Board of Governors

Mr Phil Jones - Chairman

Phil studied Geography at Cambridge where he also obtained a teaching qualification, played rugby for the University, rowed and played hockey for his college. He taught at Downside School for four years and then at Sherborne School. Whilst at Sherborne he was Head of Department, Housemaster, Senior Master and i/c rugby before moving on to become Headmaster of Christ College, Brecon, retiring in 2007. He is a former Inspector of Independent Schools and married to Jane, who was a founding governor of Sherborne Prep. Their two children both attended The Prep. Phil is a governor at another school and is involved with a national charity supporting HIV orphans in Kenya. His hobbies include most sports and a particular passion for night-time fly-fishing for sea trout and training gun dogs.

Mrs Fiona Ashley Miller

Fiona is the mother of two Old Preppers - Catriona and William - who both started in the Pre-Prep Nursery and continued through to Year 8. She is the joint owner and Finance Director of an e-commerce and mail order business (The Present Finder of Sherborne) which, together with husband Mark, she has been running since 2000. Fiona graduated from Oxford Brookes University, where she read Italian, French and German before working in the City of London for ten years dealing with customer services and marketing portfolio management to private investors. If there is any spare time, Fiona enjoys family life, playing tennis, "Double Double" (a faster version of Racing Demon), and walking her dogs.

Mr Chris Banbury

Chris was born and educated in Cornwall. He attended Truro School as a boarder before entering upon a CDA/NDA course at Seale Hayne Agricultural College, Newton Abbot, Devon. He has held Senior Sales & Marketing positions with Bamfords Ltd, JCB (Excavators) Ltd and a senior executive post at a Bath Advertising agency. Chris is the proprietor of Wessex Media & Communications. He is married to Prue and has two daughters. His interests include Rugby (spectator!) and outdoor pursuits, travel, walking and taming his garden.

Mr Richard Bromell

Richard is an Old Prepper who attended the school from 1973-1979 after which he went to boarding school in Devon. Richard then entered the world of antiques and auctioneering and has worked for several firms of auctioneers from South Devon to North Yorkshire. In 1999 he returned to Sherborne setting up his own firm of auctioneers with his wife. Richard has twice been nominated as one of the top four auctioneers in the country and is an Associate of the Society of Fine Art Auctioneers. Both of Richard's children are also Old Preppers. His daughter Octavia started in Year 3 and his son Hugo in the Pre-Prep. Richard, Octavia and Hugo have the unusual accolade of having all been taught by Mr Walbank! Richard lives locally and enjoys walking his dog when not working.

Mr Bernard Brown BSc FCA

Bernard is graduate of Hull University (BSc in Chemistry). He subsequently qualified as a member of the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales, and was a partner in KPMG Chartered Accountants in London. He is the Hon Treasurer of Sherborne PCC and Hon Treasurer of the Friends of Sherborne Abbey, and a Foundation Governor of the Gryphon School, having previously been a school governor in Hertfordshire. His interests include travel, reading and bridge. He is married to Christina and lives in Sherborne. Bernard has a son and a daughter and two young grandchildren.

Christopher is the son of a schoolmaster, and was educated at Eton College, during which time he was a clarinettist in the National Youth Orchestra and played cricket for the XI. He read English Literature at Corpus Christ College, Cambridge where he won a Manners Scholarship. After graduation, he spent a year teaching at St. Edmund's School, Canterbury before joining the Bank of England's International Division. He was then seconded to the Cabinet Office for two years during the First Gulf War before returning to edit and manage the Bank's Quarterly Bulletin and the introduction of its new Inflation Report. In 1994, he returned to teaching, joining the English Department at Eton College, where he took up a wide range of responsibilities, from overseeing the Sports and Literary Societies, coaching several games, chairing the Staff Remuneration and Conditions of Service Committee and becoming a Housemaster in 2001. He was appointed Headmaster of Sherborne School in 2010. Christopher is married to Innes, and they have two daughters.

Mrs Jenny Dwyer Bed (Hons)(Cantab)

Jenny took up her post as Headmistress of Sherborne Girls in 2006 from Prior's Field School, Godalming where she was Headmistress from 1999. After graduating from Homerton College, Cambridge, she was on the staff of Benenden School for eight years, becoming Housemistress in 1988. From 1994 to 1999 she was Deputy Head (Pastoral) at Queen Anne's School, Caversham. Jenny is married to Adrian and has two sons.

