Governance
Sir William Borlase’s Grammar School is part of a Multi-Academy Trust, the Marlow Education Trust. This trust was established with the intention of developing a group of schools in Marlow and the surrounding area who are able to work together to deliver the best outcomes for students, regardless of their ability, background or needs.
It currently comprises Sir William Borlase's Grammar School and Beechview Primary School. Borlase collaborates informally with the primaries and other Marlow secondary via the Marlow Liaison Group.
Responsibility for Sir William Borlase’s Grammar School specifically lies with a local board of Governors. These enthusiastic and dedicated volunteers, drawn from the staff, parent and wider community, support the school in its aims by working with leadership to provide challenge, expertise and perspective. The local governing body meets termly, as do its core sub-committees. Minutes of the Local Governing Body are available on request please contact enquiries@swbgs.com
Members of the governing body are all local people with a strong interest in the school. Over half the governors are current or former SWBGS parents.
The term of office of Governors is four years excepting:
-
The Headteacher
-
Staff Governors if they cease to be employed by the School
In general, Governors are replaced as and when they reach the end of their four-year term. Subject to remaining eligible to be a particular type of Governor, any Governor may be re-appointed or re-elected.
Chair of Governors - Mrs Charlotte Redcliffe
Charlotte is a chartered accountant and chartered tax advisor by qualification.
Outside work, Charlotte is a keen horse-rider and Pony Club mum.
She has three children, all of whom were students at SWBGS. Charlotte is committed to supporting Borlase to be the best it possibly can, and to giving all students the skills and confidence they need for the future lives they choose.
Charlotte's current term as a Governor began on 15 October 2016.
Mrs Redcliffe can be contacted by email at credcliffe@swbgs.com
Vice Chair of Governors - Mrs Gill Towell
Gill Towell is the Managing Director of GillyMac Designs, an online and in-person sewing tutoring business based in Berkshire. As well as teaching from her local studio, Gill also teaches for Liberty of London and at the NEC each year for the Festival of Quilts. Gill's online business reaches 30,000 sewists worldwide each month. Whilst loving all sewing, Gill's main interest is sewing with children and teens, for which GillyMac Designs has won national awards for the past 6 years.
Gill's background is in engineering specialising in Optoelectronics. Prior to setting up GillyMac Designs, she spent 20 years in telecommunications in various technical and marketing senior roles. As Operations Director for Europe and the Middle East, Gill's team of more than 200 engineers built and delivered communications networks across the region.
Gill spends her spare time sewing and enjoying life with her two girls and husband in Maidenhead.
Gill's term began on 12 November 2019.
Appointed Governor - Mr Alex Jamieson
Alex is an Old Borlasian who left the school in 2006. Alex’s background is in finance and he is currently part of the Capital Asset Solutions team at Man Group, which provides asset and capital management solutions primarily to insurance companies. Prior to joining Man Group, Alex was a trader at Apollo Global Management where he was responsible for all trading activity in Europe across credit and equity markets, with a particular focus on European leverage finance markets. Alex began his career in investment banking at the Royal Bank of Scotland in the equity derivatives team.
Alex holds an MSc in Psychological Sciences, with distinction, from University College London and a first class BSc honours degree in Economics from the University of Nottingham. Alex is also a Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA).
He was delighted to join Borlase’s board of governors in October 2021 to support the development of the school.
Alex's term as Governor began on the 18 October 2021
Appointed Governor - Mr Hugh Miall
Hugh is Old Borlasian who left the school in 2004. He read law at Gonville and Caius College, Cambridge whilst holding a choral scholarship, and now practises as a commercial chancery barrister from XXIV Old Buildings, a leading set of chambers in Lincoln's Inn. Hugh and his young family recently moved back to the local area, and he was delighted to be able to join the board in October 2018 and support the development of Borlase and its pupils as a governor.
Hugh enjoys spending most of his free time running around with (or after) his young son. He is a keen musician, and whilst he is primarily an avid listener and concert-goer, he also continues to perform as a singer from time to time.
Hugh's term as Governor began on 15 October 2018.
Appointed Governor - Mr Phil Sharp
Phil has been a school governor at Sir William Borlase’s Grammar since April 2014.
He has lived in Marlow since 2005.
Across his career, he has worked in a variety of functions and sectors, and held a number of Country and European HR Director roles in Healthcare and Financial Services Companies, including Johnson & Johnson, and now Bayer Pharmaceuticals. He is currently studying towards an MSc in Coaching and Behavioural Change at Henley Business School.
Outside of work, Phil is a member of Marlow Hockey club and plays in a men's team for them each week. He also thoroughly enjoys road cycling and cross country running. Phil is married to Lisa; his son Samuel studied at Borlase and is now at Newcastle University Medical School and his daughter Eleanor is currently studying for her GCSEs at Borlase.
Phil's current term began on 19 October 2020.
Staff Governor - Mr Oliver Cross
Ollie is the Head of English at Borlase. He joined the school in September 2019.
Ollie's term began on 25 January 2022.
Parent Governor - Ms Charlotte Thatcher
Charlotte lives in Marlow and has been a parent at Borlase since 2012. She currently has a son in Year 13 and a daughter in Year 9.
Charlotte is Head of People and on the Senior Leadership Team at Oodle, a financial services company of 500 employees based in Oxford, and has a background in talent attraction and diversity consulting.
Charlotte's term began July 2021
Appointed Governor - Ms Kate Burt
Kate joined the local governing body at SWBGS in 2022 and has responsibilities for safeguarding and mental health and wellbeing.
Kate has a BSc in Molecular Biology and Biochemistry as well as being a Chartered Accountant, and has worked in both the finance and pharmaceutical industries for over twenty years. She currently works in Corporate Development for a US biotech focussed on genetic medicines and also leads the Diversity, Equity and Inclusion initiatives at the company.
Kate is a passionate advocate for all aspects of education for young people and also brings ten years experience as a governor at other local schools in Buckinghamshire.
Kate's term began 6 April 2022
Appointed Governor - Ms Kally Kang-Kersey
Kally is currently Chief People Officer at Essensys having previously been VP, Talent & Organisational Development at Zebra Technologies. Over the last 25 years Kally has held various senior HR and leadership roles at Xerox, American Express and Yellow Pages Sales Ltd (BT). She has a strong background in organisational design and development, executive coaching, mergers and acquisitions and talent management. She has worked in the area for over 20 years but is based in London.
An HR leader with many years experience operating and influencing at Board level, Kally is passionate in driving the Inclusion and Diversity agenda. She is excited to work with the school further, having been connected to the school as an Educational Advisor for Bucks Skills Hub since 2019.
Kally has a real desire to ensure educational opportunities are available to all and particularly interested in enhancing the skills of the next generation, in particular, supporting students from the neurodiverse community.
Kally's term began 6 April 2022