The Senior Management Team (SMT) of The Schools at Somerhill includes the Head Teacher of each school, the Deputy Headmaster of Yardley Court, the Director of Studies and the Bursar.


John Coakley, Principal, The Schools at Somerhill; Headmaster, Yardley Court

John was born in Belfast and is very proud of his Irish roots!

He used to be a keen runner and completed five marathons (no more!) and when in Bermuda pursued golf with a passion! He now spends leisure time reading, visiting France and walking Sid and Stan - his chocolate labs, very much school dogs.

Education / qualifications:

• Bishop Wordsworth's Grammar School, Salisbury
• York University BA (Hons)
• Oxford (PGCE)
• University of New Brunswick (MA)

Teaching career:

• Senior Master St Michaels / Hoe Bridge, Woking, 1981-87
• Head of English, Saltus Junior School, Bermuda, 1987-1990
• Head Teacher, Saltus Junior School, 1990-1994
• Master, Ryde Junior School, 1994-1998
• Principal, The Schools At Somerhill and Head of Yardley Court 1998 - present.

Malcolm Gough, Head of Teaching and Learning, Somerhill

Born in Harare, Zimbabwe, the family moved down to South Africa and MG attended Graeme College in Grahamstown.

From there he moved across the town to Rhodes University where he studied law (with History as part of his first degree). Next was the University of Cape Town and a Masters in International Marine Law, then back to Grahamstown where MG was employed by the Standard Bank National Arts Festival for a spell as the Coordinator of Transport and Accommodation.

Wanting to 'see the world' MG came to England in 1989 and moved to Winchester House School in Northamptonshire as a gap student. He stayed on and became Head of History and Hockey, House Master and then Director of Studies. MG joined Somerhill in 1999 as Director of Studies and was appointed as Head of Teaching and Learning of the three schools in 2010. He also serves as an Independent Schools Inspector, is married and has two children.

Sam Michau, Head Teacher, Derwent Lodge

After studying Psychology at Magdalen College, Oxford, Sam lived for a while in Australia, where she embarked on her first career in Personnel Management. Not long after her return to England, she decided on a change of direction and Sam completed her PGCE at Froebel College, Roehampton.

Sam's teaching career has taken her from West London primary school classrooms to middle schools in West Sussex, before she moved to the independent sector in 2001. After 7 1/2 years at a prep school in Sussex, Sam was appointed as Head of Derwent Lodge in January 2009. She is also a qualified ISI inspector, and she thoroughly enjoys teaching Science, Maths and sport.

‘Relaxing’ for Sam means doing anything other than sitting down! Adventure racing, running, squash and skiing are her favourite sports; other leisure time is spent with her family and friends, watching films and reading. Her ambition is to see the Earth from space!

Ruth Sorensen, Head Teacher, Somerhill Pre-Prep

Born in the North of England, and still with the accent to prove it, Ruth was educated at Heywood Grammar School, Loughborough College of Education and Loughborough University.

She taught at Sandgate Primary School Folkestone for five years before a career break to bring up her two children. During this time Ruth was a Housemistress at Kent College, Canterbury. She resumed her teaching career at Beauherne School before becoming a lecturer in early childhood education at Canterbury College. A move to Cranbrook meant a career change and she taught at Dulwich Prep School and Rose Hill, Tunbridge Wells. Ruth then became Head of Pre-Prep at Friars School, Ashford, before moving to Somerhill eleven years ago. She is also an Independent Schools inspector.

Leisure time finds her pounding the treadmill at Nizels, gardening and travelling abroad.