Trustee and Academy Trust Member Profiles January 2024

Philip is a Parent Trustee and has been a Parent Governor since 2017. He is a member of the Chairs’ Steering Group, Chair of the Pastoral Committee, and a member of the Audit, Risk & Resources Committee. Philip is the trustee lead for Mental Health and Wellbeing. Philp studied Management at Loughborough University before embarking on a career in Human Resources. He now runs his own HR consultancy offering Mental Health First Aid Training and Leadership Coaching. Philip is a long-term member of Blueharts Hockey Club and continues to play and enjoy supporting the development of younger players. Philip attended HBS in the 1970s and was Head Boy. Philip has three children, all of whom have been, students at the school.

Neil is a Parent Trustee, having been a Parent Governor since 2019. He is a member of the Chairs’ Steering Group, and Chair of the Teaching & Learning Committee. Neil is the Lead Trustee for Career Development and Link Trustee for Science. Prior to becoming a governor at Hitchin Boys’ School, Neil was vice-chair of governors at a Lower School in Leighton Buzzard. Neil holds a degree from the University of Leeds and works as Quality Director for a local aerospace company. He has been involved with Scouting for many years, taking on various roles from Scout Leader to Assistant County Commissioner. Neil has a son at Hitchin Boys’ School and a daughter at Hitchin Girls’ School.

Helen is a Co-opted Trustee and Chair of the Board of Trustees, having been appointed Chair of Governors in Autumn 2018. She is a member of the Teaching & Learning Committee, and Link Trustee for the Sixth Form and for Modern Foreign Languages. Helen works in management consultancy and higher and professional education, both within the UK and internationally. She is a Fellow of the Chartered Management Institute, the Higher Education Academy and the Royal Society of Arts, Manufactures and Commerce.

Kirsty is a Parent Trustee appointed in 2020. She is a member of the Health Safety & Premises and Teaching & Learning Committees. Kirsty is the trustee link for the Mattocke Library and trustee lead for Equality, Diversity and Inclusion (ED&I). She is a Chartered Surveyor and Member of the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors, working with SMEs to global corporations advising on commercial leasing strategy and portfolio management. As an ambassador for Lionheart, a benevolent fund for surveyors, Kirsty promotes the benefits of ensuring good mental health by sharing her experiences. She has two sons, one of whom is a pupil at HBS. Outside of work she can be found at the side of the hockey or cricket pitch watching her sons, or in her remaining free time, gardening.

David is a Trustee, having been appointed a Community Governor in February 2020. He is a member of the Audit, Risk, & Resources and Pastoral Committees. David is the Link Trustee for Looked After and Previously Looked After Children, and for Maths and for compliance matters. David worked in the IT solutions industry for over 30 years. He has experience in many industry and public sectors. and for the last eight years was working within the NHS. David’s son attended HBS. In his spare time, David s a keen rugby and hockey supporter and classic car enthusiast.

Hazel is a Co-opted Trustee, having joined the Board in October 2021. She sits on the Audit, Risk & Resources Committee. Hazel holds degrees in Social Science and Socio Legal Studies, and memberships of the ILM, STEP, and the Administrative Law Bar Association. She is a qualified solicitor, working in the charities sector and specialising in legacy and wills. Previous roles included Director of Herts Chamber of Commerce, and a governor of Herts NHS Mental Health Foundation Trust. Hazel enjoys reading, particularly political memoirs, and is a keen squash player and gym goer.

Philip is a Trustee. He was elected as a Parent Governor in 2016, and subsequently became a Community Governor in 2020. He is a member of the Health, Safety & Premises Committee and the Pastoral Committee. Philip is the link trustee for Creative Arts and for the High Performance Group. Prior to being elected a governor at Hitchin Boys’ School, Philip served three terms as a governor at Ickleford Primary School. Philip is a Chartered Engineer and has had a lifelong career in telecommunications, most recently running major broadband programmes. In his spare time, he is interested in a number of sports, music and is a classic car enthusiast. Philip has three children, including a son who was a pupil at HBS until the 22/23 school year.

