Whilst responsibility for the governance of Wetherby-Pembridge New York rests with the Board of the Alpha Plus Group in London, an Advisory Board has been appointed to provide the necessary local support and supervision. The Advisory Board usually meet three times per year and its minutes are received by the parent Board at its next meeting.
Members of the Board are appointed by the Chairman of the Alpha Plus Group.
The Board are expected to:
- Oversee the educational provision, leadership and efficient running of WPNY
- Support and, where appropriate, challenge the Head who reports in writing prior to each Board meeting under a range of headings including enrolment, standards, health & safety and safeguarding. There will also be a written financial update from the Finance Director of the Alpha Plus Group
- Promote the school in the local community
- Receive and question verbal reports from visiting Alpha Plus executives at each board meeting
- In partnership with the Directorate of the Alpha Plus Group, help to set strategy and monitor standards
Board members are appointed for an initial three year term which is renewable for further terms of three years. Membership covers the necessary areas of expertise including education, finance and property.
Board meetings take place in mid-October, mid-March and late May.
The Chairman or Deputy Chairman of the Alpha Plus Group usually come to New York to chair the Advisory Board meetings. They are ex-officio members of the Advisory Board and receive all Board papers.
Members of the Alpha Plus executive carry out their termly governance check visits during the two days prior to Advisory Board meetings and stay to report verbally at those meetings. The Finance Director of Alpha Plus provides annual accounts for the October meeting (the financial year ending on August 31st) and the budget for the following academic year is presented for discussion at the March meeting.
The Head of the School arranges a minute taker. The Head normally attends all meetings but may be asked to withdraw whilst private business is discussed.
Sir John Ritblat is the Honorary President of The British Land Company PLC, Chairman of Delancey’s Real Estate Advisory Board, and Chairman of the Alpha Plus Group.
Graham was Chief Executive Officer of Alpha Plus from 2009-2014. Prior to that, he spent 40 years teaching in independent schools, the last 21 as a Headmaster in London. He retired from the Mastership of Dulwich College in August 2009. He is a former Chairman of the Headmasters’ and Headmistresses’ Conference and was President of the International Boys’ Schools’ Coalition for 3 years. A keen sportsman, he is a member of MCC.
Gina Malin joined the Advisory Board of Wetherby-Pembridge in 2021. Serving as the Executive Director of the Parents League for many years, Gina was responsible for the organization’s overall strategic and visionary leadership. Before assuming this role in 2016, Gina served for seven years as the Director of School Advisory Services, visiting hundreds of member schools and counselling thousands of parents on school admissions. Gina is a frequent moderator and panelist on admissions programs throughout New York.
George Davison was appointed head of Grace Church School in 1994. A graduate of Groton School in Groton, MA, he received a BA in history from Yale University in 1979 and his MA in the history of education from Teachers College of Columbia University. When Mr. Davison began at Grace in 1987 it was a Pre-K- 8th grade school in a 35,000 sq. ft facility with 315 students. In 2012 Grace Church School opened a high school division at 46 Cooper Sq. The school now has a Pre-K-12 enrollment of 745 in two buildings that encompass 140,000 sq. ft. Mr. Davison is involved in a number of professional and community not-for-profit boards.
Dr. Paul Beresford-Hill is a graduate of Oxford University who moved to the US in 1973 and founded the Anglo American International School in 1976. He returned to Oxford as a Research Associate, in the Department of Educational Studies, in 1990.
