Staff & Governors

Bernard practised as a solicitor in Birmingham for 37 years and was a Partner with the firm Lee Crowder specialising in commercial litigation. His three sons attended the School between the years 1988 and 1997.

Bernard joined the governing board in April 2013. As well as his role as Chair of Governors, Bernard also chairs the Teaching, Learning & Curriculum Committee.

Martin is Managing Director of Tyndallwoods Solicitors, Trustee of the OHMI Trust and the Limoges Charitable Trust & formerly a governor of a state primary school (10 years in post). His three children are former pupils and wife Judy was a previous Chair of the Association of Friends.

As well as Vice Chair of the Governing Board, Martin is Chair of the Finance & Estates, and the Awards Committee. He joined the governing board in 1999.

Mike has worked in independent education since 1976 and his early career was exclusively in boarding prep schools, at Dover College Junior School and Bromsgrove School. In 1982 he became a Deputy Head at King’s Junior School in Worcester, the Cathedral School where he was also the assistant housemaster. In 1985, at the age of 30, he was promoted to Headmaster at King’s Junior and Housemaster of the chorister boarding house.

He went on to become the Founding Headmaster at Yarm Prep School growing the school from 0 to 340 pupils over 10 years. He has also been a head at 3 other Prep Schools. He is now a retired member of IAPS, a former ISI Inspector, a Governor at four very different schools and the longest serving member on the steering committee of the cross association, national independent junior school conference.

Mike retired as a Head in April 2010 and since then he has worked as an Educational Consultant offering advice and support to schools on recruitment, inspection compliance, appraisal and marketing.

Emma graduated from the University of Birmingham in 1992, and worked as a solicitor in a large commercial law firm specialising in employment law until 2001. She was formerly Chair of Governors at a local Special Needs State school for 11 years.  Emma has three children, her son Will and daugther Lily are former BCS pupils.

Emma is Chair of the Governance & Human Resources Committee.

Martin was a founding Director of a construction consultancy firm offering Project Management, Cost Management, Health and Safety and Facilities Management services. The firms were sold to a management buy out team in 2007. Since then Martin has acted as a Consultant in a freelance capacity.

Since joining the board in 2008, Martin’s expertise has been of great value in planning and completing improvements to the School site, most recently these have included a new astro-turf pitch and gym studios in the Sports Centre.

Prior to her retirement, Karan spent 44 years working in Health and Social Care. She spent 26 years as a Nurse, Health Visitor, Health Service Manager and then as the Designated Nurse for Child Protection. This was followed by 18 years with Children’s Social Care chairing Child Protection Conferences. Karan has extensive knowledge and experience in safeguarding practice and procedure and the roles of all the statutory agencies. She is the Link Governor for Safeguarding and Special Education Needs, and also the Governors’ representative on the Association of Friends’ Committee. Karan’s four children are former Blue Coat pupils.

Karan is Chair of the Health and Safety Committee and joined the governing board in June 2004.

Guy is a graduate of Cambridge University and Trinity Theological College, Bristol. He is Vice-Chairman of Birmingham City Council’s Standing Advisory Council on Religious Education and a Governor of Broadway Academy, Aston. Guy’s daughters, Victoria and Alice, are former pupils of The Blue Coat School.

Michèle has had a long association with Blue Coat as she herself attended the School from 1983 to 1986. She is a former Deputy Head and previous editor of Prep School Magazine. Currently Michèle is School Chaplain at a Prep School in Glastonbury.

Steve is currently a Birmingham based partner in the accountancy firm, PricewaterhouseCoopers.

During his 30 years in the accounting sector he has gained significant experience in tax, accounting, legal and of a broad range of businesses operating in numerous sectors of the economy.

Both of Steve’s daughters, Melanie and Natasha, attended the School, with Natasha due to graduate from the school in the summer of 2019.

Steve is a member of the Finance & Operations Committee.

Anita has a marketing background, and worked for several Advertising and Marketing agencies before moving to the position of Brand Manager at MG Rover. As a former parent at the School, Anita was heavily involved in school life and was previously Chair and Vice-Chair of the Association of Friends (PTA). Her two sons were pupils at the School between 2005 – 2017. Anita is the Link Governor for The Blue Coat School Old Scholars’ Association.

Stephen is a retired partner from the accountancy firm, Deloitte. He has gained significant experience on the financial operations of the education sector as well as charities during his career. A former trustee of the Birmingham Botanical Gardens (an educational charity) for 15 years, Stephen currently assists other not for profit organisations.  Stephen’s two grandchildren currently attend the School.

Stephen is  Chair of the Finance & Operations and Governance Committees.

Currently Dean of Birmingham, The Very Reverend Matt Thompson has extensive experience as a school governor in a variety of schools, primary and secondary; church and community; maintained, voluntary aided, academy trusts and now the independent sector.

