About Us

Meet our Staff and Governors

Governing Council

Mr G E Baker, BSc, MRICS

Chairman

Mr G E Baker, BSc, MRICS

Chairman

Chair of Governors (2018 to present); Vice Chair of Governors (2017-2018); Governor (2010). Educated at Bishop’s Stortford College and City University, Guy is a Chartered Surveyor with various commercial property interests in Eastern and South-Eastern England. He lives in Stansted Mountfitchet. Contact our Chair of Governors

Mrs I M Pearman, MA, MRICS

Vice-Chairman, Finance and General Purpose Committee and Estates Committee

Mrs I M Pearman, MA, MRICS

Vice-Chairman, Finance and General Purpose Committee and Estates Committee

Vice Chair of Governors (2018 to present); Governor (2005) Educated at Bedford High School and Bishop’s Stortford College followed by Cambridge University, Irene is originally a Chartered Surveyor. Following a role as land agent for Carter Jonas, Irene worked as a Management Accountant before co-founding a property company that specialised in retirement homes. She is now semi-retired but remains a non-exec Director of Hartford Care Group, one of the UK’s leading care providers. Irene is married to Jeffrey, they have three sons and live near Bishop's Stortford.

Mr D Alexander

Finance and General Purpose Committee and Estates Committee

Mr D Alexander

Finance and General Purpose Committee and Estates Committee

Chair of Estates (2020 to present); Governor (2017) Doug was educated at Hurstpierpoint College, before completing a degree in Economics at the University of St Andrews. Doug has recently retired after a 32-year career in the energy industry with experience in both senior executive and non-executive roles globally and has lived and worked in Syria and Argentina and is a Fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants. Doug is married to Rosie and they live in Finchingfield, Essex and have two grown-up children.

Mrs J Gammage

Finance and General Purpose Committee

Mrs J Gammage

Finance and General Purpose Committee

Governor (2022) Joni was educated at Durrington High School and Worthing Sixth Form College before taking her BSc (Hons) degree in Hotel & Catering Management at Surrey University. Following a number of years in hospitality operations management, Joni joined KPMG in its consultancy division and then became part of the hospitality property team at CBRE where she was responsible for providing advisory services to investors, owners and finance providers. Joni took a sabbatical to complete her MBA at Judge Business School, Cambridge, then started her own consultancy business advising clients in acquisition, disposal, and investment in hotel properties across Europe. Living in Bishop's Stortford, Joni is married with a son who attends Bishop's Stortford College.

Dr P J Hargrave, BSc, PhD, FREng

Finance and General Purpose Committee, Education Committee and Estates Committee

Dr P J Hargrave, BSc, PhD, FREng

Finance and General Purpose Committee, Education Committee and Estates Committee

Governor (2001); Chair of nominations and governance (2019 to present) Philip received a BSc in Physics from the University of Bristol and a PhD in Radio Astronomy from the University of Cambridge, where he continued as a Research Fellow in the Cavendish Laboratory before embarking on a career in industrial R&D that ultimately led to him becoming Nortel’s Chief Scientist in the EMEA region and his subsequent appointment as CEO of a not-for-profit company that promoted innovation and collaboration in the Digital Communications and ICT sectors.

Mrs P Mullender, MA

Finance and General Purpose Committee and Education Committee

Mrs P Mullender, MA

Finance and General Purpose Committee and Education Committee

Governor (2016); Chair of education (2018 to present) Educated at a girls’ grammar school, Pauline completed a joint honours degree in German/English at Edinburgh University. Pauline embarked on her chosen career as a teacher, with early experience gained in Germany and England. Subsequently she lived and worked in the Middle East and Holland. Teaching in Abu Dhabi and Dubai, she was appointed, first to an American and then to a British international school. On returning with her husband and family to the UK, Pauline joined the staff of Bishop’s Stortford College, where in the course of a long career she held posts as Head of German, Housemistress of Benson House and Senior School Deputy Head (Pastoral). On her retirement, Pauline was invited to join the Governing Council of Bishop’s Stortford College.

Mr I Silk

Education Committee

Mr I Silk

Education Committee

Governor (2022) Following a year working for Her Majesty at Buckingham Palace, in the office which organised the summer opening of the State Rooms, and a year working in the marketing department for the London Philharmonic Orchestra, Ian decided to make good use of his degree in English from Lancaster University and trained as a teacher of English and Drama. His teaching career has given him the opportunity of working in the state and private sector at both primary and senior levels, including a year abroad teaching in English in Volos, Greece. He taught English and Drama at Hanley Castle High School, then at The Leys School in Cambridge where he was also Assistant Housemaster of a boarding house. He moved to Ardingly College where he was Housemaster to 60 boys aged 11-18, and then to Bishop’s Stortford College Prep School as Deputy Headmaster. He has been Headmaster of Bedford Prep School since 2013.

Mr D F Thomson, BAcc, CA

Finance and General Purpose Committee and Estates Committee

Mr D F Thomson, BAcc, CA

Finance and General Purpose Committee and Estates Committee

Governor (2017) Educated at Hutchesons' Grammar School and Glasgow University, David is a member of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Scotland. Now retired, David worked in Finance in the city, primarily in banking. Married to Debbie they have two sons who both attended the College.

Mr A J W Conti, BEng, FCA

Representative, Finance and General Purpose Committee

Mr A J W Conti, BEng, FCA

Representative, Finance and General Purpose Committee

Governor (2017); Chair of remuneration working group (2019 to present) Andrew was educated at Haberdashers’ School for Boys Monmouth before completing a degree in Civil Engineering at Manchester University. Following university, Andrew trained to be a Chartered Accountant and is now a Partner at Moore Kingston Smith, a leading audit, tax and consulting adviser to mid-market business leaders. Andrew is married with two boys, both of whom attend Bishop’s Stortford College.

