Polam Hall School
Governance and Management
The leadership structure of the school is outlined below: -
- Board of Governors (including Trustee Governors)
- Senior Leadership Team:
Headmaster - Mr John Moreland
Bursar - Mr Michael Carr
Junior School Headmistress - Mrs Angela Foster
Deputy Headmistress - Mrs Sara-Jane Hardy
The members of the Governing Body are:
MRS SALLY PELHAM BA (OXON) MA (York) CHAIR OF GOVERNORS
Sally Pelham - Chair of Governors
Appointed to the Governing body in 2006 and Chair in June 2010.
Sally read law at Oxford University and practised as a solicitor in the City, as a civil liberties and media lawyer and in house for the auctioneers, Christie's, before specialising in education law at Eversheds.
In recent years she has indulged her passion for art, working for the Public Catalogue Foundation cataloguing all the oil paintings in public ownership in West Yorkshire, North Yorkshire and County Durham and completing an MA in History of Art at York University.
Sally is a trustee of Seven Stories, the Centre for Children's Books based at Newcastle. She has two daughters, the younger of which is a current pupil at the school.
DR MARY M CARR M.D., B.SC., F.R.C.P. – Vice Chair
Dr Carr - Vice Chair of Governors
A Governor since 1995, and a member of the Finance and Management Committee, Mary is a Consultant Dermatologist in County Durham and Darlington Foundation Trust. She trained at University College London, and worked as a junior doctor in London, Hampshire, Nottingham, and Manchester, and in research in Edinburgh before settling in the North East. She has two daughters and a son; Hannah attended Polam Hall from 1992-99, read Law at Oxford University, worked in the Cabinet Office and the Prince of Wales’ Office as a Civil Servant, and currently lives in New Zealand with her husband and 2 children. Emma followed her sister at Polam from 1995-2002, read Modern History at Oxford, worked in Bolivia and South Africa before returning home to edit a banking journal, and is now completing a Graduate Medical course at St. George’s University of London.’
MRS DAPHNE BATEMAN - Vice Chair
Mrs Bateman - Vice Chair of Governors
Attended Polam Hall from 1959 – 1962 and went on to The Birmingham College of Food and Domestic Arts. After gaining a diploma, held several positions in schools and private houses including at one time working as a shepherd in Northumberland. Secretary of Polam Hall Old Scholars Association from 1988 – 2001 and represented PHOSA on the Governing body for 9 years. Became a Governor in 2001. Mrs Bateman is a member of the PHPA . Interests include Natural History and reading.
NICK MILLAR - BSc. PGCE, CFP Chair of the Finance Committee
Mr Millar - Governor
Married to Kate with 4 daughters: - Abi 24, Bex 22, Steph 20, and Suzie 19
Nick was educated at Fettes and then at Durham University where he completed a Maths Degree followed by a PGCE. He taught at Durham School and Durham Johnston. Nick left teaching in 1988 and went into Financial Services. He now runs Ashburn Wealth Management. Outside of work Nick cycles a lot (road bike) and is never happier than climbing up some alpine pass, enjoys walking with Kate (Pyrenees favourite), is involved in Kings Church, plays Guitar (and occasionally bad jazz on double bass).
CHRISTOPHER D W PRATT BSc
Mr C Pratt - Governor
A Governor since 1989 , and former Chair. A local farmer in Blackwell, Darlington;married to Carol, who is also a Trustee of the school. His daughter Katie is a former Polam Hall student who studied Biochemistry at Bristol University and his son Martin studied at Durham University after attending Hurworth House School and Polam Hall Sixth Form.
MRS ANGELA ELLIOTT BA (Hons) PGCE
Mrs Elliott - Governor
Represented the Parents Association on the Governing Body from 2006 to 2008. From January 2009 was elected as a full School Governor and is a member of the Nominations Committee.
Angela has a degree in Geography from Liverpool University and taught in a secondary modern school in Altrincham and for fifteen years in independent girls’ schools in both Oxford and Durham. She is married with two daughters, both currently in the senior school at Polam Hall.
MR KEVIN GORDON
Mr Gordon - Governor
Appointed a Governor in 2001. Initially trained in Accountancy, now runs an Executive Recruitment & HR Consultancy based in Leeds and London. Has a son and a daughter; the latter studied at Polam Hall. Interests include skiing, tennis, golf and music.
Dr Julian Wright, MA, DPhil, FRHistS
Dr Wright - Governor
Julian was appointed to the governing body in 2006. He is Director of Studies in the history department at Durham University. Julian's specialism is the history of modern French politics and ideas; he edits the academic journal French History.
He was educated at Radley College, Corpus Christi College, Oxford, and later held a research fellowship at Christ Church, Oxford, after a spell teaching at Wellington College in Berkshire. Julian is musical director of the Durham Singers.
He is married to Miranda, who has established herself as one of the leading singing teachers in the North East. They live in Weardale and have one son.
MRS BETH ATKINSON
MISS CHARLOTTE NICHOLS BSc (Hons)
Charlotte Nichols - Governor
Charlotte attended Polam Hall from 1987 – 2002 before graduating from Loughborough University with First Class honours and the Head of School Prize in Sports Science and Management.
She is currently MD of PR agency, Harvey & Hugo Ltd, and the current ‘If We Can You Can’ Face of Entrepreneurship for The Northern Echo area as well as Star Radio’s Business Person of the Year. Sport is a keen interest of Charlotte’s having been a County champion swimmer and represented Great Britain as a junior water polo player in the past.
The full Governing body meets four times each year.
Sub Committees meet as follows:
- Finance - quarterly
- Nominations -annually
All governors may be contacted via the Clerk to the Governors, Mr M N Carr, at the school.
All governors are welcome to visit the school at any time. We hold regular Governors' Open Days when the governors can see the school in action. They attend many school events and meet frequently with staff and students.
