Hands comes from a family of schoolteachers. He was educated in the state sector, later he studied the violin at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama, before reading English at King's College London, where he also gained a qualification in Theology. He then became a graduate student at Oxford, where he was senior scholar at St Catherine’s and then Oriel College.
Career
Hands was a Lecturer in English at Oriel College before becoming a housemaster at the King’s School, Canterbury, and then Second Master at Whitgift School. In 1997 he became Headmaster of The Portsmouth Grammar School before moving in January 2008 to Magdalen College School as its 61st Master. Hands has appeared as a spokesman for the independent sector on educational matters, especially partnership between the sectors, and university admissions. He was elected to the Committee of the Headmasters’ and Headmistresses’ Conference in 2003, becoming chairman of its University Committee one year later, and serving in that capacity for seven years. In 2012 he was elected as Chairman of the Conference for 2013-14. In July 2015 it was announced that Dr Hands would be taking up the position of Headmaster of Winchester College in September 2016. At MCS Oxford one of activities was the MCS Arts Festival, now known as the Oxford Festival of Arts. He focused on extra-curricular activities at the school. His investment into music, drama and sports paid off with the school competing at national levels in all sports and performing on professional stages with the ex-creative director of the Royal Shakespeare Company, Adrian Noble as director, along with Joanne Pearce. The sports teams were coached by coaches Phil DeFreitas for cricket and Todd Williams for hockey, along with the current Head of Sports, Andy Watts who was a Reading 1st team hockey player.
Academic Publications
Hands has written books on English literature, especially on the author Thomas Hardy. These include A Hardy Chronology, Thomas Hardy: Distracted Preacher?, and the Hardy volume in Macmillan’s Writers in their Time series. He contributes to other books about Hardy including the Oxford Reader’s Guide and the Ashgate Companion.
Personal life
Hands is married to Jane, a London solicitor, and they have two children.
