The Maynard School is very fortunate in having a dedicated team of Governors, providing an invaluable pool of expertise and experience that helps the Headmistress to run, develop and ensure the long-term future of the School. Unusually for many independent schools, the majority of Maynard Governors live locally and take an active personal interest in the school and its pupils. Some Governors are appointed by outside agencies: the St John's Hospital Educational Foundation, Devon County Council, Exeter City Council and the University of Exeter.

We also have co-opted Governors, Parent and Staff Governors. Governors also attend a great many school functions and run very successful annual development days for both Governors and senior staff. The Governors are appointed as trustees of the Maynard School and have responsibility to the Charity Commission to ensure it is run efficiently and complies with all legal and health and safety requirements.

 

Appointed by the Governing Body of St John’s Hospital
Mr Simon Gregory
Mr Henry Luce
Mr Stuart Marsh
Lady Jan Stanhope

Co-opted by the Governors
Mrs Jane Jones
Mr Geoff Myers (Chair)
Mrs Sarah Pritchard
Mr Norman Shiel
Ms Mandy Pearse

Appointed by Exeter City Council
Mrs Yolonda Henson

Appointed by Devon County Council
Mr Peter Bowden

Appointed by the University of Exeter
Mr Ian Powell

Staff Governors
Mrs Cathy Gabbitass
Dr Paula Le Gallez

Parent Governors
Mr Paul Morrish
Lt Col Nick Bruce-Jones

Ex-Officio
The Right Worshipful, The Lord Mayor of Exeter

Bursar and Secretary to The Governors
Mr T A Hughes-Parry

Governors' Biographies

Mr Geoff Myers (Chair) was Vice Chair from 2004-09 and became Chair in 2009. Geoff was Managing Director of Exeter Airport until his recent retirement; is Chairman of the Exeter Business Forum, Vice Chair of the Northcott Theatre and a trustee of the Royal Fleet Club. Geoff's daughter, Rebecca, attended the Maynard.

Mrs Sarah Pritchard taught both in the UK and abroad before settling back in the West Country in 1980. Since then she has had two primary headships and retired in 2005. Sarah takes a special interest in the Junior Department.

Mr Stuart Marsh is Managing Director of the Stuart Marsh Shoes Group, and Master of the Incorporation of Weavers, Fullers and Shearmen.

Mr Simon Gregory is a Partner and Chairman of solicitors Foot Anstey and has had a daughter, Kate, at the Maynard since 1998.

Mrs Jane Jones was educated at the Maynard and then qualified as a nurse and a midwife. Jane has been Governor of three primary schools, and is also Secretary of the Old Maynardians' Society.

Mrs Yolonda Henson has been an elected member of the Exeter City Council for 25 years. Yolonda was Mayor of Exeter in 1992 and Deputy Mayor in 2000.

Mr Ian Powell was, until his retirement in 2003, Registrar and Secretary of the University of Exeter. He is a Director of Exeter Rugby Club and a trustee of the Peninsula Medical School Foundation.

Cllr. Peter N Bowden – Appointed by Devon County Council. Peter was born in Axminster and brought up in Dorset. Educated at Hardye's, the Dorchester Grammar School for boys, Peter ran away to sea as a cadet at 16 with Shell International Marine. His career spanned 40 years. Peter spent some time ashore with Shell and was seconded to the OCIMF and IMO as a technical adviser (Marine Pollution Monitoring and Port Safety). He retired as Master in 1997 and after 4 years working as a consultant with the gentlemen of P&O he finally unpacked his case for the last time and came ashore in 2002. Peter then entered public life and is an elected member of both EDDC and DCC. Peter has been married to Ann for 38 years, he has two daughters and three grandchildren – all in West Australia (don't ask). Peter's interests include Rugby, Campanology, Rural Skills and Politics.

Mr Norman Shiel taught classics at Exeter School for twenty years. He became a magistrate in 1988 and city councillor in 1992, is currently councillor for St Leonards and was the Lord Mayor of Exeter in 2006-07.

Lady Jan Stanhope worked for Devon County Council for 27 years, latterly as Director of Resources. On retirement she spent 3 years in the USA and is now back in the Exeter Area where she is a Non-Executive Director and Trustee of The Royal Navy and Royal Marines Charity. Jan’s daughter, Phillippa, attended the Maynard.

Mr Paul Morrish Paul is a parter at Succession Advisory Services and also owner and principal director of PKC (UK) Ltd, which operate as business and management consultancy providers across the financial services and local business sectors respectively. Paul is also the non-executive director of six businesses across the South West, advising on business strategy, finance, development, merger and acquisition, and exits.

Paul grew up and was educated in Exeter and returned in 2005 after a career with Barclays where he became a Retail Bank Board member as UK Commercial & Marketing Director. He also holds past and present responsibilities as as an international Conference and Business School speaker, University Associate Director, UK Industry and Sports advisor, Director of Exeter City Football Club, Commercial Proposal Reviewer for the UK Government's Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council, Advisory Board member of the Devon Education Business Partnership, and undertakes Trustee and Executive leadership roles with local and national charity bodies. He holds the Football Association coaching badge, and acts as a business and personal mentor worldwide.

Paul's two daughters Nia and Robyn attend the Maynard school.

Lt Col Nick Bruce-Jones was educated at Wolverhampton Grammar School and Newcastle University (Physiology). He has been a Royal Marines Officer since 1984 serving on operations in Northern Ireland, the Adriatic, West Africa and Afghanistan and leading Royal Marines at troop, company and unit levels. He has been closely involved in training and education throughout his career, including being an instructor on the Joint Services Advanced Command and Staff Course where he gained a MA in Defence Studies. He has been Commanding Officer of the Commando Training Centre Royal Marines, Lympstone, since June 2008 and in March 2011 he will become Commanding Officer of Royal Marines Stonehouse, Plymouth.

Resident in Devon for over 20 years, he is married to Anna, an Old Maynardian and senior teacher at the Maria Montessori School, and has one daughter, Anastasia, who has been at The Maynard from the age of seven. His leisure interests include sub-aqua diving (BSAC and PADI instructor and Chairman of the Navy Association), karate (Second Dan instructor and referee) and rugby (regrettably now mostly confined to spectating). He is also a member of the Devon County Agricultural Association and has recently become a Devon County Show Steward.

Mr Henry Luce is Managing Director of Stormpress and the founder and director of Mandy Bowden Ltd, a greeting card publishing business. He is also an executive member of Disaster Action, a small charity which advises agencies how to manage disaster and a member of the Incorporation of Weavers, Fullers & Shearmen.

Ms Mandy Pearse has worked at Exeter City Council as a Communications Manager for the past eleven years.

Dr Paula Le Gallez, is Head of the English Department and is also an elected Staff Governor.

Mrs Cathy Gabbitass, teaches in the Physical Education Department and is also an elected Staff Governor.

The Right Worshipful, The Lord Mayor of Exeter is an Ex-Officio member of the Governing Body.

Contacting the Governing Body

Please address correspondence to:

Mr Geoff Myers
Chair of Governors
The Maynard School
Denmark Road
Exeter
EX1 1SJ