Senior Management Team

Michael grew up in Northern Ireland and attended the Methodist College in Belfast before reading Ancient History and Politics at Newcastle University. After commissioning from the Royal Military Academy, Sandhurst, he served as an officer in The Rifles for six years, during which time he was deployed to Afghanistan, Iraq and Kosovo. No stranger to the South West, Michael completed his PGCE at Bristol University, before starting his career as a history teacher at Emanuel School in Wandsworth, where he was a Head of Year. He joined Brighton College as Assistant Head (Head of Middle School), was promoted to Deputy Head (Common Room) and most recently Deputy Head (Pupils) and Designated Safeguarding Lead. A co-educational boarding and day school for boys and girls aged 3 to 18, with 1,100 pupils in its senior school, Brighton College is one of the UK’s top educational institutions. In 2020 it was named by The Sunday Times as the Independent Secondary School of the Decade. Michael is married to Hannah and they have three young sons who join King’s Hall School in September. He is a keen sportsman, having played rugby and football to a good level, an avid reader and an enthusiastic cook. His family enjoys travelling and walking.

Having been educated at Exeter School, Jonty completed a combined honours degree in geography and sport and recreation studies, followed by a PGCE in geography at Birmingham University. His first teaching post took him to Wanganui Collegiate School in New Zealand, where he taught geography and was Assistant Housemaster in a boarding house. On returning to the UK after nearly three years, Jonty was appointed to teach at Merchant Taylors’ School in Northwood, where over the course of seven years he became a Housemaster, Second in Department, Head of the DofE Award Scheme and 1st XI hockey coach. Promotion to Head of Department took Jonty to The Cheltenham Ladies’ College in 2006, where he subsequently also became Head of Academic Scholars. He joined King’s College in September 2013 as Deputy Head, Academic.

Having read German and Russian at Reading University, Karen obtained her PGCE in Modern Languages at Exeter University before teaching in the maintained sector for two years. Karen came to King’s as Head of German in 1991 and was houseparent of Meynell House from 1995 to 2003. Karen joined the Senior Management Team in 1998 as Senior Mistress and became Deputy Head (Pupils) in 2003. Her interests include music, reading and cooking.

Simon is a graduate in international relations with subsidiary mathematics and has an Open University MBA. He is a former Infantry Major and worked for the Directorate of Strategic Plans for the Ministry of Defence in London. During his time in the army he served in numerous locations including Iraq, Kosovo, Macedonia, Germany, Northern Ireland. He joined Prestfelde School in Shrewsbury (part of the Woodard family) in 2011 and became Director of Finance and Operations at King’s in January 2018. Simon and his wife Rose have two children who are both at King’s. Simon’s interests include spending time with his family and taming the garden.

Following the completion of a BSc in chemistry at Cardiff University, Dafydd travelled to New Zealand to coach rugby at the Auckland Marist Rugby Club. He then returned to the UK to take up his first teaching post at St Dunstan’s College in London. After five years, he and his wife moved to New Zealand where he worked as a chemistry teacher at Auckland Grammar School. He joined Warwick School as the 1st XV rugby coach in 2009, then was promoted to Head of Year and later, Head of Sixth Form. Dafydd moved his young family to Wales as he became a Housemaster at Llandovery College. During his time he was also a Head of Department and Head of Co-Curricular. He joined King's College in 2017 along with his wife, who became Houseparent of Carpenter House. Dafydd’s won National awards in Wales for playing rugby and in New Zealand for coaching, and was selected for the NZ Barbarians playing alongside a number of All Blacks in 2001. He loves to travel and has an interest in many genres of music. Dafydd is married, with two daughters at King’s Hall School.

Oliver brings a wealth of experience and expertise to the position, having previously worked at Hampton School, a highly successful independent day school in London. A native of the South West, Oliver, along with his wife and two young children, is returning to the area after a decade in the capital and eagerly looks forward to joining the community at King's College. His MA focused on the values of independent learning and he is keen to support and empower King’s pupils within this area as they prepare for university and beyond. A native of the South West, Oliver, along with his wife and two young children, is returning to the area after a decade in the capital and eagerly looks forward to joining the community at King's College.

In his role as Director of Development, Phillip oversees the strategy for Development and fundraising at King's College. The Development Office aims to foster goodwill in the school community, build valuable networks and encourage support of the King's College. Phillip has pursued a career in fundraising for education, working at the University of Warwick, London Business School, and latterly the Warwick Schools Foundation. He has helped to raise funds for both capital projects and life-changing bursaries. Phillip has a BA in Theology and Religion and an MBA from Durham University and is a Certified Fund Raising Executive (CFRE).

Having been educated at King's, Phil returned to teach as an OA in 2006 having spent two years coaching and teaching at Sherborne School in Dorset. He attended Loughborough University and studied Sports science, during which time he also played cricket for Somerset and the Loughborough academy side. With injury ending his playing career early, Phil settled into a career in teaching and coaching which eventually brought him back to King's. During his time here he started as a long-serving Director of Cricket but then took on Tuckwell house, as housemaster which he ran for 6 years. He then stepped into our Director of Sport position 5 years ago and more recently took on Assistant Head Co-Curricular. Phil also runs the golf team and has been known to play the guitar, which stems back to his time at school where he played for the school's rock and jazz bands. Phil is married to Clare, who also worked at King's for a number of years and has two children who both attend the prep school. 

Emma Joy Gregory is the Assistant Head with responsibility for the management and welfare of academic staff (Common Room). Emma grew up in Exeter and went on to study English Language and Literature at St Hugh's College, Oxford University. Following that, she obtained her PGCE from Exeter University and began her teaching career at a school in London for three years. She has worked at King's College since 2009, and was previously Deputy Housemistress of Taylor House and Second in the English Department. Emma is passionate about the poetry of TS Eliot and the works of Thomas Hardy and enjoys amateur singing and netball in her spare time.