RHB Governor: Farewell and thank you to Marilyn Cass
Senior School
“ We cannot thank Mrs Cass enough for her continued commitment and support throughout her time as Governor. She has so much knowledge and experience of girls only education, as a teacher and headteacher but also from her time as a student at the school, and has always been very generous in sharing her wisdom and guidance. We will miss her support and wish her the very best for her retirement, where I am sure she will be kept busy with her various hobbies and family”Mr Briggs, Acting Head of Royal High
We bid a fond farewell and say a heartfelt thank you to Marilyn Cass who has been a Governor at Royal High School Bath for more than five years.
Mrs Cass was the ideal Governor in so many ways, bringing a vast amount of experience and knowledge of girls-only education, having taught in a number of independent girls schools, serving as Chair of all the GDST schools in London and on the GSA (Girls' Schools Association (GSA) national professional Development Committee. More than that, Mrs Cass also has strong links with RHB itself; she attended the school and worked as a teacher at the school for many years back when it was the Royal School. She knows the school well and throughout her time as Governor truly understands and shares the school's vision and mission.
Mr Hadrian Briggs, Acting Head of Royal High, said: "We cannot thank Mrs Cass enough for her continued commitment and support throughout her time as Governor. She has so much knowledge and experience of girls only education, as a teacher and headteacher but also from her time as a student at the school, and has always been very generous in sharing her wisdom and guidance. We will miss her support and wish her the very best for her retirement, where I am sure she will be kept busy with her various hobbies and family."
It is clear that Mrs Cass holds the school dear to her heart, and recalls her time at the Royal School as a former student as well as a teacher fondly.
She says: "I left the Royal School in 1972. I was Marilyn Graham in those days and my family and I lived in Allenby across the road, so I didn't have far to walk at all. I loved my time here and am still great friends with several classmates. Only recently, I attended an old classmate, Penny Gold's birthday party and saw several of them."
From school, Mrs Cass joined the Army, working in training, intelligence and recruitment and public relations, and left as a Captain after six years, giving her a wide range of experience and skills for the next chapters in her life.
After marrying a Naval officer, Mrs Cass travelled and lived overseas with her husband and two sons, before going to university in her thirties and gaining a First from Exeter University in Geography and then a PGCE. The call of The Royal School proved too strong and Mrs Cass started teaching at the Royal School in 1992 as Head of Geography and subsequently Modern Studies. Highlights of her career here included many enjoyable Geography field trips in the UK and south of France.
After completing an MA in Educational Management at The University of Bath, Mrs Cass moved on to Redland High School in Bristol as Deputy Head. Shortly after, she was appointed Head of Shrewsbury High School in 2000, a fellow GDST school and served as Head for 12 years until her much deserved retirement. However, their loss was our gain as Mrs Cass moved back to Bath in 2018 and returned to her former school, now Royal High School Bath, to serve as one of our Governors.
Mrs Cass is now looking forward to playing lots more golf, skiing and spending time with her four grandchildren ranging in age from 9 to 12 years who she adores and supports.
“ Mrs Cass also has strong links with RHB itself; she attended the school and worked as a teacher at the school for many years back when it was the Royal School. She knows the school well and throughout her time as Governor truly understands and shares the school's vision and mission.”