The Oratory School Governors make up our governing body. Our Governors volunteer their time and professional skills to ensure that the school operates efficiently. They are responsible for the strategy and future development of the school.

To contact the Governors please email governors@oratory.co.uk

PRESIDENT

† Nicholas Purnell KC , MA (Cantab)

CHAIR OF GOVERNORS 

* F P GARGENT ESQ MA (CANTAB), MSc (LONDON)

Frank trained as a chartered accountant in London before pursuing an international finance career with Shell. He returned to the UK with an eye to becoming a bursar at an Oxford college, an aspiration that he realised when subsequently appointed Bursar and Fellow of St Hilda’s College. He retired from this role in 2020. He has previously served as a Non-Executive Director and Chair of the Audit Committee of Winchester & Eastleigh Healthcare NHS Trust, and as Treasurer of Oxford University Rugby Football Club. He lives in Oxford with his wife Alice, where they attend the Oxford Oratory.

VICE-CHAIR

*† K CARBERRY-LONG 

Lead Governor for Safeguarding & Boarding Standards.

Kate (nee McIntyre) trained at St Mary’s Hospital and has worked both for the NHS as a Practice Nurse at Clapham Manor Street and privately  at the Lister Hospital, Chelsea. More recently she was the Lead Nurse at Westminster School, London for 11 years, with involvement in pastoral and safeguarding care. Kate is delighted that girls are now formally joining the school, having been one of the handful that attended in the 1980s. Kate has recently moved back locally and has three grown up children.

MEMBERS

*† COLONEL (RETD) TCS BONAS LVO 

A former Old Oratorian, Tom was commissioned into the Welsh Guards in 1973 and then pursued a military career until retirement in 2007. He then became the Regimental Adjutant Welsh Guards based in Wellington Barracks in London, responsible for all the non-operational aspects of the Regiment as well as being involved in State Ceremonial and Public Duties. He retired in 2023 and His Majesty The King appointed him as a Lieutenant of the Royal Victorian Order for his services especially in welfare. He is a member of the Draper’s Company. Married to Vivien, they have five grown-up children and live in south London. 

 

G COLLICUTT

Georgina has spent the last 11 years working in marketing and admissions for independent schools and is currently the Director of Marketing and Admissions at Haileybury College. She earned her degree from Nottingham University before starting her marketing career, which has included roles in advertising agencies and consumer brands within the retail and hospitality sectors before transitioning to the education field. Georgina is married and has two children. 


M J DENT ESQ MA

Having studied Medieval History at the University of York (and attended York Oratory), Matthew worked in politics with experience both in constituency offices and running an MP’s Westminster office. He now works for the Independent Schools Council, the representative body for UK independent schools, as Public Affairs and Policy Officer. In this role, he focuses on political threats to independent schools, as well as government regulations and policies affecting schools.


*† J R B HOBBS ESQ BA (HONS)

Link Governor for Sport.

Jonathan is Managing Director of Hobbs of Henley Ltd, the fifth generation of the 155-year-old Family Boating business. He is Chairman of a number of Boating Industry Associations and a Director of The Henley Music and Arts Festival. He was a Governor at Shiplake College for 12 years before joining The Oratory School Board in 2018, the same year he was appointed a Royal Waterman to Her Majesty The Queen, and subsequently re-appointed a Royal Waterman to His Majesty The King in 2022. Jonathan is an Old Oratorian of 80s vintage and lives in Stoke Row with his wife Suzy, and has three daughters. The youngest, Evie, attended The Oratory 6th Form from 2021-23.

 

P LO BA DUNELM, PGCE

Pascale qualified as a solicitor and practised law in London for 10 years. Following her marriage to Robert and the birth of her three sons, all Old Oratorians, she requalified and spent her subsequent career working in Catholic Education. She taught at the Ursuline Preparatory School in Wimbledon and was Head of Prep at St Catherine’s, Twickenham. Following her retirement, Pascale has, since 2019, served as a Governor of The Oratory School in a variety of capacities, including Link Governor for Safeguarding, Chair of the Newman Committee and Chair of Governors.

