Governors
HELP SHAPE THE FUTURE, BECOME A SCHOOL GOVERNOR
A school governor is a dedicated volunteer who actively engages in the governance and oversight of a school, contributing their time, expertise, and passion to ensure the school’s success. Governors work collaboratively with school leadership, staff, parents, and the wider community to set strategic direction, monitor performance, uphold high standards of education, and promote the well-being and development of all students.
They play a vital role in fostering a positive learning environment and driving continuous improvement, ultimately helping to shape the future of the school and support the achievement of its educational goals.
If you can spare a few hours each month to contribute your expertise as a member of a board comprising professionals who share your interests, and assist us in steering the operations of the foremost Independent School for Girls in the region, we’d love to hear from you. To express your interest, please email Hayley Upton, see below.
To contact the governors: Hayley Upton, Clerk to Governors
Email: hupton@talbotheath.org
Telephone: 01202 761881
Address: Rothesay Road, Bournemouth, BH4 9NJ
Click on the photographs below to read our governors’ biographies:
Meet our governors
Rebecca Newton
Chair of Governors
Rebecca Newton
I am married with two children, now in their 20s. I was born in Bournemouth and attended Bournemouth School for Girls. On leaving school I went to work for an Estate Agent and later qualified as a Chartered Surveyor.
I have now worked in the property industry for some 30 years, managing commercial property for companies and individual clients, including the Metropolitan Police, HSBC, QinetiQ and major banking institutions. My work brings me into contact with a wide range of businesses across the south coast of England.
I have loved music all my life and continue to play the piano and church organ. I also enjoy choral singing. I keep fit by training at the gym and walking with our dog. Until recently I have been a leader in Girl guiding and was wardrobe mistress for a local theatre school where my daughter was a member.
Clodie Sutcliffe
Vice Chair of Governors – Safeguarding
Clodie Sutcliffe
I was born in Bournemouth, and educated at Talbot Heath School, following in the footsteps of my
Mother and was Deputy Head Girl in my final year.
I graduated from the University of Warwick with a degree in Physical Education and Mathematics,
with Qualified Teacher Status, and went on to teach at Wentworth College, where I was Head of
Physical Education.
My career then took a different path, when I joined Dorset Police. I remained operational
throughout my career, and for several years was a Critical Incident Inspector. My role involved
managing the operational response to major incidents, total resource management of staff,
investigations of high risk missing persons and all other high risk incidents, responding to
complaints and dealing with the welfare of the officers I commanded. I also served as the Section
Commander of the Bournemouth East area and finally as a Custody Inspector.
I retired in 2019, and currently run my own business as a Sports and Remedial Massage Therapist.
My hobbies include triathlon, completing an Ironman in Austria in 2019, and I’ve taken up
paddleboarding. I always love a challenge!
I have served as a Governor of Talbot Heath School since 2013, a role which I am incredibly proud
to perform.
Dr Lido Badawy
Governor
Dr Lido Badawy
After qualifying in Dentistry from the University of Birmingham in 1988 and working in The West Midlands I moved to Poole with my wife Jane in 1993 taking over a small Dental Practice.
We successfully grew the practice to a 4 site practice with 10 dentists and 50 support staff. After the sale of our business I now Co own a small private practice in Westbourne.
At the same time we were fortunate enough to have 4 children. My three daughters all attended Talbot Heath Senior School which they loved, the last one leaving at the end of 6th form in 2019.
I hope I can help the school continue to thrive and produce the amazing, capable and well rounded pupils it has always done who are a credit to their parents and society as a whole.
I hope that through my business experience and through being in regular touch with a number of TH families I can offer the board of governors insights and information from alternative perspectives.
My external interests are mainly sports based. I am an Ironman Triathlete, race Catamarans at Parkstone Yacht Club and a former swimming international.
I feel very honoured to be asked to join the governing body and really look forward to working with the dedicated team of governors at TH.
Jonathan Burke
Governor & School Chaplain
Jonathan Burke
Graduated from London University in 1975 and taught Chemistry and Biology in a local secondary school before training to become a priest in the Church of England in Cambridge. A mixture of parish and secular employment followed, including parishes in Weymouth, rural Dorset and West Wiltshire. Posts in the community included both charitable and public sector positions. Retired back to Bournemouth in 2015 to be near to children and grandchildren and became Chaplain at Talbot Heath School in September 2015. Married to Sandra, a health professional, now also retired. Jonathan and Sandra both have volunteering roles in the area.
