All change at the top of the Trust

After 13 years’ service as Trustee to Prior Park Schools, the last six of these as Chair, Michael King (left) is retiring from the Board at the end of August. We, the College, have been enormously fortunate to have Michael at the helm, guiding us through the many challenges faced during this time with vision, wisdom, and unfailing good humour.

He has dedicated a huge amount of time and energy to support the three schools which make up the family of Prior Park. Each has a special place in his heart: as a young boy, he attended the Paragon School when it was on the Paragon in the centre of Bath; as a parent, he entrusted the College with his sons’ education; and as Chair of the Board, he led the way to the opening of Prior Park School in Gibraltar.

On 1 September, John Shinkwin, who has been on the Board since 2011, will take up the position of Chair. His connections with Prior Park Schools stretch back to the 1990s when he was Deputy Head (Academic) at the College (1993-98) and his wife, Maggie (both pictured right as you might remember them), was Housemistress of St Mary’s. Their youngest son attended the Paragon and the College during this time. John studied Physics at University College, Oxford, after which he taught in both the maintained and independent sectors. He went on to become Headmaster of Princethorpe College (1998-2009), a time of much growth and development, after which he became General Secretary of the Catholic Independent Schools’ Conference, CISC, (2009-2016) supporting 135 Catholic independent schools.

Like Michael, John loves the three Prior Park schools; he was deeply involved with the recruitment of the current Heads and is very committed to supporting them in realising their vision. Best of luck and thank you John.