Excellent People

Dr R Brookes – MChem
Head and WGSF Executive Head

 

Mr R Thompson – BA Hons, PGCE
Interim Deputy Head and Director of Junior Section

 

Mr M Fitzsimons – MA
Director of Studies (Operations)

 

Mrs A Eggleston – BA, MEd
Director of Studies (Staff)

 

Dr S Clark – MChem, PhD
Interim Assistant Head (Academic)

 

Mr J Jones – BA, Arts
Interim Assistant Head (Pastoral) (DSL)

Mrs J A Tingle – BEd , MSc 

Associate Head (DDSL)

 

Dr S Duerden-Brown – BSc (Hons) , PhD , PGCE 

Associate Assistant Head (Professional Excellence)

 

Mr D J Eggleston – BA (Hons) , MEd , PGCE 

Deputy Head (Teaching and Learning)

 

Mr J Harris – BA (Hons) , PGCE

Deputy Head (Pastoral) (DSL)

 

Mr S Rowley – BSc Hons,  PGCE , MSc

Director of Junior Section (DDSL)

 

Mrs E Gill – BEd Hons, NPQH, NASENCO

Head (DSL) and ICT Lead

 

Mrs L Butler – BEd Hons , NPQH

Deputy Head (DDSL)

 

Mrs J Taylor – BA Hons, PGCE KS2 & KS3, MSc , FCMI CMgr

Assistant Head (DDSL)

Mr Martin Shevill, BEd MSc FCCT – Chair of Governors

Martin is a former teacher, Headteacher and CEO of a multi-academy trust based in Lancashire, Yorkshire and the Northeast. During his teaching career he has been involved in a number of national curriculum development projects and was the co-author of a series of geography text books. Martin spent a short period as a Lecturer in Education at the University of Sheffield before moving to deputy headship and later headship of secondary schools in West
Yorkshire.

In addition to extensive school governance experience, Martin has worked on a number of national education committees and boards including for the Department for Education. He is the former Senior Education Adviser for National Teacher Accreditation.

Martin lives in Sheffield with his wife and has a grown up son.

Correspondence to: Governors’ Office, Green House, Northgate, Wakefield, WF1 3UF.  Email: wgsfoffice@wgsf.net

Appointed: 2021

Committee Membership: All

Mr Alistair McKinlay, BA (Hons) DipLaw, PGDip – Vice Chair of Governors

Alistair has been a Governor at WGSF since 2018, although his connections with the Foundation began when he was a pupil at QEGS from 1979-1990.

Alistair is a Partner in the Residential Property department at Ridley & Hall Solicitors, where he specialises in all types of property related matters, with a particular focus on acting for clients buying and selling properties. His clients range from individuals to commercial investors and he manages and leads a team acting for clients across the country.

As a former QEGS pupil, Alistair is an ‘Old Savilian’ and is also a Past-President of the Old Savilians’ Club. His daughters both attended WGHS so he has many connections with both schools and has found being a Governor has allowed him to give back something to the Foundation.

Outside of work he sings in a local community choir and whenever possible he likes to spend time at the East Yorkshire coast with his family and their loveable and energetic springer spaniels.

Appointed: 2018

Committee Membership: QEGS Governor Education (Chair), Risk, Governance and Compliance, Land and Buildings, Strategy

Mrs Kathryn Morgan, MBA – Vice Chair of Governors

Kathryn is a Wakefield resident and mum to twin boys who attend QEGS. In addition to her role as Governor at the foundation, she is also Chair of Theatre Royal Wakefield, taking a keen interest in the youth and local community projects undertaken by the theatre beyond their stage productions. In her day job Kathryn is the Managing Director for Lowell Financial and is a non-executive director for the trade body Credit Services Association. Kathryn has a long and broad career in senior positions within the financial services industry, including Nat West and Virgin Money. She specialises in Strategy planning and execution; change management; risk (including regulatory) and; business improvement.

Appointed: 2021

Committee Membership: Fundraising (Chair), Finance, WGHS Governor Education (Chair)

Mr Samuel Butterworth, MBA, PG Dip, F IDM, FCIM, CMktr – Vice Chair of Governors

Sam is a Chartered Marketer, specialising in Strategy, Brand, Communication and Development. He holds the position of Chief Marketing Officer and Portfolio Marketing Director for several companies, with turnovers, ranging from £15m to over £500m.

He previously attended Wakefield Grammar School Foundation as a pupil at both QEGS Junior and Senior Schools. He has since worked in the marketing industry for over 20 years, encompassing roles in education, technology, law, consumer finance, construction, private equity and the third sector.

In his spare time, Sam is involved in professional mentoring and school governance. He is a registered mentor with the Chartered Institute of Marketing and a Local Review Board Governor for The Rodillian Multi Academy Trust. He is a Fellow of the Institute of Data & Marketing, a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Marketing and a Member of the National Governance Association. Sam chairs the Strategy Committee, and serves on the Finance Committee, Land & Buildings Committee and the QEGS General Education Committee.

