Harington School Governors

Dr Robert Guthrie

CHAIR

Rob Guthrie has been Chair of Governors at Harington since the school opened in 2015. He retired following a career in education within both the independent and state sectors including Stonyhurst College, Christ’s Hospital and King Edward VI Handsworth. A physics graduate with a Doctorate in Ceramics and an M.B.A. from Durham University Business School. He was previously Principal of Hockerill Anglo European College, Bishops Stortford and of St. George’s British International School, Rome. Rob was Chair of the State Boarding Schools Association, sat on the Boarding Schools Association National Executive Committee and was also a Consultant Leader of the National College for School Leadership. Rob represented England Schools, British Universities and Yorkshire at rugby.

Elizabeth Birchall

VICE CHAIR

Liz is a fully trained journalist, whose career has included BBC Radio and Television, Nottingham Evening Post, The Times, Radio Times and Athletics Weekly. She was appointed Head of Communications for UK Athletics, the sport’s national governing body, in 2012 and chairs the UK Sport Heads of Communication Group. She was part of the successful London bid campaign to host the 2017 World Athletics Championships and World Para Athletics championships. Her role over the years has included leading the press operations for the Great Britain & Northern Ireland athletics team at all major championships including Olympic Games, of which Tokyo will be her fourth. She also oversees a team of media officers who look after the country’s Paralympic and age-group GB teams.  Liz plays a key role in the delivery of PR campaigns relating to the world class British Athletics series, including events such as the award-winning Anniversary Games.  A keen follower of all sports, she enjoys recreational running for fitness and has completed five marathons. A qualified sports massage therapist, she is married to former GB & NI endurance runner Robert, and they have two children.

Tessa Leuchars

Tessa read Modern and Medieval Languages (French and German) at St John’s College, Cambridge, followed by a PGCE at Kings College London. She was Head of MFL at Hinchingbrooke School in Huntingdon and at Brooke Weston CTC in Corby where she was also responsible for staff training and NQTs. She completed a Masters in Educational Leadership with Leicester University. Tessa has now taught for over 30 years and is also an associate lecturer with the Open University, previously as a PGCE tutor and currently teaching on the French undergraduate degree course. She currently teaches French, German and Spanish part-time at Harington School and Catmose College and is responsible for KS5 French. In addition, Tessa worked for 3 years with Creative Education, delivering training courses to MFL teachers, and she continues to develop and share many of her own resources on social media as well as being an active member of the Association of Language Learning.

Yvonne Powell

Dyl was the founding Headteacher of Harington School and joined the governing body when she retired in August 2016. Dyl spent 36 years in education within both the independent and state sectors, starting her career at The King’s School, Peterborough with a B.Ed. from The University of Warwick. After completing her NPQH (National Professional Qualification for Headteachers), she went on to become Headteacher of Stamford High School before founding Harington School. During her career she was an ISI School Inspector and also worked with the British Council in China to promote UK Boarding. Dyl has always maintained a love of all sport, umpiring hockey regularly at the highest senior level domestically and has been honoured to represent her country internationally. She continues to work with young people as a Combined Cadet Force Officer at Stamford Endowed School.

Henry Price

Henry is currently Headmaster at Oakham School, having previously been Head of Wellington School. He was educated at Eton College and read Classics at the University of Oxford. He started his teaching career in Sydney G.S., followed by Sherborne and Rugby. At Rugby he was Senior Housemaster and Head of Classics. He has been a coach of rugby and cricket and does his best to keep fit. Married with 4 children and enjoys holidays in North Wales.

Matthew Holt

Matthew completed his GCSEs at Catmose College and prior to the existence of Harington completed his A levels at the King’s School, Grantham. He recently graduated with an M.Eng. in Chemical Engineering from the University of Manchester. Whilst studying there he was chosen to represent both the university and the country at events in the USA and Uganda. Matthew now works as a Strategy Analyst in financial services. Outside work, he is a PADI certified diver, a Duke of Edinburgh’s Award Bronze, Silver and Gold holder and a current trainer and expeditions assessor for the scheme. His recent educational experience and skill set brings a fresh and extremely useful perspective to board discussions and decisions.

Oliver Teasel

Oliver first joined the Rutland and District Schools’ Federation in 2012 as Team Leader for Sport at Catmose College. In 2015 he was promoted to the position of Federation Vice Principal, where he acquired valuable experience of curriculum planning, timetabling, pastoral support and safeguarding. He was able to successfully transfer this knowledge to two East Midlands schools before re-joining the Federation as Head of Harington in May 2022.

Philip Dalby

Philip is appointed to the governing body by the University of Leicester. He is a modern foreign languages graduate and is currently responsible for admissions and applicant experience at the university.  Philip’s career previously included numerous roles in both international and UK student recruitment and admissions at Bath and DeMontfort Universities. He provides a very valuable link to Higher Education for Harington students.

