OPEN MORNING | SATURDAY 11 OCTOBER 2025 - CLICK HERE TO REGISTER
  • Homepage
  • Admissions
  • Stanfield Prep
  • Senior School
  • Sixth Form
  • Merchants+ Facility Hire and Children’s Activities
  • Calendar
  • Events
  • Latest News
  • Contact Us
  • Job Vacancies
  • Alumni & Development
  • SOCS Sports
  • Stanfield Prep
  • Seniors
  • Sixth Form
  • Menu Spacer ALWAYS KEEP IN MIDDLE
  • Admissions
  • Our Family
  • Merchants+

MENU

Chair of Governors Retires After 4 Years

Current Chair, and Old Girl, Beverley Bell will retire from the post on 12 July, with Old Crosbeian Philip Marshall taking over.

Beverley has written the below letter to all members of the Merchant Taylors’ community:

Dear Colleagues, Parents, Alumni,

I hope you all enjoyed the half term break and had some time to relax and enjoy the glorious weather.

I am writing to inform you the time is now right for me to retire as a Governor and Chair of Governors at Merchant Taylors’ School.

Balancing the complex demands of my professional life with the demanding requirements of being Chair of Governors has become increasingly challenging. Having celebrated my 60th birthday at the end of last year and just completed a four-year term as Chair of Governors, it is the right time to pass the baton to the new Chair. Good Boards always refresh their Chair and members regularly and Merchant Taylors’ is no exception to this.

I am delighted to inform you the new Chair of Governors will be Philip Marshall QC and he will be assisted by the new Vice-Chair, Anna Gervasoni. Philip and Anna are not only current members of the Board but, by happy coincidence, are also both past Presidents and now our governor representatives from the Old Boys’ Association and Old Girls’ Association respectively.

Philip attended the Boys’ School between 1978 and 1985 before going on to study law at Liverpool University. He became a barrister in 1989. For the past thirty years he has lived and worked in central London, where he is joint head of his chambers, having been appointed as Queens Counsel in 2012. He was President of the Old Boys’ Association in 2016/2017, and became a governor in September 2019.

Anna attended the Girls’ School between 1986 and 1993. After practising as an Occupational Therapist specialising in severe and enduring mental health, Anna took over the family business, completing an MBA. Now specialising in management training and operations, Anna has re-launched a number of flagship venues within hospitality and has recently been persuaded to move to the coast to continue that work with Bourne Leisure. Anna was President of the Old Girls’ Association from 2017 to 2019 and became a governor in 2016.

My tenure will come to an end on 12 July 2020, coinciding with the four-year anniversary of my appointment as Chair and the end of the academic year. I move on in the knowledge the school is in safe hands with a very competent Board of Governors and very talented Executive team at the helm.

When I walked into MTGS with my knees knocking together on my first school day in September 1971 wearing the compulsory hat and an oversized blazer, never did I think in my wildest dreams that one day I would have the personal and professional privilege of leading the governance of the Merchant Taylors’ family of schools 45 years later. Quite simply, I have been honoured to undertake this role and I want to express my thanks to our Heads and Director of Finance and Operations and their respective teams for their unstinting support for me.

It has been wonderful to see and hear about the development of so many gifted children and watch our pupils blossom into highly able, balanced young women and men contributing so much to society in so many ways as a result of their Merchant Taylors’ education.

To my colleagues across the school, I would like to take this opportunity to express my heartfelt appreciation for your exceptional work in making our school so special. In particular, I am in awe of your dedication and commitment beyond the classroom, where you always go the extra mile to provide a broad and holistic range of co-curricular opportunities to children at Merchant Taylors’, whether it is through the arts, music, sport, CCF or any other manner of inspiring pursuits. These aspects truly set our school apart from our competitors and none of it would be possible without your dedication and skill. So please may I thank each and every one of you for all you have done – and all you will still do.

Our children are the lifeblood of our school; our very reason to exist and prosper for 400 years. To our parents, I know you are not only our education partners or our customers, you are also invariably our friends and kin within the Merchant Taylors’ family. Thank you for entrusting the incredible staff at Merchant Taylors’ with the development and wellbeing of your loved ones. Joining Merchant Taylors’ brings a lifelong connection; the future of the school is extremely bright and I hope your family will remain a part of Merchant Taylors’ for decades to come.

Last but by no means least, I would like to thank Merchant Taylors’ alumni, friends and all other supporters of the school for your invaluable support throughout my tenure. I know you will all continue to support the Chair and Board of Governors working in conjunction with the Heads, in the coming months and years. Joining Merchant Taylors’ brings a lifelong connection and you are all living proof of how powerful and special that is. I look forward to seeing many of you in the future as the alumni network continues to go from strength to strength.

I will continue to follow the school’s fortunes through the many relationships I have built during my time here and I wish each of you every great success in the future.

With my very best wishes,
Beverley Bell, CBE

SHARE:

Previous Post All News Next Post

Latest News

  • Celebrating Achievement Across the Curriculum at Merchant Taylors’
  • Merchant Taylors’ Pupils Celebrate Excellent GCSE Results
  • Pupils Celebrate A Level Success Across Merchant Taylors’ Sixth Form
  • Merchant Taylors’ Celebrates Speech Day 2025 at Liverpool Philharmonic Hall
  • Acclaimed Musicians Lead Inspiring Music Masterclasses at Merchant Taylors’ School
View All News

Upcoming Events

  • Open Morning 2025 on October 11, 2025 9:30 am
  • Sixth Form Open Evening on October 14, 2025 5:30 pm
  • October Half Term Holiday Club on October 20, 2025 8:00 am
  • October Half Term Holiday Club on October 21, 2025 8:00 am
  • October Half Term Holiday Club on October 22, 2025 8:00 am
View All Events

Join our family

admissions information sign up to our newsletter

SHARE:

Back to top

Instagram Feed

We’re sorry to share the news that former Head o We’re sorry to share the news that former Head of Maths at Merchant Taylors' Boys’ School, Clare Peacock, passed away last week after a short illness.