 

* P MCDONALD ESQ

Peter is a former parent, having educated two children at The Oratory School. Peter recently set up his own HR Advisory business here in the UK. He has had over 25 years' International corporate HR experience having worked for the likes of Unilever (South Africa), Tetra Pak, GAVI Alliance (Switzerland) and Panalpina (Dubai and Switzerland). Currently Peter is Head of People for the John Muir Trust, which is dedicated to the conservation, protection and restoration of the UK's wild places, for the benefit of all.


J RAWLINGS LLB LLM ESQ

Jonathan studied law at the University of Birmingham and later joined the international city law firm, Freshfields. He spent the whole of his legal career with Freshfields, becoming a partner in the firm in May 2001 and retired in December 2021. Following retirement, Jonathan has become actively involved in voluntary work with the Companions/Order of Malta. He is also working on a voluntary basis to provide litigation training for aspiring lawyers from a social mobility background. Jonathan is married with four children and lives with his wife in London.


G RIGG MA (CANTAB) MA(WARWICK) NPQH

Grace graduated from Cambridge University and, after a stint working in television, joined TeachFirst. She worked as an English teacher at IB school, Westminster Academy progressing to Assistant Vice Principal. Grace completed a Masters in Educational Leadership at Warwick University. Relocating with her young family, Grace joined Kennet School in West Berkshire as Deputy Headteacher Pastoral, was promoted to Senior Deputy Curriculum and is now Headteacher. Grace completed her NPQH with UCL. Kennet is an award-winning and top performing school with a Sixth Form in the top 10% of schools nationally. Grace is passionate about attracting the best graduates into education and securing fantastic outcomes for each and every child. Grace has family members who attended the Oratory.  She is keen to support its success. 


REV D B SEWARD MA (OXON) CONG. ORAT.

Link Governor for Catholic Life.

Fr Daniel is a priest of the York Oratory. Fr Daniel was born in Ndola, Zambia, and was educated at Trinity College, Oxford, Blackfriars, Oxford, and the Pontifical University of St Thomas, Rome, and was ordained priest in 2001. He has been a school chaplain and was Parish Priest of St Aloysius’, Oxford from 2008-19 and Provost of the Oxford Oratory from 2011-19. He was one of the first Fathers of the York Oratory at its foundation in 2019 and is currently the Parish Priest. He also teaches Church History at St Mary’s College, Oscott. 


* A SHIELDS LL.B. (HONS), PGDIP 

Angela moved to Berkshire in 1994. She qualified as a Solicitor in 2000 and has worked in London and the South East, specialising in commercial employment law. After 20 years in private practice, Angela was appointed as a Judge of the First-tier Tribunal (Social Entitlement Chamber) in 2020. In 2022, Angela was appointed as a Deputy Regional Tribunal Judge of the Social Entitlement Chamber. She also sat as a Judge in the Employment Tribunals between 2021-2024 and is Secretary of the Association of Women Judges.  


J SMITH

Jo Smith became an Oratory School Governor on 1 September 2024.


* J R W WILDER ESQ MBA

Link Governor for Finance.

John was educated at Cheam Prep School and Millfield School and has an MBA from the Open University. John worked for the family firm of agricultural engineers for twenty years, the last ten as managing director until its sale. He worked as bursar of Moulsford Preparatory School before retirement. John has a wide experience of the educational sector having served as a Governor of Wallingford school, Rycotewood College and Berkshire College of Agriculture, where he was Chair for ten years. John lives in Wallingford with his wife Rachel and they have three sons.
 

BURSAR AND CLERK TO THE GOVERNORS

MRS F YATES MA (Oxon), FCA

CHAPLAIN TO THE ORATORY SCHOOLS ASSOCIATION 

FR G J DEVLIN OP

 

* The Finance Committee

† Old Oratorians

Contact Address for the Chairman of Governors

Mr F Gargent
c/o The Clerk to the Governors
The Oratory School
Woodcote
South Oxfordshire 
RG8 0PJ

E-mail: governors@oratory.co.uk