Governors | School Information | Pocklington School | Day & Boarding School In East Yorkshire

Stained glass window of Pocklington School’s values and virtues

Our governing body makes a valuable and significant contribution to the leadership and oversight of the Foundation as well as providing support for our senior management team.

Governors work towards a shared goal of providing a high-quality education for children and young people throughout the Foundation

The Board of Governors is made up of individuals who come from a variety of different backgrounds including finance, HR, marketing, education, law, business, as well as other committed generalists. The Board meets regularly to consider progress towards the Foundation’s long term goals. Our governors influence the culture of the Foundation and work closely with the heads of both Pocklington Prep School and Pocklington School, to support and challenge them.

If you are interested in becoming a governor at the Foundation and have any further questions about the role, please contact the Clerk to the Governors. To apply for governorship, submit your CV and a covering letter, outlining why you would like to become a governor and what skills you can bring to the role, to the Clerk to the Governors

To contact the Board of Governors you can email the Chair of Governors, Mr Tilsed, or write to:

C/O Clerk to the Board of Governors
Pocklington School
West Green
Pocklington
YO42 2NJ

Charity Number 529834

Please see the Annual Accounts and Trustee Report here.

Meet our Governors

Jonathan Tilsed
Chair of Governors

Committees and Link Roles: Chair of Governors, Chair of the Nominations & Governance Committee; member of the Finance Committee; Education Committee; Pastoral & Safeguarding of Children Committee. Director of Pocklington School International Limited.

Professional Background: Studied medicine at St Mary’s Hospital Medical School; former President of the University of London Union; consultant surgeon for nearly 25 years. Extensive teaching, examining and international leadership roles including establishing the Division of Emergency Surgery for UEMS. Former President of the European Society for Trauma and Emergency Surgery; widely published and invited speaker internationally.

Links to Pocklington School: Former parent.

Kate Groves

Committees and Link Roles: Vice Chair of Governors, Chair of the Education Committee; member of the Prep Committee and the Nominations & Governance Committee.

Professional Background: Qualified solicitor with over 25 years’ experience in commercial property and former Commercial Property Partner at Gosschalks Solicitors, Hull. Joined AWGroup in 2015, becoming Managing Director of the Development division in 2019 and Chief Executive Officer in 2024.

Links to Pocklington School: Current parent

Steve Burke

Committees and Link Roles: Vice Chair of Governors; Chair of the Pastoral Safeguarding Children Oversight Committee; member of the Nominations & Governance Committee; Safeguarding Governor.

Professional Background: Dental Surgeon in Beverley for 35 years, 33 years as a principal. Retired in 2021.

Links to Pocklington School: Former parent whose three children attended Pocklington, benefitting from and enjoying both the academic and co-curricular sides of school.

Zareen Ashraff

Committees and Link Roles: Pastoral Safeguarding Children Oversight Committee; External Relations Committee; Boarding Governor.

Professional Background: Dentist, joint owner and Principal of two practices near York. Qualified at Leeds University in 1996. Additional training in Safeguarding, Understanding Autism and Leadership. Former member and secretary of a local British Dental Association Committee.

Links to Pocklington School: Parent since 2017 with two children currently at the School.

Rachel Cookson

Committees and Link Roles: Education Committee

Professional Background: Principal of the Infant and Junior Division at The King’s School, Macclesfield. Thirty years in education, including 12 as a Head in HMC, IAPS and GSA schools. Chair of the HMCj network. Serves on the ISEB Board, Education Committee and AJIS Education Steering Group. Level 7 Executive Leadership Coach and Mentor.

Links to Pocklington School: Strong professional associations via HMC and IAPS.

Roly Cronshaw

Committees and Link Roles: Estates Committee, Prep School Committee, Pastoral & Safeguarding Committee, Boarding Governor. Director of Pocklington School Nurseries Limited.

Professional Background: Retired airline pilot with senior management experience in Training, Governance and Compliance across three continents. Former Head of Training for BAe Systems. Qualified trainer and examiner for multiple Civil Aviation Authorities. Specialist in Crew Resource Management and type-rated expert supporting the Aircraft Accident Investigation Branch.

Links to Pocklington School: Former parent and supporter of the school’s engagement with the community.

Fiona Eldridge

Committees and Link Roles: Deputy Chair of the Education Committee; member of the Nomination & Governance Committee. Chair and Director of Pocklington School Nurseries Limited.

