New Year, New Board of Governors at King’s

The King’s School is one of the nation’s oldest charities, with the famous historic school having educated the children of Gloucestershire since the school was re-founded by King Henry VIII in 1541. King’s School has announced a new-look board of trustees, known as the Board of Governors, to guide the strategy and oversight of the school in the years ahead. Six new Governor appointments and a new Chair of Governors will strengthen support for the Headmaster, Mr David Morton, and the school community.

The election of a new Chair of Governors follows Mr Philip Dancey stepping aside after seven years as Chair and ten years as a Governor at the school. Mr Dancey is a very successful local businessman and former pupil at King’s who has led several significant strategic changes in his illustrious seven year tenure as Chair. Mr Morton thanked Mr Dancey for his great service to the school, saying “Philip has been an absolutely outstanding Chair, bringing his steely business knowledge, financial acuity and vast project management experience to projects such as the new Sixth Form Centre and the installation of the All-Weather Pitch. I am indebted to him for the time that he has volunteered to the school.”

The new Chair of Governors will be Mrs Debbie Innes-Turnill, who has served on the Board of Governors for the last four years. Mrs Innes-Turnill will be the first female Chair in the school’s long history. She had her own successful first career in education as a teacher, Deputy Head and Headteacher in local primary schools. Recently she has become a national expert in safeguarding, setting up her own consultancy, lecturing at Birmingham University and writing extensively about child protection in educational settings. Mr Morton commented on Mrs Innes-Turnill’s appointment, “It is an absolute pleasure to see Debbie step into the pivotal role of Chair of Governors at King’s. Her wide-ranging educational experience, deep interest in the personal development of children and her passion for the school are always evident.”

Also joining the Board of Governors are several new faces who represent a wide variety of areas of expertise.

• Revd Craig Huxley-Jones is the new Canon Precentor at Gloucester Cathedral
• Mr Phillip Smith is an Associate Professor in the School of Computer Science at Birmingham University
• Mrs Melanie Green is an expert in cyber-security and compliance at Nationwide Building Society
• Mr Russell Warner is a local businessman who runs a portfolio of industrial and commercial units
• Mrs Kate Bedwell is the Global Lead for Law Enforcement Assistance and Human Rights Programmes at Vodaphone Group
• Mrs Claire Thompson is an Executive Coach and Development Consultant

Their full biographies can be read HERE.

The King’s School currently has the largest school roll in its long history and has seen outstanding academic and co-curricular achievements in recent years, as well as considerable investment in the school campus and facilities. The new-look governing body will bring fresh insight and support as the school fulfils its aims of continuing to offer a first-class independent education whilst also broadening access to the school, developing local partnership projects and prioritising sustainability.