Appointed: 2019

Committee Membership: Strategy (Chair), QEGS Governor Education, Finance, Land and Buildings

Ms Caroline Harrison, BA (Hons) FCA

Appointed: 2018

Committee Membership: Finance Committee, WGHS GEC and Employment and Remuneration.

 

Mr Jonathan Jeffries, LLB (Hons)

Jonathan is a Solicitor and formerly a Financial Services Partner at international law firm Pinsent Masons for over 30 years.

Jonathan now has his own consultancy company advising in the health, motor and medical sectors. He is also a non-executive director of a Media Company.

He is married with 3 adult children. Keeps fit through road and mountain biking, HIT training and skiing. 

Appointed: 2017

Committee Membership: WGPPS GEC and Finance

 

Mr Sharif Khan, BDS (Edin.) M.Clin.Dent.

Dr Sharif Khan is Company Director of Rockingham House Cosmetic & Implant Dentistry Ltd, a referral-based private dental practice located in the Wakefield district.

Sharif was educated at a comprehensive school in Barnsley, followed by his dental qualification from Edinburgh University in 1992. His interest in advanced restorative techniques led him to King’s College, London, where he completed four years of post-graduate studies, culminating in the award of a Master of Clinical Dentistry Degree.

In his clinical role, Sharif focuses exclusively on complex cases, mainly on referrals from other dentists. He has a particular interest in full mouth reconstruction using dynamic navigated implant surgery. He frequently shares his knowledge through lectures and presentations.

In his role as Company Director, Sharif exhibits a diverse range of business skills. He oversees marketing, strategic planning, legal compliance, and financial matters, all while offering mentoring and leadership to a team of highly skilled professionals.

These dual roles require a unique blend of business acumen and clinical expertise.

Sharif and his wife, Farah, reside in Wakefield with their three children. They have a strong connection to the Foundation, with their two eldest having completed their schooling and the youngest currently at QEGS.

Appointed: 2021

Committee Membership: Risk, Compliance and Governance and QEGS GEC

 

Mrs Penelope Plumpton, BA (Hons) PGCE

Penny is an old girl and wasn’t entirely sure what to do when she left school so trialled a number of options! Eventually, she returned to university to complete her PGCE, qualifying as a primary teacher.

Penny worked within the state sector and quickly formed the opinion that all children deserve excellent teachers. She was asked to join the Board of the Wakefield Graduate Teacher Programme and worked closely with other Initial Teacher Training providers. She was instrumental in her school becoming one of the first Teaching Schools in the area.

Due to her expertise in EYFS she was asked to join the Governing Body.  Penny is currently the Nominated Safeguarding Governor and Chair of WGPPS GEC. She was also heavily involved with setting up Wakefield Grammar Pre-Preparatory School.

Now retired, Penny has time to follow her other interests which include fell walking, narrow boating and having recently learnt how to do front crawl, swimming outdoors. As a result, she completed the ‘Tadpole Round’ and recently the ‘Penguin Challenge’ for winter swimming!

Appointed: 2015

Committee Membership: WGPPS GEC (Chair) and Risk, Compliance and Governance

 

Mr Jonathan Lewis, BA, MA, MBA, FCA.

Jonathan is a QEGS alumni, leaving in 2003 to study finance and economics at Manchester Business School, where he received an MA and MBA. He began his career in London in PwC’s corporate finance team, where he also qualified as a Chartered Accountant. He then moved to Singapore where he spent five years as the Managing Director and Chief Financial Officer of a multi-billion dollar investment fund. He is currently a Partner and the Chief Investment Officer at Olympia Capital Partners, an emerging markets focused investment and advisory firm, and now lives back in Yorkshire with his wife and young family.

Appointed: 2021

Committee Membership: Finance and QEGS GEC

 

Mrs Frances Galbraith MCIPD

Fran is a WGHS alumni class of ’95, where she went on to study Physiology & Pharmacology at the University of the West of England, Bristol. Since gaining her BSc Hons degree, and subsequently becoming a Chartered Member of the CIPD, Fran’s career consists of over 25 years in HR gaining experience across a range of industries, working globally and internationally across various geographies including the USA, Canada, APAC, the UAE and Europe. A specialist in Talent (Learning, Development and Resourcing), she also has significant experience across HR generalist aspects, including areas of Reward, HR shared services, Organisation Design and Change Management.

Currently Group Talent & Development Director for Klöckner Pentaplast (kp), a plastics manufacturer, who innovate, design and manufacture for sustainable solutions that package and protect products in daily situations around the globe. Fran has a global responsibility for all learning and development aspects, with her remit including engagement, DE&I and wellbeing initiatives for 31 plants in 18 countries and over 5,000 employees. Fran now lives back in Wakefield, with her husband and young family.

Appointed: 2019

Committee Membership: WGPPS GEC, Risk, Compliance and Governance

 

Rev’d Dr Kathryn Goldsmith

Appointed: 2024

Committee Membership: WGHS GEC