Mr Duncan Fowler-Watt MA

Duncan Fowler-Watt is a Housemaster at Bryanston School where he has been an outstanding teacher of Classics for a number of years. Duncan is a hugely versatile Housemaster, widely respected teacher (and the subject of a tribute from Emilia Fox on 'My Favourite Teacher' in the Times Education Supplement), excellent sports coach and renowned director of many superb plays and musicals produced by Bryanston School. Duncan is also a Governor at two other prep schools. Duncan is married to Karen who, along with their family, share the joys of boarding life in their Year 9 boarding house.

Mr Tim Hague FCCA CTA

Tim is a Chartered Certified Accountant , Chartered Tax Adviser and local businessman, who has run his own accounting and tax practice based in Sherborne since 2003. He was a partner in a regional firm of Chartered Accountants from 1995 until 2001, and Regional Tax Director of what is now RSM Tenon until 2003 . Tim and his wife Jo live in Sherborne and their two children are both at The Prep. A keen rugby supporter and Youth Chairman of Sherborne RFC for the 2010 and 2011 seasons, his other interests include property renovation, sailing and fast cars.

Mr Nigel Jones BSc FRICS ACIArb

Nigel is a Chartered Surveyor based in Yeovil and has been practising primarily in commercial property and development land matters in the area for 25 years. He is a specialist in property disputes, acting as an expert witness or arbitrator in contentious matters throughout southern England. He and his wife Valerie live at Cattistock and have one daughter, Immie, who recently left the Prep School for senior education. Nigel is a sports fan with a particular interest in rugby (having played over 600 games for Dorchester) and cricket and is also a syndicate owner of a racehorse!

Mrs Elly Key

Elly grew up and was schooled in Sherborne. She qualified as a Registered Nurse in 1988 at The Royal Free Hospital, Hampstead, London and returned to Sherborne, working at Yeovil Hospital for ten years as Sister in the Intensive Care Unit. She was subsequently involved in the start up of the Dorset Blue Soup Company, and stopped Nursing to bring up her three children and support husband in the Royal Navy. Home is currently in Buckinghamshire, when not posted further afield. Has three children, the youngest of whom is still at The Prep, and enjoys cooking, walking, tennis, gardening, reading and socialising with friends.

Mr Peter Lapping MA

Peter was born in India and brought up in South Africa. After reading History at the University of Natal he went to Lincoln College, Oxford where he read Politics, Philosophy and Economics. Peter taught History, and was Head of History and a Housemaster at Loretto School in Scotland before becoming Headmaster of Shiplake College in 1979. He has many interests including cricket - in which he represented Natal University, Oxford University Authentics and the East of Scotland. In 1988 he was appointed Headmaster of Sherborne School from where he retired in 2000. In 1998 he became a founder-governor of The Prep and, together with his two fellow founder-governors, bought the School from its then owner and established the School as a charitable trust. Peter is married with grown up children and lives in Gloucestershire.

Mrs Emma Ramsay LLB

Emma is a Solicitor specialising in employment law, with particular expertise in the further education sector. On graduating from Exeter University she moved to Guildford law School and then London to complete legal training, qualifying in 1988. After travelling the world for 18 months in 1990/91 she moved to the West Country and joined Clarke Willmott, specialising as an employment lawyer and subsequently becoming a partner and Head of the Employment Team. Emma was Clerk to Yeovil College for a few years in the 1990s and now advises a number of further education colleges across the country. She is currently with Nicholas Moore Specialist Employment Lawyers. Emma lives in Sherborne with her husband and two sons, enjoying sport, travel, good food and wine, and family life.

Miss June Taylor OBE BSc

A mathematics graduate from the University of Sussex, June went on to St Anne's College, Oxford for a PGCE. She was a maths teacher and Housemistress at Sherborne School for Girls, prior to becoming Headmistress, in 1985 and retiring in 1999. She currently serves on the Executive Committee of the ISEB, is Chairman of the Independent Schools Inspectorate and Deputy Chairman of AGBIS, Chairman of CE Publications and a Trustee of The Royal National Childrens Foundation. June is a governor of three other schools and a founder-governor of The Prep. June's interests include theatre, listening to music, paintings and buildings in this country and in Europe, and country pursuits.

Mr Micky Burton-Brown TD MA- Clerk to Governors

Micky is a classical scholar of Charterhouse and Pembroke College, Oxford and has been Clerk to the Governors since 1998. He was Assistant Master at Rugby School from 1956-58, Assistant Headmaster of Ludgrove Preparatory School from 1958-1969 and Headmaster of Edgeborough Preparatory School from 1969-1992 before retiring to Sherborne. He still gives individual tuition in Latin and Greek and takes a Greek session as part of our Saturday morning activities, which is attended by parents as well as children. He is a past Chairman and President of the Sherborne branch of the National Association of Decorative & Fine Arts Societies. Micky is a widower with two grown up children and two grandchildren.