Governance

After Durham University, Simon started his teaching career at Worksop College, before moving to Loughborough Grammar School in 1981. He taught physics, was resident housemaster in School House, and latterly was Head of Sixth Form. His wife Jane taught at Fairfield, and their three children went through the schools.

In 2005, he was appointed Headmaster of Christ’s College, Christchurch, New Zealand. Challenges presented included recovery from the devastating earthquakes of 2010 and 2011, but Simon attaches as much satisfaction to cultural and attitudinal changes in the early years of this most traditional of schools.

Twelve years later, thoughts of retirement were put aside with a move to the recently opened Prince of Wales Island International School in Penang, Malaysia. In five years, the school was taken to international award recognition and a new primary school conceived and created, while the international schools’ community provided a wealth of experience, as well as travel and networking opportunities across Asia. Returning to their home in Woodhouse in 2020, Simon has enjoyed reconnecting locally. His regard for the foundation goes back a long way, but his interest is in the future.

In his spare time Simon enjoys his classic sports cars and keeping up with his three LSF alumni and their families in London and New York.

Roger was educated at Loughborough Grammar School, following which he read Architecture at Jesus College, Cambridge. He then went on to complete his architectural education in Sheffield, after years out working in London and Kuala Lumpur.

Following qualification Roger worked for Brimelow McSweeney Architects in central London for 5 years on largely commercial schemes, before moving back to the East Midlands to work for a residential property developer. In 2007 Roger set up his own practice in Nottingham where he continues to handle a variety of commercial and residential projects and has built up extensive experience of working on Listed Buildings.

In addition to a passion for historic buildings, Roger enjoys participating in sport having recently taken up trail running he also plays tennis for two teams and helps to run his local tennis club.

James is Reader in Human Geography at Loughborough University, having studied at Newcastle University, University of Oxford and University College London. He currently holds a range of leadership and governance roles at Loughborough University, which enable him to contribute to the development, approval and monitoring of institutional strategies and policies.

James’ research on children’s rights and safeguarding has been supported by UNICEF, and his expertise in learning and teaching has been recognised nationally and internationally, including by the Royal Geographical Society.

James is married with four children. His eldest child attends Loughborough Grammar School, his second child is at Fairfield Prep, and his youngest two are still in nappies. When he gets a moment to himself, he currently turns to the work of Eiichiro Oda, Ben Okri or Ama Ata Aidoo for entertainment. James is also a big fan of highlife music and his dancing is notorious for providing comic relief at family gatherings. He lives in Loughborough.

A very recently retired academic, Yvonne was Head of Department, Human Resource Management, and had a School wide role as Head of International Affairs at Nottingham Business School, Nottingham Trent University. Prior to joining Nottingham Business School Yvonne completed her PhD at Loughborough University. She has worked extensively in the field of transnational education through course design, international projects, student and faculty mobility, managing international portfolios, and business school accreditation processes.

Yvonne is a Fellow of the Higher Education Academy, and until retirement, was an Academic Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development, and a Fellow of the Chartered Management Institute.

Yvonne has worked as a Visiting Professor at a number of overseas institutions, including the University of Valencia, KEDGE Business School and the University of Victoria, Vancouver Island, Canada. She has extensive Board level experience in the field of higher education in both the UK and Internationally.

Yvonne’s two sons attended Fairfield and Loughborough Grammar School. In her spare time, she is a keen sports fan – both watching and participating – and is an avid reader. She loves to travel and explore and also spends a good deal of time in London with her sons, their wives and two grandsons.

Katharine was born in Yorkshire at her father’s behest; at the time only being able to play for the county cricket team if you were born within a county. She grew up and was educated in Matlock, Derbyshire. Katharine achieved a BSc Hons in Geography from University of Lancaster later converting this to a post graduate diploma in Law at Nottingham and then qualified as a solicitor in 2006.

Since 2009 Katharine has been a partner of a local legal firm Alexander & Co Solicitors LLP which has offices across Derby and in Loughborough. Katharine specialises in residential and commercial property. Katharine is also known as Katie, is married and has one daughter who attends Fairfield Preparatory School, living locally to Loughborough.

Richard Bailey was educated at Fairfield Preparatory School and Loughborough Grammar School, following which he studied agriculture at Harper Adams. 

Richard has worked in a number of roles alongside running the family business, including running a Wedding and Events Business, being a member of various statutory committees, working in rural insurance, being a Borough Councillor and is currently a Trustee of the Outwoods and a Governor of a secondary school in Loughborough.  Richard lives on the outskirts of Loughborough and has a daughter at LHS.

John was educated at an independent school in Staffordshire before completing his undergraduate degree and masters in Law at the University of East Anglia.

Having completed his training in private practice, John qualified as a solicitor in 2009 and worked for over 9 years in-house at a local authority, specialising in employment law and education law. He returned to the private sector in 2018 and, since 2022, has been a Partner at Knights, a national legal and professional services business.

John is married with two children, with his eldest currently attending Loughborough Grammar School. He is a keen hockey player, playing club hockey in Leicester with his children and spending his spare time helping to coach the junior section.