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Summerhill School

Summerhill School

Mr Graham Knowles

It was with deep sadness that we learned early this week of the death of Mr Graham Knowles over the weekend.  Graham was Chair of Governors at Summerhill for many years and took the very difficult decision to resign from this position last September due to the continuing ill-health of his wife. He served the Governing Board and School well over many years and played a very important role during the PFI negotiations to secure the best possible facilities for the new Summerhill and Colley Lane Primary Schools.

Graham was a real gentleman, a description that you hardly hear in current times.  He was caring, kind and gentle, but hard and decisive when the need arose.   I know he struggled with the need to stand by and support the school when we received our “Requires Improvement” judgement and the need to be at home with his wife.  He decided to stand down as a Governor last September as he knew it was the best decision he could make for the School, but I know that he would have loved to have been involved in supporting Summerhill’s rise to become one of the best Schools in the country.  He would have been so proud.

My fellow Governors and I will remember Graham with great fondness and respect and he will be very much missed by us all. 

Graham’s family are in touch with the School and will advise the funeral arrangements in due course and these will be communicated via the website.

Carol Fletcher
Chair of Governors