Nick is Vicar of the local parish church and sits on the boards of a number of other charities. Before coming to Birmingham, he was a Foundation Governor of a Church of England School in London. Nick is married with three children who are former and current pupils of the School.

A dancer from an early age, Jessica has toured the UK and USA with the Laban Centre’s resident company Transitions. Through this she developed a love of teaching and working with young people.

She became Principal of Elmhurst in autumn 2010. In her role as Principal, Jessica is actively involved with the Music and Dance Scheme School’s National Head teachers group and a number of other networks to support the development of Elmhurst. Jessica is a Team Inspector for the Independent Schools Inspectorate.

She has run workshops for trainee head teachers with the National College of School Leadership and has created a number of television programmes for Teachers TV. Jessica has been a Senior Leader in three London Secondary Schools, and prior to joining Elmhurst Jessica held senior appointments for Edison Learning, an International School Improvement Company, deployed at Turin Grove Secondary School in Enfield. Ofsted has described her as a ‘highly effective leader’.

Noel joined The Blue Coat School in September 2017. He is currently on his third Headship, spanning over 12 years in both the Independent and state sector. He is a member of the National College of School Leaders, and an advocate of ‘learning without limits’. Noel moved up from his former school St. Peter’s Prep School, Lympstone, Devon, with his wife Jules and two children Bea and Jasper who currently attend the School. Outside of School, Noel, himself a keen sportsman, relaxes by supporting his rugby team – The Exeter Chiefs!

Helen first joined Blue Coat as a part-time teacher in Reception before progressing to become a full-time Year 1 teacher and subsequently Head of Pre-Prep.  Helen leads the Pre-Prep Department and oversees the Buttons Nursery keeping a watchful eye on the pastoral and academic development of all the children from age 2 to 7.

As a member of the EMT, Helen has whole school responsibilities for strategic developments giving input into decisions to ensure that as a School, we continue to provide the very best for our pupils. She is the Main Designated Safeguarding Lead, ensuring that all safeguarding practices are fully implemented; responsibilities also include preparing documentation for the Independent Schools’ Inspectorate (ISI) and supporting the Governing Body with policy preparation and review.

Robbie grew up just a stone’s throw away from the Blue Coat campus and has always had a strong understanding of the School’s history and reputation. He worked at Wells Cathedral Senior School for his first 8 years in teaching, enjoying a number of roles that included Master in charge of Cricket and Academic Head of Sixth Form.

As Head of Boarding and Director of Co-Curricular at St Peter’s Prep School in Devon, Robbie found expanding the extra-curricular programme especially rewarding.  Since joining Blue Coat, he has been keen to extend the opportunities for pupils and to widen their horizons through additional clubs and activities. This is an on-going process but already the extensive programme he has put in place will encourage the children to develop into well-rounded individuals who are able to take advantage of everything that life has to offer them, both at senior school and beyond. From September 2018, Robbie will take on additional responsibility for pastoral care.

Robbie is married to Clare who teaches Modern Foreign Languages at the School and has two daughters who are currently in Pre-Prep.

Tracey has been teaching for over 20 years and is currently responsible for the academic curriculum at The Blue Coat School. An immensely passionate teacher, Tracey draws upon her previous experience working in a variety of different schools.

As part of the SLT, Tracey is strongly committed to working hard to raise standards. She wants pupils to be excited by their learning, willing to take a risk and open to different ideas. Tracey has taught all year groups throughout her career, enjoying the challenges and rewards of each age group; she believes that to be a good leader and teacher, patience, firm discipline and a good sense of humour are essential!

Helen has spent the majority of her teaching career working in the Early Years Foundation Stage and Key Stage One, gaining an excellent understanding of these fundamental years. As part of the Senior Leadership Team, she is responsible for tracking pupil progress and extending and enriching the curriculum.

She is extremely passionate about raising standards, guiding and inspiring colleagues in order to maintain a high level of skill and motivation, so pupils are continually stimulated and strive to achieve.  Helen is married with a daughter who currently attends the School.

Following a career in the Royal Navy as a Logistics Officer, Gareth joined The Blue Coat School having been the Bursar at King Edward VI Handsworth Grammar School for Boys for the past 3 years.

After starting her career in international trade, Jenny moved into marketing. For the last 15+ years, she has been working as a marketing professional in the education sector working in Sixth form, Adult Learning, Further and Higher Education, and more recently, for Independent Preparatory schools.

As the link for the Old Scholars’ Association and as a Staff representative on The Association of Friends, Jenny has joined-up communications for the BCS community as a whole, bringing together former, current and prospective families, staff, governors and supporters of the School under one external relations umbrella.