Dr Richard Day
Governor
Dr Richard Day
Qualified in medicine in London in 1978. After training in London, Hull, Portsmouth and Southampton, he was appointed as a consultant geriatrician to Poole Hospital in 1988. His clinical interests included drugs and prescribing, and stroke medicine. He was regional advisor to the Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh, and examined regularly for the college. Other commitments include work with the King’s Fund on hospital governance in the 1990s, and a spell as Secondary Care doctor to Southampton City CCG from 2012-17. He is Medical Director for Care South, a charity providing residential and domiciliary care in the south of England. He retired in 2017, and is now entertained by art, piano and grandchildren. His daughter flourished as a pupil at Talbot Heath for 11 years to 2003, his wife Morag was an ex-TH governor, and he was appointed as governor in 2018.
Gary House
Governor
Gary House
Gary grew up in Bournemouth, a student at Winton Boys School and has worked in the
Construction Industry for 27 years. He set up his first business at the age of 20, a successful
Roofing contractors carrying out large scale projects for commercial clients and now runs a
Property Development company building homes all over Dorset.
Gary has helped deliver Corporate Social Responsibility projects all over the UK and
overseas in Sweden, South Africa and Brazil, leading teams of volunteers on building related
projects for communities that need help working with charities and corporate partners such as
Skanska and Capgemini.
In his spare time, Gary loves the great outdoors! He has served in the territorial army,
climbed some of Europe’s highest mountains including Mont Blanc and the Matterhorn and
skydived all over Europe from Planes, Gliders, Helicopters and Hot Air balloons.
More recently Gary’s time is devoted to his 3 girls who are current pupils at Talbot Heath.
Lola, Nyah and Blossom are all very sporty and Gary and his wife Carly support them with
all their aspirations and lead them on regular adventures.
Theresa Magrath
Governor -Safeguarding
Theresa Magrath
I love English Literature and consequently pursued the subject to a post graduate level at the University of York. I studied for my PGCE at the University of Southampton and began my career as an English Teacher at Parkstone Grammar School. In 2003 I became Head of English and Drama at Talbot Heath School and went on to become head of Sixth Form. I retired in 2020.
I have lived in Bournemouth for nearly 30 years and enjoy the company of a mischievous fox terrier who accompanies me on eventful walks.
Kate Potten
Governor
Kate Potten
Born in Poole, I have lived and worked in this area all my life. I have a long-standing relationship with Talbot Heath School. I am an old girl (1970 – 1980); my two daughters attended and excelled at the school (age 3 to 18); I taught there for 7 years. I resigned from my role as a teacher of Mathematics in 2017 to look after my ageing parents but continued to work part time for the Further Mathematics Support Programme until 2020.
Teaching was my second career; I was an Actuary working at Abbey Life in Bournemouth for 15 years before taking a break when my children were small.
I keep fit by attending gym classes, I enjoy the theatre, reading and bothering my children.
I have always been proud of being an alumna of Talbot Heath and wish to contribute to the further development of the school in its aim to meet the changing needs of pupils in the modern world.
Nicholas Wells
Governor
Nicholas Wells
In September 2023 I started as Vicar of St Marks Talbot Village, before that I served as Curate at Wimborne Minster. Previously I was a professional Youth and Community worker, working mainly with Bournemouth Youth Service and Bournemouth YMCA.
I studied for a BA in Applied Theology with a JNC level 2 in youth and community work at Moorlands College, graduating in 2003. In 2020 I completed a MA in Theology, Mission and Ministry at Sarum College.
I enjoy, running, reading, playing guitar and spending time with my wife and three children. I look forward to supporting the staff, children and young people as we seek to ensure that Talbot Heath school is a community where students are enabled to thrive and flourish.
Elaine Brook
Governor
Elaine Brook
Now retired after three Headships in very different schools and eight years working as a Lead Inspector for the Independent Schools Inspectorate, I am looking forward to being an active and committed Governor for Talbot Heath School.
I trained as a teacher and graduated with an Honours Degree in Education. I then went on to complete a Masters Degree in English and Education. My first Headship was in a Preparatory School in Surrey. I then moved to The Midlands to take up a Headship in a school for children aged six months to eighteen years. My final Headship was in an international Ballet School, catering for elite dancers aged between eleven and nineteen. Following this, I led the inspection of schools through the United Kingdom and abroad. Latterly, I was invited to form part of a small team involved in the training of Inspectors and offering consultancy to individual schools on a diverse range of matters ranging from Governance to Child Protection. In fact, I first visited Talbot Heath school some years ago, offering training to the Governing Body!
I have been married for a very long time and have two children and five grandchildren. My various granny duties ensure that I keep up to date with educational matters and current social interests, although I have not yet been converted to an appreciation of Taylor Swift!