Janet Williamson has served as principal at the school since 2006
The head of one of Northern Ireland’s top schools has announced that she will retire at the end of this academic year.
Janet Williamson was appointed as the first female principal at the Royal Belfast Academical Institution in 2006, having previously served as the head at Antrim Grammar.
In a letter to parents, which has been seen by Belfast Live, the Chairman of the school’s Board of Governors, Michael Howard, paid tribute to Ms Williamson and confirmed that work will now commence to appoint her successor.
“On behalf of the Board of Governors, I am writing to advise you that Ms Williamson, after nearly 20 years of outstanding service, will retire as Principal of RBAI in August 2026,” he said.
“I would like to thank Ms Williamson for her committed and dedicated leadership of the school. Throughout that period, the academic performance has been improved and maintained at a high standard. The range and standards of co-curricular activities, on and off the sports pitches, remain the envy of other schools.”
In her retirement letter, Ms Williamson stated, “It has been my privilege to lead RBAI for nearly two decades. At the core of my leadership has been the commitment to maintain and raise standards.
“With my colleagues and the Board of Governors, we have shared the vision and dedication to support holistic education, enabling the boys to develop as fine young men with their own story and success.
“For now, I look forward to this academic year with the same high expectation and sense of purpose I have always had.”
Michael Howard added: “There will be many formal and informal occasions throughout the year to thank Ms Williamson and celebrate the highlights and successes achieved under her leadership.
“The Board will now commence a recruitment process and we look forward to a successful final year of Ms Williamson’s tenure, concluding with a seamless handover to her successor.”
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