Chair of Governors
Sarah worked in Cambridge for several years for Segal Quince Wicksteed Management Consultants and then Acorn Computers where she organised education events and conferences. Now a full time wife and mother, Sarah returned to her Norfolk roots 20 years ago after three years in Paris. Her children have been educated at Town Close and maintained close ties with the school. Since 1995 Sarah has coordinated the mini section of Norwich City Hockey Club and is on the Executive and Youth Development Committees. As well as this, her voluntary work now extends to a charitable organisation, The Norfolk Reading Project, whose aim is to support teachers in improving literacy standards across the County, particularly in areas where attainment falls below national standards.
Governor
Denis and his three daughters are all former pupils of the School and his wife, Clare, was a governor for many years. He is currently a consultant with Mills & Reeve solicitors, but previously taught French, German and Law to year 7-13 students at a local state High School for ten years. Away from the professional world, his main interest is sport. He is a former international athlete and has been a team coach at two Commonwealth and one Olympic Games.
Governor
Adrian worked at Cushman & Wakefield for over twenty years specialising in retail and leisure property throughout the UK and the Netherlands, where he was based for seven years. He came to Norfolk in 2001 and is a Partner at Roche Chartered Surveyors. Adrian’s three children were all educated at Town Close. Adrian enjoys cycling, skiing and travel.
Deputy Chair
Alistair is a Chartered Accountant and a senior partner at M+A Partners LLP. He is married with three children, two of whom were educated at Town Close from Nursery until Year Eight.
Alistair became a Governor in 2015 after his children left the School. He is Deputy Chairman of Governors and Chairman of the Finance and General Purpose Committee.
Governor
Murray Graham is a Chartered Accountant who has practiced in Norwich for thirty years. Most recently he was a partner with Lovewell Blake LLP and is currently a non-executive director and business advisor. He is married with four children, all of whom attended Town Close.
Governor
Governor
Louise North is Principal and Head of the Senior School at Framlingham College. She began her career at St Peter’s, York as a teacher of French and Spanish. Having run a Day House there, she spent nine years as a boarding housemistress, first at Glenalmond College, Perthshire and then at Marlborough College, Wiltshire. She moved to Stonyhurst College as Head of Upper School and, more recently, to Oakham School as Senior Deputy Head.
Governor
Sonal Patel is a Specialist Orthodontist, Practice Principal and Partner at Smile Orthodontics. She also works at the Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital as an associate specialist. She is married with two children who both attended Town Close from Nursery to Year Eight and her husband Haren was a former pupil of the school.
Governor
Adrian Possener is a solicitor and heads the company commercial team at Birketts LLP in Norwich, which employs about 170 people locally and over 650 people in East Anglia. He is married with 4 children, 3 of whom benefitted greatly from being educated at Town Close. Adrian is connected to a number of local organisations, including being honorary solicitor to Norwich Rugby Club.
Governor
Ruth started her career in corporate banking and, later, institutional stockbroking in London. She moved to Norfolk in 1991, and took an extended career break to bring up her three children, all of whom attended Town Close. In the last ten years, Ruth has been a governor in three state-funded schools, one village primary, a high school in Thetford, where she was safeguarding governor, and a High school in Norwich where she was chair of governors. Her experience in schools led her to start Teacher Training in 2018 and she has worked as a part-time primary school teacher since. Ruth has a particular interest in children’s literature and, in her spare time, loves travelling, playing bridge, walking and anything food related.