About Us
Clayesmore’s affairs are governed by the Council of Clayesmore, chaired, at the present time by Dr Richard Willis, a doctor and a former parent. The governors represent, between them, a considerable range of skills, interests, professions and backgrounds and include at the present time a number who are former pupils and parents. They all share a very deep commitment to the wellbeing of Clayesmore, its pupils, its staff, and its future. The full Council meets every term as do all its sub-committees.
The present Headmaster, Martin Cooke, took up office in September 2000 having served previously as Headmaster of the Prep School for six years from 1994. He is a graduate of the University of Sussex and his degree is in Music and Education. He was educated at St Paul’s Cathedral School and was thus a chorister at St. Paul’s Cathedral for five years, singing at many major state occasions during this time. Before coming to Clayesmore he taught at Bembridge School, Isle of Wight as Director of Music and held the post of Deputy Head there for ten years. During this time, he was variously Organist and Choirmaster of Bembridge Parish Church and Director and Conductor of the Isle of Wight Youth Choir. He is married to Mrs Eleanor Cooke who is also a teacher, specialising in special needs education. Mr and Mrs Cooke’s son, Adam, completed his education at Clayesmore in 2005 and now runs his own IT company, whilst Anna completed her A-levels in the summer of 2008 and, having undertaken an Art Foundation year at University College Falmouth, is in her second year of study at the University of Bath.
During Mr Cooke’s tenure, Clayesmore has strengthened its position substantially with the Senior School expanding from 300 pupils to over 420 in five years, exam results burgeoning in a remarkable way, and the school has once again become a member of the prestigious HMC – the Headmasters’ and Headmistresses’ Conference.
Mr Richard Geffen joined Clayesmore as Head of the Prep School with his wife Ann in September 2006 after a long and highly acclaimed period as Deputy Head at Westbourne House Preparatory School, Chichester. Mr Geffen brings experience not just of the independent sector nor purely of younger children as prior to Westbourne he taught at Chichester High School for Boys and also underwent an exchange to Canada. They have two children, Sarah, who in the final stages of her nursing training, and Matthew, a distinguished young cricketer who is a member of the Sussex Cricket Academy.
The Bursar is a key figure in any independent school. Clayesmore’s Bursar is Mike Dyer, who took up office in January 2010. He oversees the work of all the support staff and makes sure that we are well fed, and that the school is a clean, warm, attractive and safe environment for us all to live and work in. He and the Financial Controller, Mrs Lisa Amey, are responsible to the governors for managing all the schools’ finances, both Prep and Senior.