Executive Committee

Meet our Executive Committee

Haberdashers’ Monmouth Schools offer a unique and innovative system of education, known as the Monmouth Model. Our family of schools aspires towards national and international respect for delivering an exceptional all-round education for girls and boys. The schools are renowned for developing talented young men and women with a refreshingly grounded attitude to life and a belief in the importance of community.

Mr Simon Dorman MA Oxon MPhil

Mr Simon Dorman became Headmaster of Monmouth School for Boys in October 2020.

Mr Dorman, who hails from Northern Ireland and educated in Belfast, was previously the school’s Second Master, a role he fulfilled with dedication and passion for 10 years.

With a degree in German and Philosophy from Jesus College Oxford, Mr Dorman achieved a MPhil and a PGCE at Queen’s University in Belfast.

His first teaching post was at Gordonstoun School, followed by a year in Seville, where he worked on his Spanish while teaching English and German.

Mr Dorman then took up a post as Head of German at The Leys School in Cambridge and became Housemaster of a boarding house, before joining Monmouth as Second Master in 2010.

Mr Dorman’s wife, Miranda, teaches Learning Support at Monmouth School for Girls, where one of their daughters is a pupil.

Mrs Rachel Rees MEd, BA (Hons)

Mrs Rachel Rees is the Acting Head at Monmouth School for Girls, having previously been Senior Deputy Head (Pastoral).

She took on the Acting Head’s role at the start of the Summer term in 2023 and has previously held the post of Director of Sixth Form.

Mrs Rees has also taught at Langley Park School in Beckenham and The Ravensbourne School in Bromley.

She has more than 22 years’ experience teaching Modern Foreign Languages throughout the key stages in both state and independent schools.

Mrs Rees completed a MEd (Educational Leadership and Management) at Buckingham University.

Mr Neil Shaw MA

Mr Neil Shaw became the first Head of the co-educational, Monmouth Prep School, launched in September 2021.

Mr Shaw joined Haberdashers’ Monmouth Schools as the Head of Monmouth School Boys’ Prep in September 2016.

Before that, Mr Shaw was Headmaster of Westonbirt Prep School, Deputy Headmaster and then Headmaster of Kingswood School in Solihull.

Mr Shaw is a Geography graduate of the University of Exeter, and was awarded a Master’s degree from the University of Nottingham.

He enjoys hill walking, cycling and camping and lists Lego as one of his interests.

Mrs Tessa Norgrove MBA

Mrs Tessa Norgrove started her career in educational management at a large comprehensive in Wiltshire when financial management of schools switched from the LEA to each individual school.

After 11 years in post, she joined another maintained school in Somerset to help them set up their own financial model.

Mrs Norgrove then moved into the independent school sector working as the bursar of Bilton Grange an IAPS prep school in Warwickshire.  She became bursar of Monmouth School for Girls and then became the overarching Foundation Bursar in 2015.

She completed her MBA in Educational Business Leadership (International) while in post.

Mrs Bish Muir BSc (Combined Hons)

Mrs Bish Muir is the Director of External Relations with overall responsibility for Marketing, Admissions and Development.

Bish took up this new role in April 2023, joining from North Devon-based West Buckland School, where she was Head of Marketing and Communications for seven years.

Bish has more than 25 years’ marketing experience, including running event programmes for companies such as BP, Miele, Mondelez, Camel and Glenfiddich.

A former freelance marketing consultant, Bish has extensive experience in developing brand identity, event marketing, website and literature design, copy-writing and managing exhibitions and events.