Clare was a much-valued member of staff at school from 2006–2021. We send our condolences to Clare's loved ones; her funeral will take place on Wednesday 17th September at 2pm at Southport Crematorium.

In accordance with the family’s wishes, flowers will be from close family members only. Donations in Clare’s memory can be made to Queenscourt Hospice.

We are happy to pass any messages or memories that you wish to share with Clare's family. Please email devoffice@merchanttaylors.com.
A whole school moment, captured in three letters: A whole school moment, captured in three letters: MTS ❤️
Today marked a historic moment in the history of M Today marked a historic moment in the history of Merchant Taylors’ as we officially began our journey as a fully co-educational school.

Pupils from the Prep and Senior Schools came together for a roll call on the Parade Ground, where they heard from our new Headmaster, Mr Phil Dearden, and the Chair of Governors, Mr Philip Marshall KC, before receiving commemorative badges to mark the occasion.

As a finale, pupils joined together on the school field to shape the letters MTS, celebrating the start of this exciting new era.
All set for a new era ✨ All set for a new era ✨
What a wonderful day at Merchant Taylors’ as we What a wonderful day at Merchant Taylors’ as we welcomed our very first co-educational Year 7 cohort! 🎉

Our new pupils were greeted by Headmaster Mr Dearden before getting to know one another through fun ice-breaker activities with help from some our Sixth Form leadership team. 

Pupils shared their first lunch together, enjoyed a tour of their new school, and were thrilled to receive their very own 1:1 learning devices.

We are so proud of the way they embraced their first day and can’t wait to see them grow, flourish and make their mark in the years ahead. 🌟
✨ Welcome to Merchant Taylors’ Prep ✨ What ✨ Welcome to Merchant Taylors’ Prep ✨

What a wonderful day as we greeted our brand new Reception pupils for their very first day at school! 🎉

They threw themselves into the adventure with smiles and energy - exploring their classrooms, making new friends, enjoying lunch together, and having plenty of fun on the playground.

We’re so proud of how confidently they’ve started their journey and we’re excited for all the discoveries and achievements that lie ahead this year. 🌟
The new school year is just around the corner, and The new school year is just around the corner, and we’re looking forward to seeing everyone back at Merchant Taylors' following the summer break. 🌟

📆 Thursday 4th September: First day for Reception, Year 7 and Year 12
📅 Friday 5th September: First day for all other pupils

See you very soon! 🎉
Not long to go now… Not long to go now…
Merchant Taylors' image

ADDITIONAL INFO
Disclaimer
Privacy
Cookie Usage
Terms & Conditions
Website Credits

LINKS
Intranet
iSAMS – Staff Portal
iSAMS – Student Portal
iSAMS – Parent Portal
SOCS Login
SOCS Calendar
Library

 
Contact
Join Our Team
Policies
Events
Governance

Admissions: 0151 949 9366
Prep School: 0151 924 1506
Senior School: 0151 928 3308
Sports Centre: 0151 949 9355

The Merchant Taylors’ School
Liverpool Road
Crosby
Liverpool
L23 0QP

Our social links

© The Merchant Taylors’ Schools, Crosby
Company No: 6654276
Registered Charity No: 1125485

We use cookies on our website to give you the most relevant experience by remembering your preferences and repeat visits. By clicking “Accept All”, you consent to the use of ALL the cookies. However, you may visit "Cookie Settings" to provide a controlled consent.
Cookie SettingsAccept All
Manage consent

Privacy Overview

This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience.
Necessary
Always Enabled
Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. These cookies ensure basic functionalities and security features of the website, anonymously.
CookieDurationDescription
cookielawinfo-checkbox-analytics11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Analytics".
cookielawinfo-checkbox-functional11 monthsThe cookie is set by GDPR cookie consent to record the user consent for the cookies in the category "Functional".
cookielawinfo-checkbox-necessary11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookies is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Necessary".
cookielawinfo-checkbox-others11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Other.
cookielawinfo-checkbox-performance11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Performance".
viewed_cookie_policy11 monthsThe cookie is set by the GDPR Cookie Consent plugin and is used to store whether or not user has consented to the use of cookies. It does not store any personal data.
Functional
Functional cookies help to perform certain functionalities like sharing the content of the website on social media platforms, collect feedbacks, and other third-party features.
Performance
Performance cookies are used to understand and analyze the key performance indexes of the website which helps in delivering a better user experience for the visitors.
Analytics
Analytical cookies are used to understand how visitors interact with the website. These cookies help provide information on metrics the number of visitors, bounce rate, traffic source, etc.
Advertisement
Advertisement cookies are used to provide visitors with relevant ads and marketing campaigns. These cookies track visitors across websites and collect information to provide customized ads.
Others
Other uncategorized cookies are those that are being analyzed and have not been classified into a category as yet.
SAVE & ACCEPT