Steven is a Trustee, having been a Community Governor since February 2020. He is Vice-Chair of the Health, Safety & Premises Committee and also sits on the Audit, Risk and Resources Committee. Steven is the trustee lead for Data Protection and for cyber security. Steven is a graduate in Business and Maths and has worked for most of his career in IT, information security and cyber security across many industries. He now advises government bodies on cyber security strategy and best practices. Steven has two sons currently at Hitchin Boys’ School and is a former HBS student himself.

Jen is a Specialist Adviser to the Pastoral Committee, having previously been a Trustee and a Staff Governor. Jen has a BSc Bio-organic Chemistry with Toxicology and has a PGCE and PGDE. Jen joined the science department at HBS in 2020, having had extensive experience in leading large science departments, and whole school initiatives elsewhere. She is passionate about teaching and learning and values a research-based approach to pedagogy. She held a part-time secondment as a teacher-educator at Bishop Grosseteste University in Lincoln whilst also teaching in school. She delivers training to colleagues on a variety of aspects of teaching and learning and has a particular interest in coaching. Jen has previously been a governor at a small comprehensive school and the first Pupil Referral Unit (PRU) to open as a Free school in Lincoln.

Janet is a Co-opted Trustee and has been a governor since March 2018. She is Vice-Chair of the Audit, Risk & Resources Committee, and sits on the Pastoral Committee. Janet is Lead Trustee for Safeguarding. Janet has a background in finance and has worked for the civil service as well as the banking, hospitality and further education sectors. She has also trained staff in Safeguarding, Child Protection, Child Exploitation and Online Protection (CEOP), and was a trainer for the Hertfordshire Safeguarding Children Partnership. Janet’s son attended HBS.

Kathryn is a Specialist Adviser to the Teaching & Learning Committee. She was previously a Co-opted Trustee and Staff Governor. Kathryn is the Lead Teacher for Art and Design, and Photography at HBS. Kathryn attended HBS as a pupil, through the sixth-form consortium arrangement. She holds a degree in Graphic Design and a PGCE in Art and Design. In September 2013 Kathryn joined the school as a teacher of Art and Design and took on the role of Duke of Edinburgh Coordinator. Having reintroduced the award scheme to the school, the award grew from 10 students to 75 over the years.

Chris is a Trustee, having been appointed in 2022. He is Vice Chair of the Teaching & Learning Committee and is also a member of the Pastoral Committee. Chris has been a teacher for 30 years in Prep Schools, having been a Head of Maths and a Deputy Head for 20 years firstly in a school in Suffolk and now in Hertfordshire. He is also a Designated Safeguarding Lead. Chris the link trustee for the PE department and has been Chair of the Independent Association of Prep Schools Sports Committee for 3 years.

Bhagwant is a Co-opted Trustee, having been appointed as a Co-opted Governor in March 2019. He is a member of the Chairs’ Steering Group, Chair of the Audit, Risk & Resources Committee and a member of the Teaching & Learning Committee. He is the Link Trustee for the Department of Business and Economics. Bhagwant works closely with the School Business Manager in matters of finance. Bhagwant is an Economics graduate, with over 30 years’ experience working within the financial services sector. He is a Fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of England and Wales and the Association of Corporate Treasurers.

Liz is a Specialist Adviser to the Health, Safety & Premises Committee. Since 2019 she held posts as a Trustee and Staff Governor representing the support staff. Liz works as the Departmental Secretary in Reception at the school, and administers the Duke of Edinburgh Award scheme. Liz previously worked for Herts Police and is actively involved in Scouting in Letchworth. Her two sons previously attended the School.

