Governance | About | King Edward's School, Bath

Mrs Winifred Thomson

Chair of the Board of Governors

Mrs Winifred Thomson is a grandparent of two former pupils at the School. Having spent her entire career in education, she was previously employed as a Leadership Advisor for Bath and North East Somerset local authority, with special responsibility for newly qualified teachers. Winifred has worked in both the primary and secondary sectors as Head of Music, Director of Studies and as Deputy Head. Winifred’s professional qualifications include a MEd Bed (Hons), LLCM (TD) and ALCM.

Winifred’s role and responsibilities within the Governing Body include Chair of the Board of Governors and she is also a member of all other Governing Body committees. Winifred is also the School’s Designated Safeguarding Lead Governor.

Mr John Isherwood

Vice-Chair of the Board of Governors

Mr John Isherwood is a former pupil and parent of the School and former President of the Old Edwardians’ Association. 

A Barrister, John is Head of Chambers at Unity Street Chambers in Bristol, specialising in Personal Injury and Clinical Negligence.  John studied at Trinity College, Cambridge and holds an MA in Law.

In addition to being Vice Chair, his responsibilities with the Governing Body include Finance and General Purposes and Estates, Premises and Resources.

Mr Ian Bleakley

Mr Ian Bleakley studied International Business and Modern Languages at Aston University before training as a chartered accountant. Ian is the M&A Director at a large software group, having previously spent over 20 years in professional services, specialising in advising companies and shareholders on corporate transactions. Ian’s responsibilities with the governing body include being a member of the Finance and General Purposes Committee. He is also a trustee and treasurer of a small charity concerned with education at a school in Uganda.

Mrs Ginny Chalmers

Mrs Ginny Chalmers is a former parent at the School and is a partner at Irwin Mitchell Solicitors in Bristol, where she heads up the firm’s Workplace Disease Practice. Ginny is also a Trustee and Past Chair of Bath Community Transport.

Ginny’s governing body responsibilities include Fundraising and Development and Estates, Premises and Resources. Ginny is Link Governor to the Junior School.

Mr Philip Cobb

Mr Philip Cobb is a former parent at the School and is a former player for the Old Edwardians’ Rugby Club. He is currently Managing Director of Cobb Farr Estate Agents, which he co-founded in 1989. Philip and his company have long supported the School, sponsoring various sporting events, supplying sports equipment, and supporting music concerts. Philip’s professional qualifications include a diploma in ISVA.

Philip’s responsibilities within the governing body include Fundraising and Development and Chair of the Estates, Premises and Resources Committee.

Mrs Catherine Colston

Mrs Catherine Colston is a former parent of the School. She has worked as a Pharmacist for over 25 years and was the former Head of Pharmacy at Alliance Boots. Catherine has had a wide range of leadership experience including retail operations, HR and New Business Development Partner at Threshold (a communications and behavioural change consultancy). She has also worked in property investment, development and as a landlord. Catherine’s professional qualifications include a BSC in Pharmacy.

Catherine’s responsibilities within the Governing Body include Fundraising and Development and Estates and Premises and Chair of Human Resources committee.

Mr Simon Coombe

Mr Simon Coombe is a former parent of the School. Simon spent 15 years working at UBS and now devotes his time to corporate governance and writing. He has been on the board of numerous private and not-for-profit organisations and has a long association with Dorothy House Hospice Care. Simon studied at Jesus College, Oxford and has an MBA from INSEAD.

Simon's responsibilities with the governing body include Finance and General Purposes, Estates, Premises and Resources, Fundraising and Development and Chair of the Bursary committee. He is also link governor with King Edward’s Pre-Prep & Nursery.

Dr Peter Gist

Dr Peter Gist, educated at Sevenoaks School and universities of Warwick, Sussex, and London Business School, earned a PhD in Economics in 1989. He applied economics in various roles at Lichfields, Price Waterhouse, and Arup, where his last project was for Oxford University. He lectured at London Business School (1982-1989). Since retiring in 2018, he has been a Trustee and Treasurer for Bath Child Contact Centre and an advisor for the National Portrait Gallery. He enjoys walking, drawing, and playing classical guitar, dividing his time between Wales and Bath. 

Peter’s responsibilities on the Governing Board include the Finance & General purposes Committee and the Bursary Review Committee.

Professor Richard Canter

Professor Richard Canter, a former parent at King Edward’s Junior School, is Professor of Surgical Education at Oxford's Nuffield Dept of Surgical Science and Hon Research Fellow in the Dept of Education. He was a consultant surgeon at Royal United Hospital Bath NHS Trust (1988-2012) and earned a PhD in Management from the University of Bath in 1996. He develops Masters programmes, supervises students, and examines externally. His research focuses on leadership in healthcare. Outside work, he enjoys playing music in Big Bands in Somerset and Oxford. 

Richard’s responsibilities within the Governing Board include being a member of the Education & Performance Committee.

Mr Kambiz Moradifar

Mr Mark Roper

Mr Mark Roper, a current parent at King Edward’s School, studied Economics and Politics at the University of Bath. He joined the family business, Roper Rhodes Ltd, and became Chief Executive before its sale in 2021. He is now non-executive Chairman of Outpost VFX, an angel investor, and a Director of a Bath-based property company. A former B&NES Councillor, he co-runs the Roper Family Trust supporting 40 charities. He is also a Trustee of Jamie's Farm and SWALLOW. Mark enjoys coaching football, golf, cycling, rugby, skiing, music and travel.

Mark’s responsibilities on the Governing Board include the Finance & General Purposes Committee and the Estates & Premises Committee. Mark is also the Treasurer.

Mrs Alison Rees

Mrs Alison Rees is a former parent of King Edward’s School with a strong background in large scale IT development. She began her career as a programmer before moving into business analysis, working across all stages of system development - from defining business needs to supporting implementation and training.

For the past 15 years, she has worked with The Talk About Trust (formerly The Alcohol Education Trust), contributing to its growth from a Dorset initiative to a national charity. She helps develop award winning educational resources and manages the charity’s website and publishing.

Alison also edits a digest on alcohol and health, covering international policy, strategy, legislation and research.

She holds a BSc (Hons) in Music and has worked as a peripatetic music teacher. She plays clarinet in an orchestra and wind quintet and sings with a Bath based choir.

Her interests include reading, cinema, theatre, horse riding, walking, tennis and, most recently, golf.

Mr Gavin Bate

Mr Gavin Bate is a renowned social entrepreneur, mountaineer and international expedition leader with more than three decades of experience guiding teams through mountain, jungle, desert and polar environments. He founded Moving Mountains in 1991 after years spent working in slum communities in Kenya and leading humanitarian projects across the developing world. The charity now runs long term educational, health and community regeneration programmes in Kenya, Nepal and Borneo.

Gavin is also the founder of Adventure Alternative, an award winning responsible tourism company delivering worldwide expeditions with a focus on sustainability and community partnership. His mountaineering achievements include six ascents of Mount Everest, multiple solo climbs without oxygen, and a six month solo crossing of the Sahara Desert. He has also trekked to the Magnetic North Pole and continues to pursue ambitious high altitude and polar objectives to raise awareness and funding for development projects.

A respected speaker and educator, Gavin lectures widely on sustainable tourism, development ethics and social entrepreneurship, holding fellowships and honorary academic awards for his contributions. He lives in Somerset with his family and remains closely involved in the daily direction and fundraising efforts of Moving Mountains.