Discover our experts
Meet the Team
PRINCIPAL
Tom Fraser
Tom took over as School Principal in Autumn 2019 following on from his father and founder of the school, Anselm Fraser. He is responsible for the daily running of the school, overseeing the design of all course programmes to ensure every student has the opportunity to gain the skills necessary to succeed in furniture making and design.
PROFESSIONAL COURSE TUTOR
Andrew Cockerill
Andrew is head of tech at the Chippendale School. He is a tutor on the Professional course specialising in Computer-Aided Design (CAD). Students looking to upscale their furniture making business will benefit from Andrew’s insight into CNC machining, 3D Printing and Fusion 360. Andrew is an extremely approachable tutor whose knowledge knows no bounds in both furniture making and CAD and manufacturing.
PROFESSIONAL COURSE TUTOR
Ben Dawson
Ben is one of the Professional course tutors, specialising in design and running his own successful bespoke furniture making company from Myreside Studios, where he also supports residing graduates. He offers a blend of traditional craft and modern making expertise to students. He has designed furniture for major blue-chip clients and private individuals and has even made custom furniture for the Scottish Parliament. He holds an Honours Degree and a Postgraduate Diploma in Furniture Design from Edinburgh College of Art.
PROFESSIONAL COURSE TUTOR
Graham Davies
Graham has been with the school since 1990 and is a time-served furniture restorer and maker. Graham specialises in traditional furniture restoration techniques. He is also an expert in colour matching, having trained at the workshops of Jean Burhouse Furniture.
PROFESSIONAL COURSE TUTOR
Lennert Koch
Len is a Tutor on the Professional course, he is a highly skilled cabinet maker with an eye for detail. His style is a mixture between Scandinavian and Oriental. Originally from Holland, Len has lived in Scotland for many years and was awarded Student of the Year in 2021 having graduated from the Professional course. When he’s not in the workshop, you will probably find Len paragliding in the Scottish countryside.
PROFESSIONAL COURSE TUTOR
Matty Brebner
Matty is a tutor on the Professional course. He is in charge of delivering ‘The Chippendale School of Furniture Award’ as a Scottish Qualifications Authority (SQA) Assessor. Matty is an experienced furniture designer and maker who expertly guides students through the furniture making process.
PROFESSIONAL COURSE TUTOR
James Bullen
James teaches on the 30-week Professional course. Having previously run his own furniture making business specialising in bespoke furniture, restoration and boat interiors, James is a skilled woodworker who offers a wealth of knowledge to our students – never without a smile on his face. When not in the workshop, James is a keen golfer and fisherman.
INTERMEDIATE COURSE TUTOR
Alan McGovern
Alan has been part of the fabric of the school since he joined the team in 1985 as an apprentice at the age of 15. An accomplished teacher and demonstrator with years of experience backed by training at The Midland International School of Polishing, Alan specialises in finishing and polishing, and is well-recognised in this field. He heads up the 4 and 10-week Intermediate courses. He is also on hand to support graduates from the Professional course in the Myreside Studios incubation workshops.
INTERMEDIATE COURSE TUTOR
Clare Charleston
With over 25 years of experience, Clare is one of the longest-serving members of staff. She teaches across the Intermediate courses alongside Alan McGovern and Fiona Gilfillan. A highly skilled furniture restorer, Clare will often be found bringing antiques back to life in one of the graduate studios.
INTERMEDIATE COURSE TUTOR
Fiona Gilfillan
Fiona works as a tutor on the Intermediate courses with Alan McGovern and Clare Charleston. She is a skilled woodturner and also shares the teaching of the Woodturning Weekends with Adam Stone, as well as teaching bowl turning on the introductory course. Fiona runs her own successful furniture business, Feemade from Myreside Studios. She is a keen motorcyclist and clay pigeon shot, and her recent claim to fame is beating The Chaser on the TV quiz show of that name.
SHORT COURSE TUTOR
Grant Anderson
Originally from Zimbabwe, Grant now calls Scotland home. He teaches on the Introductory course as well as assisting across other short courses. He has a passion for conserving traditional woodworking methods and is also a highly skilled metal worker.
HEAD OF ADMISSIONS
Antonia Fraser
As co-founder of the school, Antonia has been an integral part of the school’s success and growth over the years. She heads up admissions and is the first port of call for students applying to any one of our courses. Antonia is a friendly face who supports students before, during and after their time at Chippendale.
MARKETING DIRECTOR
Sarah Fraser
Tom’s wife Sarah joined the family business in 2021 as the Marketing Manager. She previously worked for 10 years in PR and marketing, firstly in London and then subsequently in her hometown Edinburgh. She is instrumental in amplifying the School’s communications. Sarah also works in admissions and helps organise accommodation for 30-week Professional Course students.
SOCIAL MEDIA MANAGER
Katie Laird
Katie heads up the school’s social media and is often seen in the workshop capturing content behind a camera lens. She also helps guide students on the 30-week Professional Course in setting up their own social media accounts, often designed specifically for businesses.
HANDYMAN
Owen McAlpine
Owen maintains the workshops and school grounds. He is responsible for opening the school in the morning, keeping the supplies well stocked and managing the recycling. He’s keen on countryside pursuits, enjoys cycling and fronts a local rock band that frequently plays in the local area.
Visiting Experts
To ensure that our students only receive the very best teaching, we welcome a range of world-class visiting experts. They include:
Our professional course, which equips students with all the skills and acumen to go on and run their own furniture making and design business, is a nine-month long course running from October to June each year.
Exhibitions
Our 30-week professional course culminates in an annual Graduation Show & Sale. This key moment provides a platform for emerging makers to show and sell their unique creations to the public.
Find out what other graduates from the Chippendale International School of Furniture had to say about their experience of learning from the best and mastering their furniture making and design skills.
Each year we welcome furniture design students from across the world to learn the best of traditional and modern furniture making. Find out more about the courses we offer.
Our founder…
Anselm Fraser established The Chippendale School in 1985 and has trained more than 500 Professional course students over 30 years. Many have gone on to run successful businesses around the world. He has also trained several hundred short-course students over the years. Now, Anselm spends most of his time crafting accommodation that will become a home-from-home for visiting students.