Professional Background: Senior public servant with experience across public and private sectors. Former Head of Teacher Supply and Recruitment for England and Chairman of Teaching Personnel. Started career in biology teaching, progressing to Principal of a sixth form college. Non-executive roles in NHS Professionals and NHS Haringey. Co-author of The Achieve Coaching Model® and The Seven Steps of Effective Executive Coaching.

Links to Pocklington School: Lives in Pocklington; chair of Friends of Pocklington Arts Centre.

Di Flint

Committees and Link Roles: Member of the Prep Committee; Nominations & Governance Committee; Staff Liaison Governor.

Professional Background: Career in the Food and Agricultural sectors across blue-chip companies, family-run businesses and SMEs in Senior HR, Consultant and NED roles.

Links to Pocklington School: Parent of two OPs and current grandparent. 

Claire Grant

Committees and Link Roles: Chair of the Prep School Committee; Education Committee;. Director of Pocklington School Nurseries Limited.

Professional Background: Recently retired after 19 years teaching Spanish and French, Deputy Head Pastoral and DSL at a North Yorkshire Prep School. Experience running a Girls’ Boarding House. ISI Inspector since 2012. Previous careers in recruitment, headhunting and international banking. Justice of the Peace for 28 years.

Links to Pocklington School: Worked at a feeder school and brought sports teams to Pocklington Junior School.

Steve Hare

Committees and Link Roles: Finance.

Professional Background: Career across blue-chip companies and private equity. CEO of Sage plc and Non-Executive Director of Sainsbury’s plc. Former CFO and COO at Sage. Previous senior financial leadership roles at Apax Partners, Invensys plc, Spectris plc and Marconi PLC. Chartered accountant with a commerce degree from Liverpool University.

Links to Pocklington School: Old Pocklingtonian.

Pippa Hildyard

Committees and Link Roles: Deputy Chair of the Pastoral and Safeguarding Children Oversight Committee. Deputy Safeguarding Governor.

Professional Background: Barrister at Park Square Barristers, Leeds, specialising in children’s cases. Joint Deputy Head of the Family Team and joint Secretary to the Management Board. Regular seminar presenter. Consistently ranked in Legal 500 for Family and Children Law.

Links to Pocklington School: Current parent.

Nick Minns

Committees and Link Roles: Chair of Estates Committee, member of the Finance Committee. Health & Safety Governor.

Professional Background: A career spent in Land Surveying & Engineering, with overall responsibility for growing a world class consultancy from 2 to 165 employees.

Links to Pocklington School: Past parent.

Jane Peake

Committees and Link Roles: Chair of the External Relations Committee.

Professional Background: Former Civil Service roles including specialist recruitment and executive search. Around 25 years in the private sector as Head of R&D for a nationwide training company and later Business Development Director for an independent school.

Links to Pocklington School: Long-standing connection as a Yorkshire native with friends who attended and others with children at the School.

Lyn Rickatson

Committees and Link Roles: Member of the Estates Committee.

Professional Background: Head of Grays Solicitor's Property Department since 1993 and a member of the Agricultural Law Association and the Country Land and Business Association.

Links to Pocklington School: A former parent.

Nick Robson

Committees and Link Roles: Chair of the Finance Committee; member of the Prep School Committee.

Professional Background: Finance professional with significant experience at Aviva in leadership roles focusing on financial performance, risk management and business transformation. Passionate about supporting young people’s development through coaching and mentoring.

Links to Pocklington School: Parent of two Old Pocklingtonians.

David Strachan

Committees and Link Roles: Education Committee and External Relations Committee. Public Benefit Governor.

Professional Background: Corporate lawyer and partner in Schofield Sweeney LLP. Advises individuals and businesses in a range of commercial sectors. Held several governor/trustee/NED roles in educational and charitable institutions.

Links to Pocklington School: Old Pocklingtonian.

Mike Whitney

Committees and Link Roles: Member of the Estates Committee and External Relations Committee; Director of Pocklington School Enterprises Limited.

Professional Background: Career in the British Army followed by leadership roles in international subsidiaries of blue-chip consumer goods businesses. Founder and Director of an executive recruitment company focused on global food and agribusiness.

Links to Pocklington School: None.

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Front of Pocklington School main building in the autumn

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