Governors at Kings’
RICHARD PRIESTLEY – Chair of Governors
Richard was born and grew up in Winchester. He has four children – all attended Kings. One is still at Kings. Richard works as a Deputy CFO for a major life insurance group and has over 30 years’ experience in finance. He is a chartered accountant and has a BA from Clare College, Cambridge.
Richard has been a Duke of Edinburgh leader at Kings for 10 years. He is committed to the values at Kings to support our mission that we are working together to achieve inspiring futures, exceptional character and academic excellence for all our pupils.
SARAH TAYLOR – Vice Chair of Governors
Sarah became a co-opted governor in 2016. She is a consultant working in the field of physical activity & sport. She has worked within local authority, a charitable trust and established two businesses, at all times working on projects geared towards physical and mental wellbeing. She trained and worked as a secondary PE and Maths teacher at the start of her career. She was a Kings’ feeder primary school governor for nine years and chair for four. Her two children went to Kings’. Sarah has a Masters in Business Management.
Sarah is committed to ensuring all pupils at Kings’ are provided with the opportunities, skills and experiences to succeed in life.
DR JAMES ADAMS – HEADTEACHER
James joined Kings in January 2021, having been a senior leader in Poole and Somerset. He began his teaching career at the Thomas Hardye School in Dorset, teaching Geography. He has a passion for the outdoors as a teacher and from a personal perspective, living in the New Forest and enjoying endurance events. James is a Founding Fellow of the Chartered College of Teaching.
LOUISE HUTTON – CO-OPTED
Louise is a co-opted Governor and Deputy Headteacher at Kings’ School. Having been a Senior Leader at 2 previous schools, she currently leads on Academic Excellence. Louise is an RE teacher and has written Making Every RE Lesson Count as part of the popular Making Every Lesson Count series. She is currently completing her Masters in Educational Leadership and Management.
GEORGINA CROOKS – CO-OPTED
Georgina became a co-opted governor in 2018 and is now the Chair of the Education committee. She has worked in education settings across Hampshire for the last twenty years teaching and leading English at KS3, KS4 and KS5. Georgina currently works for the HISP Multi-Academy Trust as the Assistant Director of the Teaching School Hub and is an Associate for the examination board, AQA. She also has a wealth of experience in ITT, teacher training, coaching and mentoring. Georgina is committed to ensuring that all pupils are given every opportunity to excel through a diverse, creative and well-organised curriculum. She has one daughter currently at Kings’ School and one son who did attend the school and is now studying at Peter Symonds college.
Des Mhere – Parent Governor
Des joined the Governing Body in 2023. He has lived with his family in Winchester since 2015, they have two children: one currently at Kings’ and the other at a Winchester primary school.
Des possesses a Masters in Financial Management and an MBA. Has served for nearly 20 years as an officer in the British Army and has a wealth of experience leading Finance and People operational teams in Europe, Middle East and Asia in addition to a stint as a strategic financial planner in the Army’s Headquarters.
He has been a governor and Chair of the Resources Committee at a local primary school and will fully utilise his knowledge, skills and experience as well as providing the equally important parental viewpoint.
TOM DIERCKX – CO-OPTED
Tom has lived in Winchester with his wife Suzy since 2006. He has 3 children of which the eldest is currently at Kings and with 2 to follow.
Tom is a Member of the Institute of Chartered Surveyors.over 20 years of Real Estate experience holding directorships in global real estate consultancies for the past 12 years. Covering property management, internal process reviews, facilities management with a keen interest in sustainability.
Outside work Tom enjoys cycling and football: coaching, refereeing but mainly cheering. Tom has been an active member of Winchester Round Table for over 16 years raising funds for local Charities. He is also a Trustee for the Winchester Round Table and is currently Treasurer for 41 Club.
KATHY BAMBER – CO-OPTED
Kathy is passionate about learning and has many years of educational and governance experience.
As a local resident with two daughters currently attending Kings’ School and Barton Peveril College, Kathy holds a BA Latin, a PGCE and has ten years experience as a governor in both the Primary and Secondary sector.
Kathy continues to be both dedicated to and challenged by her career in education. that spans over twenty four years. Previously a Faculty Head at a further educational college, Kathy now runs her own equine facilitated learning business working alongside pupils across all key stages who, for a broad variety of reasons, find learning in a mainstream educational setting a struggle.
Throughout her career in education, Kathy has been particularly interested in what motivates people to learn, and how environments can facilitate learning. She sees all people as learners and all experiences as opportunities to learn. She strongly believes the individual ability in all people is intrinsic and unique to them, and that learning naturally occurs when that potential is identified, acknowledged and encouraged within a safe and non judgemental environment.
