Governance 2026 - Forres Sandle Manor
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Governance 2026

Forres Sandle Manor Ltd. is overseen by the Proprietors, who delegate responsibility for the strategic oversight and statutory compliance of the School to a Board of Directors.

Board of Directors

The Directors act on behalf of the Proprietors and hold ultimate responsibility for the School’s performance and compliance across all areas, including:

The Board of Directors meets termly with the Head and, where appropriate, other members of the Senior Leadership Team to review standing agenda items and to provide strategic oversight and challenge. Directors also make efforts to attend key school events throughout the year to maintain a strong understanding of daily life at FSM.

In the event of a serious concern or unresolved matter, parents may write to the Chair of Directors, care of:
Forres Sandle Manor, Fordingbridge, SP6 1NS.

 

Governors

FSM is additionally supported by Governors, who act in an advisory capacity. Governors do not hold statutory responsibility but work closely with the Senior Leadership Team as critical friends, offering external perspective, professional expertise, and constructive challenge.

Governors visit the School regularly and support FSM’s ongoing growth and development by:

Together, the Directors and Governors play an important role in ensuring Forres Sandle Manor remains a safe, well-governed, and forward-thinking school.

Toby Mullins

Toby Mullins

Chair of the Board of Directors

Toby has recently retired having been a Headteacher for 27 years in a wide variety of educational settings. He was 16 years in his first Headship at Seaford College and had a spell as an Executive Principal in charge of two big Maintained Secondary Schools. He has an MBA from London Business School, where he specialised in leadership, new venture development, managing change and project management. He is also a qualified Executive Coach and works with clients from both the business and the educational sectors.

Toby has been both the Independent Schools’ Council and The Society of Heads. He is an experienced board member, is the Chair of the United Westminster and Grey Coat Foundation, a trustee at The Children’s Trust, a major charity for children with acquired brain injury and has served, and Chaired, on the Governing Boards of seven schools, both Maintained and Independent. 

Catriona Stone

Catriona Stone

Chair of Governors

Catriona was born in North Shropshire and after graduating in Biochemistry from Royal Holloway College, University of London and achieving her PGCE at Oxford, she began her teaching career in an independent school in Abingdon, Oxfordshire. After moving to the South Coast, she taught at Portsmouth High School and after a break to raise her two children, she taught for a considerable time at a large comprehensive in Dorset, starting as a part-time teacher, becoming a Head of Year, a senior teacher and then leaving as an Assistant Head in charge of mentoring. In 2012, Catriona became Deputy Head of Talbot Heath School in Bournemouth, retiring in the summer of 2023 after a 38-year teaching career. 

She has experience in all aspects of school life but particularly safeguarding, boarding, pastoral care and well-being and she has been an excellent teacher of Science, teaching all three sciences from Year 6 to Year 11 as well as A-level Biology. 

Catriona is an arctophile, a collector of teddy bears, enjoys watching all sports and particularly enjoys spending time with her family which now includes one grandson with another due later in 2023. Her father was a country vet and so animals have always been an important part of her life. Currently, she has one rescue dog, Rio, and a Pembroke corgi called Ebony. 

Catriona’s outlook on life and her aim for all members of a school community led to one of her pupils calling her the Queen of Happiness, a title which the school community felt she thoroughly deserved and has stayed with her ever since. 

Christine Dure-Smith

Christine Dure-Smith

Director

Christine Dure-Smith is a member of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of England & Wales and is a senior member of the legal team at Merlin Entertainments Group as Senior Contracts Director. She has been employed by Merlin since 1995, having started in finance, eventually taking charge of the financial control in the Capital Projects division (Merlin Magic Making) and more recently moved to a senior role in the legal team. Merlin Entertainments Group is the largest operator of visitor attractions in Europe and the second-largest operator of visitor attractions worldwide (after Disney). As at August 2021, Merlin operated over 130 attractions, 22 hotels and 6 holiday villages across 24 countries and 4 continents.

Christine’s key area of focus in Merlin at present is around the negotiation of significant contracts for Merlin including new leases for smaller attractions, new LEGOLAND Parks, new intellectual Property relationships, permits and licenses for new attractions, and coordinating the legal process for any sale or acquisitions Merlin makes.

Christine is married and a mother of 3 boys, all of whom attended FSM. Christine is the Chair of the Forres Sandle Manor Educational Trust and is keen to support the school with her commercial acumen having seen that happy children really do succeed. She is a member of the Finance Committee of the School.