Mr R C V Harrison, BCom, ACA

United Reformed Church Representative, Finance and General Purpose Committee

Mr R C V Harrison, BCom, ACA

United Reformed Church Representative, Finance and General Purpose Committee

Governor (2015); Chair of the finance and general purpose committee (2017 to present) Richard was educated at Bristol Grammar School, and the University of Birmingham where he studied Commerce. His is a Chartered Accountant. Richard is Chief Financial Officer for the UK rail ‘Operator of Last Resort’. He is a Non-Executive Director on the board of four UK train operating companies, and is chair of the Audit and Risk Committees for those companies. Richard is also a trustee of a UK charity which runs an educational network of free schools and school improvement projects in Sierra Leone. Richard is married to Sam and they live in Bishop’s Stortford. Richard’s two children both attended Bishop’s Stortford College.

Mr C P Solway, BSc, MRICS

Baptist Union Representative, Estates Committee

Mr C P Solway, BSc, MRICS

Baptist Union Representative, Estates Committee

Governor (2015) Educated at Nottingham Boys High School and Reading University from where he a gained a BSc in Quantity Surveying, Peter is a Quantity Surveyor, and member of the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors. Peter has been a Partner of Ainsley & Partners, Chartered Quantity Surveyors since 2005, where he has worked since 1992. Peter is married to Christine, living in Hertfordshire, and their son attended the school from 2011 – 2019.

Dr S Nurbhai, MB ChB, MRCP(UK)

Education Committee

Dr S Nurbhai, MB ChB, MRCP(UK)

Education Committee

Governor (2018) Suhail’s family moved frequently during his childhood. As a result, he was educated at a number of schools in the UK and Australia, including Dulwich College in London, Geelong Grammar School’s 'Timbertop' campus in Australia, and Yarm School in North East England. He subsequently qualified in Medicine at Dundee University, completed his Postgraduate training at the University of Manchester, and now works full time in Medical Research. Both his daughters attended Bishop’s Stortford College. He now lives in South Cambridgeshire with his wife, Helen.

Mr P Dodd, BSc

Education Committee

Mr P Dodd, BSc

Education Committee

Governor (2018) Peter went to school at Stonyhurst College and then completed a psychology degree at the University of Bristol. He attended to Guildford Law school then qualified as a solicitor in HMCTS. He is a partner of a local law firm and his expertise is in family and motoring law.

Professor G Barker, CBW, FBA, FSA, FRGS

Education Committee

Professor G Barker, CBW, FBA, FSA, FRGS

Education Committee

Governor (2019) Graeme was educated at Alleyn's School, winning a scholarship to read classics at St John's College Cambridge but changed halfway through the degree to graduate in archaeology. After taking a PhD in Cambridge he held academic posts in Sheffield, Rome and Leicester before returning to Cambridge in 2004 as the Disney Professor of Archaeology and Director of the McDonald Institute for Archaeological Research, posts he now holds as emeritus. He has led archaeological fieldwork projects in Italy, Libya, Jordan and Sarawak and currently in Iraqi Kurdistan. He is a Fellow of the British Academy, the Royal Geographical Society and the Society of Antiquaries and was appointed CBE in the Queen's 2014 New Years Honours list for his services to archaeology.

Mrs A Westell

Abby was educated at Bishop's Stortford College and went on to study French and Philosophy at the University of Nottingham. After graduation, Abby completed a graduate diploma in law and the Legal Practice Course at BPP Law School. She undertook a training contract in London, focusing on criminal and family law before qualifying and specialising in family law. Abby is a partner at a local specialist family law firm. Abby is married and their two children attend the College.

Executive

John Maguire

College Head

John Maguire

College Head

John is Head of Bishop’s Stortford College and is responsible to the Governing Council for the strategic direction and overall success of the College. He was educated locally and graduated in Geography and Geology before starting a career in teaching and leadership at several UK schools. Before joining the College, John and his family lived in Bahrain where he was Executive Headmaster at the British School of Bahrain.

Rachael Cox

Head of the Prep School

Rachael Cox

Head of the Prep School

A graduate in Politics and History, Rachael completed her PGCE at the University of Reading before commencing her teaching career, initially in the state system. Over a period of 16 years, she held a number of senior leadership positions and local authority advisory roles, before moving into the independent school sector in 2011. In 2017 she became Head of the Infant and Junior School at LVS Ascot, a 4-18 co-educational day and boarding school, before moving into her previous role as Head of Eton End Prep School.

Jo Wallace

Head of Pre-Prep and Designated Safeguarding Lead (KS1)

Jo Wallace

Head of Pre-Prep and Designated Safeguarding Lead (KS1)

Jo is an experienced Head of Pre-Prep, joining the College in September 2023. Educated at University of Warwick, she has held a number of teaching positions in the UK and Australia, before being appointed as Head of Pre-Prep at Abbot’s Hill School in Hemel Hempstead. Jo is also a school Governor at a local primary school, responsible for diversity, equality and inclusion, and is passionate about pupil wellbeing.

Paul Stanley

Bursar

Paul Stanley

Bursar

Paul retired from the British Army in 2014. A wonderfully diverse career saw him living in France, Germany, Belgium and Oman but also deploying to many more counties across the world. Roles varied, but common and notable themes included leading brilliant people, building stuff, demolishing stuff, peace-making, leading armoured units, operating from the sea as a Commando, and from the air as a Para, writing doctrine and developing leadership skills in soldiers and officers. Further education followed much of this adventure, completing an MBA and MA in International Affairs later in life. He left the Army to become the Operations Director of Summer Fields Oxford and joined Bishop’s Stortford College, as Bursar in 2018.