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.

To deliver this vision, we have a team of highly-skilled and experienced staff led by our Principal and his Executive Committee.

Mr James Murphy-O’Connor became the first overarching Principal of Haberdashers’ Monmouth Schools in September 2019.

A history graduate from Oxford, with a PGCE from Cambridge, Mr Murphy-O’Connor started his teaching career at Stamford School in Lincolnshire, moving on to become a history master and housemaster at Sherborne School in Dorset.

Mr Murphy-O’Connor then became the founding Headmaster at Sherfield School in Hampshire, a challenge he relished, building pupil numbers to 500 in just five years.

In 2009, Mr Murphy-O’Connor took on the headship of Prior Park College in Bath and subsequently became Principal of Prior Park Schools with responsibility for their prep school, junior school, college, and the senior school he established in Gibraltar in 2016.

Mr Murphy-O’Connor is interested in literature, art and coastal walking. He is also a passionate supporter of the Ireland Rugby team as his father and uncle both played for the side during the 1950s. Mr Murphy-O’Connor and his wife, Ali, have four children.

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.

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

Mr Dorman, who hails from Northern Ireland was 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 Jessica Miles joined Monmouth School for Girls as Headmistress in April 2019.

Jessica was previously the Head of Queen Margaret’s School in York, a day and boarding school for girls aged 11-18.

Jessica graduated from Oriel College, Oxford, in Spanish and Linguistics and gained her PGCE from King’s College, London.

She has extensive teaching experience, initially as a Spanish teacher at Dulwich College where she progressed to become Deputy Head of Upper School and was mistress in charge of rowing.

From there, Mrs Miles taught French and Spanish at Sherborne School and was also a boarding house tutor before moving to be Deputy Head and Head of Sixth Form at Leweston School in Dorset.

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.

A boarder at an independent school from the age of 10, Mrs Sarah Lee graduated with a degree in Psychology and began her career working in London for a top 10 advertising agency.

As an Account Director, she worked on accounts as diverse as Airbus, BP and International Classic Brands where she gained considerable experience marketing in Europe and internationally.

Mrs Lee switched to marketing the Haberdashers’ Monmouth Schools in 2000, a role she remains passionate about. Her connections to the local area are strong; her father was an Old Monmothian and her two daughters and son have all attended the schools. Mrs Lee enjoys interior design, yoga, theatre and paddle boarding.