Alumni
Welcome to the Beech Hall School Alumni, no doubt if you are visiting this page, you are an Old Griffinian, either as a former pupil, member of staff or former parent at the School.
In 2016, Beech Hall celebrated its 90th Anniversary and we took the opportunity to look back over the years, since the School was founded in 1926, to reconnect with Old Griffinians and form an official Alumni, making you not just part of our past, but also the future of Beech Hall School too.
If you would like to be kept up-to-date with Alumni news and events and life at Beech Hall, please complete the online form below. If you would prefer, you can download a printed form by clicking here, and make copies of this form if more than one member of your family wishes to sign up and return for the attention of the Alumni Administrator at the address below.
Beech Hall Centenary Trust
The Beech Hall Centenary Trust was founded in February 2017 as a fundraising body for the Alumni for the benefit of the current children of Beech Hall School. The Trust is governed by four trustees Geraldine Yandell, Deborah O’Connor, Galina Morrell & Tandy Palmes, and was named with the School’s Centenary in mind in 2026. It has also been registered with the England & Wales Charity Commission (Charity No: 1187666) with effect from 30 January 2019.
The objects of the Trust are:
To advance the education for the benefit of the children of Beech Hall School & Nursery, Macclesfield by means of, but not exclusively by:
- Providing and assisting in the provision of education and facilities for education.
- Making grants and awards through means-tested bursaries
All three trustees have had a long and varied association with the School:
Geraldine Yandell (née Jolly)
Geraldine has had a long association with the school – watching it grow and develop from a traditional Prep school, when the main focus for senior pupils was passing their Common Entrance Examination, to a school with a Nursery and pupils who sit their GCSE examinations. Geraldine says, “Some things remain the same, some things are very different; however, the family ethos remains constant throughout.”
Tandy Palmes
Tandy has been associated with the School since 2005 when her son, Otis started in the Nursery, formerly known as Little Griffins. During Otis’ time at the School, Tandy was heavily involved with the Beech Hall Parents’ Association and its fundraising efforts, and is hoping to continue this through the Trust. She is also now employed by the School to run the Alumni and oversee the work of the Trust.
Deborah O’Connor (née Morris)
Deborah was a former pupil of the School attending from 1986-89, and now a parent, as her son attends the School. Deborah runs a regular after-school hockey club for Beech Hall, putting back some of the passion she learned from the sport during her time at Beech Hall.
Galina Morrell (née Chong)
Galina was a former pupil at Beech Hall, attending from the age of 7 to 9 years old (1984-1986) when she emigrated from Hong Kong. She left to go to Cheadle Hulme School, before studying at both Sheffield Hallam and Manchester Metropolitan University respectively. After gaining her degree, she embarked on a PGCE in Primary Education (Early Years specialism) in 2001. She has taught both in the UK and in Australia, where she and her husband lived for 6 years. Galina returned with her family back to the UK and before long, her daughter started at the school, soon followed by her son. She returned to her roots and started working as a teacher at Beech Hall in 2014.
Old Griffinian News & Events
Beech Hall Centenary Trust Ball
Date: Saturday 4 July 2026
For details please email Tandy Palmes on alumni@beechhallschool.org
Beech Hall Centenary Trust Meeting
Date: To be confirmed
In This Section
“Beech Hall School removes obstacles to learning and happiness and allows every child to not only be themselves but to blossom into the very best version of themselves. “
Beech Hall School Parent – Summer ’23
