Greenbank Preparatory School said a fond farewell to its long serving chair of trustees John Kennedy, who has been one of the driving forces behind its expansion and modernisation over the last two decades.
John, a former director of the former brewing company Whitbread, has spent 22 years as a trustee with 14 as Chair over two spells at the co-educational independent school on Heathbank Road in Cheadle Hulme.
During that time Greenbank has enjoyed consistently full school rolls, while many other independent schools in the Borough have closed. It has continued to change with the times, with a day nursery for children from six months, a new ICT suite and library, a new music, science and administration building, an all-weather playing field, a modernised pre-school building, an eco garden and a while host of facilities to maintain and develop standards.
In 2014 Greenbank won the Independent Schools’ Association’s Green School of the Year and last year the Daily Telegraph in liaison with the Good Schools’ Guide put them in the top 10 value for money preparatory schools in the UK.
John, who is a keen swimmer, fell walker and gym member, but admits much of his time is spent with his two grandchildren, said:”Despite the economic storm of recent years Greenbank is now stronger than ever.
“This is because of the excellent leadership of our headteacher Janet Lowe and her talented staff allied to the superb support of the Parents’ Association and the unstinting support and guidance from a very able board of trustees.
“Crucial to everything we have done is the school’s ethos of ‘Nurturing Potential and Inspiring Dreams’ and the reward is to see happy, successful and above all confident children enjoying school life to the full.”
Headteacher Janet Lowe said: “I have been very lucky but, more importantly, Greenbank has been very lucky to have such considered but visionary leadership from John.”
