Our hard-working, dedicated staff and Governors, each with their own expertise, support our young people to have an educational experience of the highest quality.
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Dr Lorraine Earps - Head of The Grange School
Mr Stephen Gauller - Chief Operating Officer
Mr Rob Oakes - Head of Senior School
Mr Ben Tagg - Head of Junior School
Mr Rob Oakes - Head of Senior School
Mrs Heather Eaton - Deputy Head, Pastoral
Mr James Walker - Deputy Head, Academic
Mr Jeremy Gribben - Director of Teaching & Learning
Mrs Heidi Hackett - Director of Enrichment & Co-Curriculum
Mr Matthew Cooper - Director of Student Progress
Mr Ben Tagg - Head of Junior School
Miss Anna Evans - Deputy Head, Pastoral
Mr Matthew Pearson - Deputy Head, Academic
Mrs Anna George - Assistant Head
Mrs Vinnie Williams - Head of Finance
Mr Ben Moore - Head of IT Services
Mr James Birdsey - Head of Estates
Dr Samantha Thistleton - Marketing & Development Manager
Miss Laura Hough - Admissions Registrar (Senior)
Mrs Nicky Pratt - Junior Admissions & Head's PA
Mrs Lynn Geary - Senior HR & Governance Officer
Mrs Julie Ward - Senior Head's PA & Office Manager
If you would like to speak to a specific member of staff please contact the school office.
Drawn from a variety of professional backgrounds and all committed volunteers the Governors share The Grange School’s vision. They understand our purpose, ethos and values and play a vital role in the running of the school as well as consulting on and supporting the future path the school takes.
The school is also a Trust, of which all parents are members. An Annual General Meeting takes place in the Spring, where the Board of Governors is confirmed in office and is available to answer questions, it is open for all parents to attend.
The Chair of Governors can be contacted at the school address.
Trevor Brocklebank (Chair of Governors)
Trevor joined the Board of Governors in December 2020 and became Chair in June 2022. Trevor currently holds a portfolio of Non-Executive roles. These include Chairing Marketing Cheshire and being a member of the Cheshire and Warrington Business Advisory Board. Trevor is also a Non-Executive Director at Workbuzz, an employee satisfaction survey provider and co-founder of Rise, who provide adapted seated sports across the UK.
Trevor still has a child in the sixth form, with two children currently at University having recently completed their education at the school. Trevor and his children are all dyslexic and he has a particular interest in this area. He can often be seen walking his three dogs and spends as much time as possible on the sea, on boats and paddle boards!
Tracy Pollard (Chair of Education & Safeguarding Committee)
Tracy joined the Board of Governors in September 2021 and serves on the Education Committee. She is an experienced Headteacher who has taught and led in the education sector for over 30 years. Tracy has recently completed a year’s Interim Headship at a leading Independent School in London. She is a committed Governor at another Independent School in North Yorkshire and mentors educational leaders.
Tracy is passionate about all things outdoors and living in the Lake District, loves nothing more than walking and cycling. She is a passionate reader and enjoys watching live theatre and dance productions.
Naomi Jayatilake
Naomi joined the Board of Governors in June 2019 and serves on the Education & Safeguarding Committee with specific responsibilities for safeguarding. She graduated with an honours medical degree from The University of Liverpool and worked in various hospitals across the North West. She is currently a Speciality Doctor in Community Paediatrics at Leighton Hospital. Safeguarding children and young people is a large part of her role as Community Paediatrician. She serves on the Executive Council for The British Association of Community Child Heath and is a BACCH representative for The Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health.
She has one child in the Senior school and 2 now at University who both attended The Grange from Reception through to sixth form.
Julian Llewellyn (Chair of Finance Committee)
Julian joined the Board of Governors in August 2020 and serves on the Finance, Resources and Remuneration Committees. He is the Chief Financial Officer of a Manchester based IT business, BCN Group.
Outside of work Julian referees rugby union, plays cricket and has a keen interest in sport generally. His son currently attends the Grange School.
Tom Sherry
Tom joined the Board of Governors in January 2021 and serves on the Education & Safeguarding and Risk & Audit Committees. Tom first joined The Grange School as a student in 1979. His wife and two children also attended The Grange School.
He has been a Drama Producer and Executive Producer for more than 20 years and his current role is Managing Director for Headline Pictures.
Stuart Begg
Stuart brings over 40 years of experience as a qualified architect and project manager, specialising in a comprehensive range of projects across the education, residential, transportation and commercial sectors. He joined the Board of Governors in May 2021 and actively participates in the Resources and Finance Committees, with specific responsibilities for health & safety and involvement in the future maintenance and development of the school campus.
