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Governor Details

Graham Bates

Graham Bates attended Rushmoor School from the age of 5 followed by BMS. After an informal apprenticeship in Luton and National Service in Malaya with the RAF he entered the family business, retiring as Managing Director. He was President of the Chamber of Trade in 1968-69 and elected to Bedford Borough Council in 1965 where he served as Chairman of a number of Council committees, including a term as Leader of the Council and Mayor of Bedford in 1973-74. The Council elected him an Honorary Alderman on his retirement in 2000. He was appointed to the Bedford Magistrates Bench in 1975, served for 31 years and on his retirement was the Chairman of the Youth Bench. H.M. The Queen appointed him an O.B.E. in 1998. He was first appointed a School Governor in the maintained sector in 1966 and has served on many governing bodies since, including 10 years on the Harpur Trust. He was first appointed a Governor of Rushmoor about 1977 and was elected Chairman in 1990.

Brian Thompson

Educated in Northern Ireland, he attended Ballymena Academy and graduated from the New University Of Ulster, Coleraine and then Queen's University, Belfast . Apart from a year as an accountancy recruitment consultant in the City of London, his career has been in teaching: for nine years in Croydon and then for nearly 25 years at Rushmoor itself. Initially he taught English and then History for 18 years until loss of sight resulted in his taking ill-health retirement in 2007. Other roles included exams officer and membership of senior management while outside school for several years he acted as a GCSE examiner (team leader) for OCR and assistant examiner for Cambridge International. Invited to join the School Council with teaching staff support , he now acts as governor representative for Child Protection and Health and Safety as well as being a Curriculum Sub- Committee member.

Ivan Flack

Ivan Flack was educated at Stowmarket Grammar in Suffolk and Cardiff University, he enjoyed a 30 year career with Midland Bank/HSBC Bank and subsidiaries, latterly having responsibility for a number of branches in Bedford and North Bedfordshire. Seven years with Bedfordshire Training & Enterprise Council (TEC) as finance director and company secretary, managing the merger of TEC, Business Link and Beds Chamber of Commerce. Subsequently he has worked as a business, finance and management adviser and has been involved with a number of commercial enterprises also a range of voluntary bodies, including six years as chairman of governors of a Bedford Upper School, director and vice chairman of a local housing association and chairman, Bedford Friends of the Philharmonia. He is a past president of Bedford Rotary Club. He was appointed a governor of Rushmoor School in 2005 and is currently chairman of the Finance & Resources Committee.

Michael Grafton

Michael Grafton attended Kings Norton Grammar School in Birmingham and from there trained as a teacher at Bede College, Durham. He became head of department in both secondary and tertiary education before becoming a Regional Officer with the Sports Council in Bedford. After 11 years developing sport across East Anglia, he took up a post to establish a fitness equipment company in the UK before returning to teaching in the early 1990's. He became Deputy Head of a Northampton school before taking on the challenge of a Headship in a failing school in Dunstable. Since retiring in 2007, he has worked as a Headteacher mentor and sat on educational appeals' panels for both Bedford Borough and Central Bedfordshire. He is actively involved in a village residents' group and is a committee member at Bedford and County Golf Club. He also became a co-opted member of the Curriculum Sub-Committee of Rushmoor School in 2009 and a full governor/trustee in 2010.

Andrew Coutts

Educated at Rushmoor School from 1973 to 1984. Continued to study whilst working in accountancy and qualified as a member of The Chartered Association of Certified Accountants in 1992. After more than 25 years working in industry currently employed as Finance Director for a European healthcare organisation.

Became a co-opted member and treasurer of Milton Ernest PCC from 2002 to 2007.

Appointed a governor at Milton Ernest VC Lower School from 2005 to 2007.

Appointed as a governor at Rushmoor School during 2011.

Steve Williamson

Steve attended Bishop Vesey's Grammar School in Sutton Coldfield proceeding from there to the College of Law and then on to Articles with a Law Firm in Bedford. He qualified as a Solicitor in 1977, and has practised locally since then. He is a Partner in the merged Firm of Park Woodfine Heald Mellows LLP, specialising in property work.

Steve is married with two Children. His Son, Bradley, attended Rushmoor School in the 1990s (and is now a qualified Science Teacher in Bedford). Steve was Chairman of the Rushmoor PTA, and joined the Board of Governors in 1998. He is a founder Member of the Rotary Club of Bedford De Parys and was its President in 2003/4. He is also a Committee Member of two local Trusts.

He is a keen sports fan, having played rugby for many years, as well as squash and cricket. He now plays the gentler game of golf.

John Wilkinson

John completed Secondary education in his home town of Liverpool. This was followed by employment within the Liverpool Cotton Exchange prior to two years National Service in the army based in Scotland. On completion of army service, there followed a period with English Electric. He then moved to Scotland to join The BOC Company Limited the Industrial and Medical Gas Manufacturer, with whom he was with for 38 years. His career in BOC took many roles within the Sales and Marketing of the company, which finally led in 1979 to The International Division were he travelled overseas extensively prior to taking early retirement. John is married with two children and four grandchildren, one of whom is in his final year at Rushmoor.

Passionately interested in all types of sport,which retirement allows time to support the grandchildren in their many sporting pursuits.