Andreas Menzies

Andreas was a founding Trustee of Harington School, and his three children have all attended Harington in the first and early cohorts. All have gone on to study at university. He is a Director and Founder of Amanet, an International IT Consultancy based in Oakham. He studied Electrical & Electronic Engineering, and after a career in the RAF, he took a management position in a company manufacturing electronic power supplies for the emergency power and marine power industries. He is chair of the Catholic Parish of Rutland Pastoral Council and is a member of the Rutland County Council Strategic Overview & Scrutiny Committee and the Rutland Schools Forum, representing the Catholic Diocese of Nottingham. He previously sat on the on the Schools Advisory Council for Religious Education (SACRE) and was a Governor for many years at English Martyrs primary school in Oakham. He is a committee member of the RAF Association, which provides welfare and support to members of the RAF family. He is also a member of the Armed Forces and Veterans’ Breakfast Club and the AFVBC HMP Stocken, which exist to facilitate veterans and serving members of HM Forces meeting face to face in a relaxed, safe, social environment.

Ben Solly

Ben has been Principal of Uppingham Community College (UCC) since 2017. UCC was one of the 3 local schools which sponsored Harington, initially as a Free School, in 2015. Ben was an Advanced Skills P.E. teacher in the Black Country before taking up a senior leadership position in Melton Mowbray. His first Headship was at Lutterworth College where he led its development to become an 11-18 school. He is a member of the editorial board of the weekly educational publication Sec Ed and contributes articles and opinions through this online magazine. He is currently a Trustee of the Rutland Music Education Hub, the Leicestershire and Rutland Headteachers PE Steering Group and the Headteacher representative of the Leicester, Leicestershire & Rutland Local Children’s Safeguarding Board.

Briege Slattery

Briege is a dual qualified accountant and solicitor.  She qualified as an accountant in the Corporate Insolvency and Restructuring department of Grant Thornton UK LLP. She qualified as a solicitor with Browne Jacobson LLP, specialising in corporate/commercial matters.  She spent a considerable time working in the education department, advising schools on the corporate/commercial aspects of academy conversions. Briege is the mother of five children. Briege is also a governor at Catmose College and has previously been the Chair of the PTA at English Martyrs primary school in Oakham.

Dr Andrew Wright

Andrew’s current role is Reader in Building Engineering Physics at De Montfort University, Leicester. He read Applied Mathematics at Sheffield University, followed by an M.Sc. in Atmospheric Physics at Imperial College, London. He is a Fellow of the Chartered Institution of Building Services Engineers, and Fellow of the Higher Education Academy. He has worked in universities since 2001, mainly in postgraduate teaching and research, and previously spent nine years in industry on research for the UK electricity industry. He was a governor at Catmose College for many years before becoming a governor at Harington.

Tony Nice

Tony worked in the retail and IT industries for over 30 years.  During that time, he worked to deliver many large systems and processes projects across stores, supply chain and head office functions. Tony also worked in corporate strategy roles for several years.  In the latter years of his career, Tony worked for a large American retailer helping implement large systems solutions, based in Chicago.  Since retiring recently, Tony has split his time between local charity work, house renovation and his sporting and environmental interests.  He is a Biology graduate from Manchester University.  Tony spends a lot of his spare time supporting his teenage sons with their running, triathlon, climbing and musical passions.  Tony is the parent of a son who is currently a year 13 student.

Diane Wensley

Diane’s family have been a part of the Catmose and Harington community for 14 years. Harington was a much-needed local provision when it opened, and her family was fortunate enough to have a child in the first student cohort at the school. Since then, she’s had 2 children complete their A level journeys through Harington and currently has a child in Year 12. She is a senior lecturer in nursing at a local university, developing and delivering undergraduate and post-graduate education to training health professionals. With over 15 years’ experience as a parent governor at a local primary school and, for some of that time, was a member of the Rutland Education Performance Board. Diane’s nursing experience means she has an understanding of the importance of health and wellbeing and can offer a caring and compassionate approach. As a researcher and educator, she can take a critical approach to situations. Advocating for patients and families throughout her clinical work means she is not afraid to challenge, when required. She is keen to help the school to support our children to navigate this very important part of their educational journey.

Andrew Robinson

Andrew has lived in Rutland for 35 years. Along with his wife, Kathy, and his three daughters they have lived in Uppingham for 5 years. His daughters all attended schools in Rutland. Andrew is largely retired from paid employment but still a Director of the business (of which he was CEO for 16 years) that manufactures screens for cinemas worldwide. He is a Cambridge Science MA and holds an MBA from Cranfield Business School. Andrew has been a governor of Uppingham Community College since 2019. He is vice chair of the full governing board and the link governor for science. He assisted the Principal create an additional science laboratory and to raise the profile of science. Also he is a member of a number of local organisations and a trustee of a charity. Andrews leisure interests include cycling, reading, art, gardening, bridge, politics, travel and restoring woven chair seats.

Stuart Williams

Stuart is the Executive Principal of the Rutland and District Schools’ Federation, which includes Harington School, Catmose College and Catmose Primary and ex officio a governor of Harington. He had previously been Principal of Catmose College since 2008 and Vice Principal at the Brooke Weston Partnership.  Stuart is a physics graduate from the University of Liverpool, a DfE National Leader for Education and an Ofsted trained inspector.