Stuart’s two sons attended the Grange from Junior School, with his youngest graduating in 2020. Outside his career, Stuart enjoys playing sports, sailing, and travelling
Sarah Eglin
Sarah joined the Board of Governors in June 2022 and serves on the Risk & Audit, Resources and Remuneration Committees. With a passion for putting people at the heart of any Organisation, Sarah is currently the Director of People & Culture at Barnardo’s, and prior to this headed up the People Team for Co-op Operations: Stores, Retail Support, Logistics and Funeralcare.
Sarah’s 3 children have all commenced education in Reception at the Junior School, and her eldest son is now in year 13 at the Senior School.
With a passion and belief that we are able through empowering our children’s growth and development, to create the next generation of leaders who could truly change the world for good in the UK and beyond. She uses her people & culture experience to support the Grange as it seeks to build, deliver and embed its people strategy.
Phil Tabb (Chair of Risk & Audit Committee)
Phil joined the Board of Governors in June 2022 and serves on the Risk & Audit Committee. Phil graduated from the University of Warwick with a First-Class Honours degree in Economics. Phil has built a career as a Finance Director and, more recently, Managing Director, working with large UK PLCs across multiple sectors including Transport, Technology, and Business Process Outsourcing.
Phil is currently the Managing Director of Capita's Transport business unit, providing outsourced business process services to organisations such as Network Rail and Transport for London
Phil lives in Hartford with his wife, Jenny, and their daughter who attends the Grange Senior School. He is an enthusiastic musician, has a passion for cricket (both playing and watching), and enjoys outdoor pursuits such as hill walking and paddle boarding. On most weekends, Phil can be found on a riverbank supporting his daughter’s rowing exploits on behalf of the school.
Oliver Matthews
Oliver joined the Board of Governors in June 2022 and serves on the Finance Committee. As a former pupil of the Grange attending both the Junior and Senior schools, Oliver is the proud dad of two daughters who currently attend the Senior School. His time at the Grange found him life time friends including his wife, Tara.
In his career to date Oliver has spent time in both professional practice and the commercial sector where he has held a number of senior finance roles in a variety of industries. In the companies he has been part of, he has relished understanding the core operational mechanics of the business, getting to know the key individuals and their skill sets that make them and the businesses they’re a part of a success, as well as shining a light on what the performance drivers for those businesses are or need to be. Oliver intends to adopt this inquisitive approach as a governor and his goal is to be part of the growth and future success of the school.
Oliver's indulgences are formula1, biking, hiking, golf and enjoying a beer and a game of pool with friends.
Mark Webster (Chair of Resources Committee)
Mark joined the Board of Governors in February 2024 and chairs the Resources Committee. He and his wife, Gill, were Grange parents for 17 years, with all three of their children having attended the school.
Mark recently retired after a 35-year career in the medical devices industry, most recently as International Vice President of a US resuscitation equipment manufacturer.
Since retiring, he has become a board member of the Resuscitation Council UK and trustee of a charity supporting people with a learning disability, as well as being a university guest speaker and MBA mentor. Additionally, Mark is a GoodSAM cardiac responder and runs the Alpha Course. When not doing these things, he is usually to be found spending time with his family, out on the golf course or playing the guitar.
Athalia Dangerfield
Athalia joined the Board of Governors in June 2024 and serves on the Education and Safeguarding Committee. She is a Lecturer in Management at the University of Chester Business School, she specialises in social entrepreneurship, innovation, and leadership. In 2018 she co-founded a social enterprise dedicated to providing mental health support for young people, workplaces, and education. She has also been a Board member of various charitable organisations, including Ludus Dance based in Lancaster and one of the UK’s leading enterprise education charities, Young Enterprise. She completed her postgraduate certificate in Teaching and Learning in Higher Education and achieved Fellowship status with Advance HE. She is currently pursuing her PhD at the University of Chester and her doctoral research is focused on gaining an understanding on the impact of entrepreneurship education and how effectively this prepares entrepreneurs to form and grow sustainable businesses driven by a social mission.
As an educator she promotes authentic assessment and learning experiences, which enhances students' readiness for the real world by fostering essential skills and empowering students to be self-directed learners. Outside of the classroom, Athalia is a supporter of the arts, with a particular interest in film, dance, and theatre. She also enjoys spending time outdoors with her husband and border collie, Daisy.
Roland Partridge
Roland joined the board of governors in June 2024 and serves on the Education & Safeguarding Committee and brings with him both public and private sector experience. He is an NHS Consultant Paediatric and Neonatal Surgeon in Alder Hey, with a specialist interest in complex neonatal and gastro-intestinal surgical conditions. He holds a PhD in developmental biology. In parallel to his surgical career he developed a simulator to facilitate training in laparoscopic (key-hole) surgery. The company eoSurgical he established to produce these is now part of Limbs and Things Ltd, and he retains an advisory role with them to help further develop tools to train minimally invasive surgical skills.
He has two sons who currently attend the Junior School, and enjoys a range of outdoor activities including cycling, walking and skiing.
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