CAROLINA REYES PRIETO – CO-OPTED
Carolina joined the governing body in 2023. She has lived with her family in Colden Common since 2021, after moving from London to enjoy life in the country side, she has one son at Kings and another at the local primary school.
Carolina holds an MA in Marketing and has worked in the Telco and Marketing industry for 15+ years, currently working for VirginMedia O2. Carolina has great experience in project management, team management, data management and is a keen advocate on team’s wellbeing, training and mentoring.
Carolina enjoys cycling and walks with the family in beautiful Hampshire. She is keen to share her knowledge and experience with the governing body to support the school to achieve its vision successfully.
SARA KORAISHY – PARENT GOVERNOR
Having recently moved to Winchester with her two children, Sara joined the board in 2023. She has one son at Kings and a daughter in primary school in Winchester.
Sara holds a Bachelors in Communications and has extensive experience in the communications industry having worked for 18 years across multiple markets; Pakistan, Thailand, UK and UAE. She is skilled in developing communication and marketing strategies that are nuanced and insightful, and is very keen to apply that knowledge to promote the vision and plans of the School.
Sara is a committed yoga practitioner and teacher, enjoys being outdoors with the kids and is enjoying exploring all that Hampshire county has to offer.
DAVID COHEN – LOCAL AUTHORITY GOVERNOR
Dave joined the Governing body as as the Local Education Authority Governor in 2023. He is a university teacher, a mathematician and a software engineer and worked as a university teacher at London University for more than 30 years, teaching robotics and software Engineering.
He is passionate about teaching and learning and believes that every child must be given the support to achieve their full potential at Kings. He has won many teaching prizes, and was a finalist in the Times Higher best university teacher (open to all subjects) a few years ago.
He enjoys giving talks and practical maths and computing sessions in schools, and science festivals.
His son went to Kings and moved on to Peter Symonds in 2016.
Laura Barker – Co-opted
Laura joined the governing body in 2024. She lives in Winchester and has a young child. She is a qualified teacher and SENCO and holds the National Award for Special Educational Needs Coordination. She is passionate about ensuring that all young people have access to a high-quality education, where they feel happy and supported to enable them to succeed.
Laura is a Teacher of History and has taught in schools in Surrey and Hampshire since 2012. She holds a Master’s degree in History, and completed the NPQ in Senior Leadership in 2020. She has previously sat on the governing board of Swanmore College for 5 years. She is committed to supporting Kings’ School with its vision and aims.
MARTIN RATCLIFFE- CO-OPTED
Martin is a passionate advocate for education and believes that every child deserves a quality education that prepares them for success in life. He has been a parent of two children at Kings’ and has been impressed with the school’s commitment to academic excellence, its focus on social-emotional learning, and its culture.
Martin comes to Kings’ with previous experience of being a parent Governor and a strong advocacy for diversity and inclusion. He believes that all children, regardless of their background, should have the opportunity to succeed. Martin will work with the Kings’ school community to ensure that all students feel safe, supported, and challenged.
Martin is excited about the opportunity to serve as a governor at Kings’ where he believes that his skills and experience will be a valuable asset to the governing body. He is committed to working with the other governors to ensure that Kings’ is a school where all children can thrive.
AMY KAINE – STAFF GOVERNOR
Amy became a staff governor in 2023. Amy retrained as a teacher at Kings in 2016 following an 18-year career at Mars Inc covering areas of business effectiveness, sustainability, strategy, quality, procurement and leadership.
She has a Master’s degree in Environmental Technology and has also had short careers at The Natural History Museum and as an environmental consultant. She has taught in other schools in Hampshire and is an Early Career Teacher mentor.
She enjoys all things outdoors and is a regular player of badminton. She has two children, one currently at Kings’ School and one who did attend the school and is now studying at Barton Peverill College.
Amy is passionate about creating a school where teachers can be enabled to deliver excellence in learning and where all pupils can achieve.
Matthew Burnett -Co-opted Governor
Matthew is a Teacher of Chemistry at Winchester College, and formerly an Assistant Housemaster. Before Winchester, he taught International Baccalaureate Chemistry at Sevenoaks School. He grew up in Fareham and Bishop’s Waltham, attending Cams Hill School and Barton Peveril College respectively, before reading Chemistry at Oxford University. He holds Qualified Teacher Status and a Chartership in Chemistry. He is a keen badminton and tennis player.
Clerks to the Governors
Yvonne Stoddart