Chair of Governors.  A former Head at two independent schools, Janet is now retired and lives in Eastbourne.  She has two grown up sons and three grandchildren.  Her association with the school goes back quite a way as her younger son was a pupil at Battle Abbey.  In March 2017 she completed five years as a Lay Member of the East Sussex Safeguarding of Children Board and she continues to act as an Appropriate Adult for young people held in custody and sits on Referral Order panels. She also chairs School Appeals Panels.  Janet is a keen traveller and particularly enjoys challenging trips to remote or less well visited locations. She is a member of both the School’s Finance and General Purpose Committee and the Academic Committee.

 

Fiona has been a Governor of Battle Abbey School since 2013 and is a member of the School’s Academic Committee. She was educated at Roedean and has a Classics degree from Oxford.  After raising four sons, she became a teacher, with fifteen years spent at Benenden, the last ten as a Sixth Form Housemistress.  She was a Governor of Brambletye Preparatory School for thirteen years.  In retirement, she is involved with refugees and the elderly, reviews the Sections of detained patients and sits on Schools Appeals panels.  Alongside family life, Fiona’s interests include international affairs, history and the arts. 

 

Chair of Academic Committee. David joined the Full Court in November 2018.  After a career in applied research in industry, David joined the University of Manchester in 2015 as a Visiting Professor supporting research on radar and microwave sensing.  David’s research interests are in sensors for security and counter-terrorism and he achieved notable success in support of police search operations and the development of radar for landmine detection. David chaired the European Radar Conference in 2016.  He is married with two sons and two grandsons and was the president of the Rotary Club of Battle in 2018.  David gained his private pilot’s licence in 2012 and flies regularly from Lydd .

 

Libby Fidock joined the Full Court of Governors in January 2018.  She was educated at Battle Abbey School (1989 – 94) and has been teaching since 1998.  She is currently the Principal of Langley Park Primary Academy in Maidstone and has served as a governor in several schools.  Libby lists walking and gardening amongst her hobbies and interests and has been a member of English Heritage for many years.  Libby is the Oversight Governor responsible for Special Educational Needs and Disabilities.

 

Born and educated in County Durham, Jerry moved south to study art at Maidstone College of Art, where he gained an honours degree in Graphic Design.  One of the founding creative partners in the original Button Design Group, Jerry made a career move in 1984 to set up and lead One to One, a successful brand design and communications agency, for nearly twenty years.  One to One and Button joined forces in 2003, bringing differing design skills, a strong creative team, together with a wealth of new business to the newly merged company.  As a director and shareholder of Button, Jerry used his design and marketing experience, to build a different client base from his background within education, sport, technology and the leisure industry, to strengthen the agency’s business.  Now, four years on, Jerry Harrison has moved on to set up Summer Creative, a full service Exhibition and Design agency.  He still juggles his busy schedule in London with his family life in the Sussex countryside.  Married to his designer wife, Pauline, for thirty five years, they have three grown up children who all attended Battle Abbey School.  Jerry has used his strength in marketing and communication skills to help the school as a Governor since 2000.

 

Patrick joined the Full Court of Governors in July 2017.  He has a PhD from the University of London (Geography) and was a university lecturer for many years before joining the British Council.  He has a wealth of experience of working in a wide range of overseas cultural contexts and in senior management positions in HR and business change.  He was the British Council Director in Taiwan and Germany before retiring in 2010.  He serves on several educational appeals panels, is a qualified Mediator and lists travel, music, photography and international affairs (especially with reference to the Far East) amongst his hobbies and interests. 

 

Sam was a pupil at Battle Abbey from 1981 – 87 before attending Southampton Institute to complete her degree.  She joined the Full Court of Governors in March 2019 and has previous experience of being a governor in a local state school.  Sam is a solicitor in Hastings and specialises in criminal practice.  She lists archery, amateur dramatics and the Womens’ Institute amongst her hobbies and interests.

 

Chair of Finance and General Purposes Committee. John joined the Full Court of Governors in November 2017.  He is an accomplished senior director within the Royal Navy, has undertaken several challenging roles in strategic and operational environments within the Ministry of Defence and is currently the Deputy Commandant of the Royal College of Defence Studies. John’s 2 daughters were pupils at Battle Abbey and completed their A Level studies in 2013 and 2017 respectively.  He lists sailing and travel amongst his hobbies and interests.  

 

Vice Chair.  Alison was a boarder at Battle Abbey School for five years before completing her A level studies at Bromley High School.  She has a MBA in Education Management and has just retired as the Bursar at Warminster School, Wiltshire having spent 22 years in a variety of school administrative roles.  She was elected as Chair of the Independent Schools Bursars’ Association in 2010–12 and was a Director of the Independent Schools Council and member of the Executive Committee of the Boarding Schools Association.  Alison has been a Governor since 2012 and is a member of the Finance and General Purposes Committee.  She is also a member of Executive Body of the the Association of Governing Bodies of Independent Schools.

 

Ian was educated at St Bartholomew’s Grammar School, Newbury and at The Royal Military Academy Sandhurst.  He retired in March 2013 after 50 years of Government Service consisting of 37 years in the Army as an Engineering and Intelligence specialist followed by 13 years with the Foreign and Commonwealth Office.  He was awarded the CBE in 1991.  Both of Ian’s daughters were pupils at Battle Abbey.  Ian’s wife Vera was a Founding Member of The Friends of Battle Abbey School.  Ian has been a Governor since 1993 and was Chairman for 11 years until April 2014.  He is a member of The Finance and General Purposes Committee.