Governors

Henry Keeling has enjoyed a very successful career in Insurance and Reinsurance.

He is Chairman of Governors and as well as chairing the Board, he also chairs the Finance and General Purposes Committee. He was educated at Taunton School.

Elaine Waymouth is Deputy Chairman of Governors and has responsibility for Child Protection, she is Liaison Governor for the Prep School, member of the Finance and General Purposes Committee and the Marketing and Admissions Panel.

Elaine was formerly a Somerset County Council and Taunton Deane Councillor with a particular interest in Education and Children’s Social Services, serving as Deputy Chairman of Somerset County Council for 4 years.

Chris is a Chartered Accountant with a diverse career in business, investment and financial management including 20 years as a PwC Corporate Finance partner, CEO/Director roles in battery and tooling manufacturers, healthcare, Emissions Monitoring and recently leading a fund advisory team in the social investment sector.  Chris is also a Non-exec Director at Selwood Housing Association (in Wiltshire), Bird Friendly Farming Ltd and is a layman expert to the Cornwall Council Audit Committee.

Robert is a commercially driven Group HR Director having previously worked for Nationwide Building Society and the Lloyds Banking Group. As a fellow of the CIPD he has also held various non-executive roles in both public and non for profit organisations.

Robert is married to Jackie and they have lived in Taunton for over 25 years with their two daughters who previously attended Taunton school. Robert was appointed to the Governing Body in 2016 and is a member of the Finance and General Purposes Committee and also chairs the Remuneration Committee.

Phil Cooper has extensive experience as an Executive and Non-Executive Director bringing with him many skills to the Board including corporate governance, strategic vision and core values, organisational development, commercialisation, financial analysis and a customer centric approach. His son was educated at Taunton School from 2012 -2018.

Brigadier (Retired) Mark Hallas OBE had a distinguished military career completing operational tours in Northern Ireland, Sierra Leone and Afghanistan; ending his days as Director Intelligence Corps (the Army’s professional Head of Intelligence and Security).  In his second career, he is Chief Executive of Crimestoppers, the national crime-fighting charity responsible for helping make our communities safer, by giving people the confidence to speak up about crime through use of the national reporting line.  He brings many management, analytical and wider skills to the Taunton Board.  He is married with 2 sons, both of whom were educated at Taunton School as day and then boarding pupils.

Tim is a Solicitor Advocate and a Partner in a national law firm Clarke Willmott LLP.  He was Chairman of that firm for six years.

Tim sits on the Finance and General Purposes Committee, the Remuneration and Human Resources Committee and on the Appeals Panel.

Although Tim was educated at Bristol Grammar School, his children were both educated from pre-prep to A-level at Taunton School.

Tim has been the Deputy Coroner for Somerset since 2004.

David is an old boy of the school.  Married to Vicky their three adult children started at the nursery and attended through to the sixth form.  David is a Chartered Surveyor and partner in national firm Carter Jonas. He sits on the Estates working committee.

Richard Kennedy recently retired as the Senior Partner in the Taunton Office of PKF Francis Clark LLP, a top 30 UK accountancy practice. Richard is a member of the Finance and General Purposes Committee and Chair of the Nominations Committee.

Richard attended Taunton School, as did his 2 children James and Emma. His Grandson has joined the Nursery and will move on to the Pre Prep school next year.

Richard has other charitable interests, including being Treasurer of the Dorset and Somerset Air Ambulance.

Dr Ian Kelham was for 23 years a local GP as well as being involved in GP education as an Associate Postgraduate Dean of the School of Primary Care in Bristol. He is presently an Assistant Medical Director of NHS England in the South West with involvement in performance concerns as well as the pastoral care of GPs. Married to Penny they have had two adult children who have really enjoyed their time at Taunton School. Ian joined the Governing body in 2019.

The Reverend Nigel Manges is the SW Regional Minister for the Baptist denomination. He has been a minister for 30 years and is currently the associate chaplain at St Margaret’s Hospice in Taunton.

Nigel is married to Sarah and was appointed to the governing body in 2016.

Ian was Chief Executive of the UK Hydrographic Office based in Taunton from 2011 – 2015 where he also he served as UK National Hydrographer from 2006. He served in the Royal Navy for 35 years, accumulating over 20 years’ seagoing experience in 11 warships and the Royal Yacht. Now semi-retired, he is a Non-Executive Director of the Port of London Authority and on the NERC Operational & Safety Advice Panel for British Antarctic Survey. He is also a trustee of the Falklands Conservation charity, a Younger Brother of Trinity House and Master Mariner. Ian was appointed to the governing body in 2016.

Keith had a very full and successful career in education and was Headmaster of All Hallows School before joining Taunton School where, having been a teacher and boarding houseparent, he later became Marketing Director.  Keith continued his lifelong commitment to education having been a governor at an independent prep school for many years.

Hilary Quantick is a solicitor and has been practising since 1989.  She has lived and worked in Somerset for the last 25 years.

Hilary is Liaison Governor for the Pre-Prep and is also a member of the Educational Advisory Panel. She is married to Peter and was appointed as a Governor in 2016.

Having had a career in Education and been the Headmistress of four schools, Marilyn now chairs the Educational Advisory Panel.  She was appointed as a Governor in 2014.