Executive

Dr Christopher Greenfield

International College, Sherborne

Born in Bristol at the end of 1948.  Educated at State schools in Bristol and South Gloucestershire.  Took first degree at Leeds University in 1971.

His first job after university was for the Rowntree Social Service Trust based in York.  He then became a constituency organiser for the Liberal party in a part of Leeds.  After this he moved on to be a Parliamentary assistant to Richard Wainwright, then the Liberal MP for Colne Valley (just outside Huddersfield), a job he held for four years.

He decided to train as a teacher and took his PGCE at Leeds University.  He then taught at a comprehensive school in Huddersfield for two years. 

He served as a Councillor in Leeds and has contested four General Elections as a Liberal/ Liberal Democrat.

In 1980 he took a job in the Arabian Gulf State of Bahrain (recruited through the British Council), teaching at the Bahrain International School where he stayed for two years.  He then worked for his faith for four years, as the Quaker Middle East Secretary, spending the majority of his time in Lebanon, Israel, Palestine and Jordan.  Amongst the projects he was responsible for was a well-established school in Brummana, near Beirut.

He opted for a less dangerous lifestyle in order to raise a family with Gill, his wife, and then became Head Master of Sidcot, a Quaker school in Somerset, in 1986.  Two children arrived soon afterwards, George in 1987 and Laura in 1989.

He gained his doctorate at Bristol University, which involved a term’s sabbatical at Corpus Christi Cambridge. 

He is now the Principal (since 1997) of the International College in Sherborne, a College owned by Sherborne School.  The College is widely acknowledged as the leading practitioner for care and education of international students in British boarding schools.  He (together with his Vice-Principal, Phil Hardaker) was invited to write a book on the subject by the Boarding Schools’ Association in 2005.

The Independent Schools’ Association, of which the International College is an accredited member, nominated him as their representative to the Executive of the Boarding Schools’ Association in 2006.  He served as Vice-Chairman of the Association in 2008-2009 and will be the Chairman from September 2009-August 2010.

He has lectured widely on the subject of the needs of international boarders, as well as having travelled extensively in the course of his work at the College. 

He is a diabetic, governor or trustee of several organisations, an elder of his local Quaker Meeting and is still an active Liberal Democrat!

Hilary Moriarty, BA (Hons) MA PGCFE

BSA National Director

It is a great pleasure to be the National Director of the Boarding Schools' Association. I am very much enjoying the range and variety of conversations with colleagues in member schools and with the national organisations with which BSA has contact.

Since starting, I have been involved in meetings at the DCSF and with CSCI, and with a focus group examining public perceptions of both organisations. I also had the pleasure of addressing a large audience at the Heathfield St, Mary's Conference on 'The Boarding Community'.
I am delighted to see the number of applicants for the Association's training courses and conferences, which seem to be more popular than ever this year.

I look forward to meeting you should you be attending any of these, and to talking to you should you have occasion to call the office.
Meanwhile, I wish all members a happy, productive and successful year.

Alex Thomson OBE

BSA Director of Training

Alex Thomson read Geography at the University of Edinburgh before completing his PGCE at the University of Leeds.  After five years teaching Geography and Mathematics in schools in Wiltshire, he joined the Educational & Training Branch of the Army.  His twenty six years of service included roles as Director of Adult Education for the Army in Northern Ireland, Chief Examinations Officer for the Army’s Junior Officer Education and Training Scheme, Senior Educational Adviser to the Officer Selection Board in Westbury, and most recently, he was the Children’s Services Director for British Forces in Germany.

He is a traditional Army ‘schoolie’ having maintained his links with children’s education throughout his military career.  He served as the single military officer in the HQ of Service Children Education in Germany, where he was responsible for coordinating inspections, resourcing and SEN support, worked on the closure of Service schools in Berlin, and has acted as the Chair of a number of School Advisory Committees.  In his most recent appointment, he continued to develop his knowledge of children’s and adult education, and has represented the military on joint DCSF/OfSTED/LA/MOD committees concerned with the ECM agenda.

In addition to promoting education and training within the MOD, he has also practised what he preached as he has completed a Diploma in Education at the University of Wales, Cardiff, is a Chartered Fellow of the CIPD and a Member of the Institute for Learning.

Alex was made OBE in the 2009 New Year Honours List in recognition of his service to Armed Forces children and families in Germany.

Deputies Committee 2009/2010