and became one of the few individuals elected to chair both the Boarding Schools’ Association and HMC – The Head’s Conference.
In 2025, Melvyn returned to Monmouth to lead Haberdashers’ Monmouth School, describing it as “coming home” to a community to which he has deep professional and personal connections. Both his children were born in Monmouthshire, and the family’s ties with the town have remained strong.
His MBE is a moment of shared pride for the Haberdashers’ Monmouth community, recognising not only national achievement but a career shaped by values that are central to the school: integrity, service and the belief that education enriches the wider community.
