Catharine Berwick was appointed Woldingham’s new Chair of Governors on 15 June 2023. Catharine is the first alumna to hold the post of Chair. She takes over from Robert Parkinson, who stands down as Chair after five years.

Catharine and her two sisters were all students at Woldingham, with Catharine leaving Woldingham in 1990.

After Southampton University, Catharine has sent more than 25 years in healthcare transformational change in the NHS and later at PA Consulting Group, where she led the Healthcare Team. She is now a Non-Executive Director at Mutual Ventures, is an executive coach, consults in the healthcare sector, and is an Impact Tutor with the Saïd Business School. Catharine has been a Woldingham Governor since 2019.

On taking up her post Catharine said: ‘I am delighted to be the first alumna to become Chair of Governors. I loved my time as a student at Woldingham, and I am committed to ensuring Woldingham has a bright future. Woldingham is a wonderful school. I know from my own experience the positive impact of a Woldingham education, where girls become successful young women ready to have a positive impact on their, and our, world.

I would also like to thank Robert Parkinson for his dedication and leadership of Woldingham, most recently as Chair. He’s leaving the school in a year of record student numbers as we celebrated our 180th anniversary as one of the oldest schools for girls in the UK.’