Michael is a Trustee and has served as a Community Governor since 2009. He is Vice-Chair of the Pastoral Committee. Michael serves as a link for performing arts activities. Michael is Chair of the Hertfordshire Association of School Governors, Chair of the Hertfordshire Music Service, a Trustee of Benslow Music Trust and Phase Hitchin Churches Schools Worker Trust. He has also been a Governor of Samuel Lucas JMI School since it opened. Michael is now retired, but worked in Human Resources, including a role as Recruitment and Training Manager for a major shipping company which included organising an Apprentice Training Scheme for seagoing officers and engineers.

Richard is a Trustee. He is a long-standing governor, initially appointed as a local authority nominee and later becoming a Community Governor. Richard sits on the Audit, Risk & Resources and Health, Safety & Premises Committees. He is the Board’s lead for disadvantaged children. Richard is a Trustee/Governor of the North Herts Education Support Centre, a Trustee of Hitchin United Charities and the Hertfordshire Building Preservation Trust. Richard was born in Hitchin and has lived in the area all of his life. He became a District Councillor in 1990 and a County Councillor in 2006, where his roles included holding the Education and Skills and the Community Safety portfolios. Richard is the immediate past Chairman of Hertfordshire County Council, and is a director of his family property company.

John is a Trustee and Vice-Chair of the Board of Trustees. He became a Parent Governor in 2012, just prior to HBS becoming an Academy Trust in 2013. John is vice-chair of the Chairs’ Steering Group, Chair of the Health, Safety & Premises Committee and member of the Audit, Risk & Resources Committee. John is the Lead Trustee for Health and Safety and the link trustee for the Social Science Faculty. John has worked in the construction industry for over 35 years as a Quantity Surveyor. He is a Member of the Chartered Institute of Building and has built a variety of projects throughout London and the Home Counties including many schools. A former pupil of HBS himself, John’s two sons also attended Hitchin Boys’ School and his daughter has just started university.

Jo has been a Parent Trustee since January 2021. She sits on the Audit, Risk & Resources and Pastoral Committees. Jo is the trustee link with the Parents’ Society and for Personal Development. Jo has spent nearly 30 years in local government. She started her career in Committee Services before moving into Human Resources. She currently works as a Senior HR Business Partner and is a member of the CIPD. Jo has two children, one of whom attends Hitchin Boys’ School

Vicki is a Co-opted Trustee, joining the Board in Autumn 2022. Vicki is a member of the Teaching & Learning Committee and the Lead Trustee for SEND. Vicki is a specialist autism and ADHD trainer and coach with a Hertfordshire based charity, and a specialist SEND adviser to a London-based education charity. Vicki holds a first degree in social science, and has undertaken postgraduate study in careers guidance and understanding the autism spectrum. Vicki is a member of the Association of Coaching. Aside from working with SEND, Vicki is a freelance writer. She has two teenage children and lives in Hitchin.

Kris is a Trustee, having been a Community Governor since February 2020. He sits on the Teaching & Learning and Health Safety & Premises Committees. Kris is the Link Governor for the Technology Faculty, and the governor link for offsite education and the Duke of Edinburgh Award Scheme. A graduate in Computer Sciences, he has worked as an IT professional for over twenty years, twelve of which running his own consultancy company providing governance and management of many high-profile IT projects in the NHS. Kris is active in the local community with the Scouts and local sporting clubs as both a participant and qualified running coach. He has two children at Hitchin Boys’ School.

Andrew was appointed an Academy Trust Member in summer 2020. He is a Fellow of the Institute of Actuaries, and holds a degree in Mathematical Economics. Andrew has worked in the insurance and financial services industry, across a wide range of roles. He has particular interests in leadership, coaching and engagement. Andrew has three children, including one former pupil of Hitchin Boys’ School.

Bryan was originally appointed as a Community Governor in September 2020. Bryan is the trustee link for History. Bryan has public sector finance experience as both an external auditor and a finance professional in the civil service. He is a member of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of England and Wales.

Stéphanie was appointed an Academy Trust Member in November 2020. Stéphanie holds degrees in Banking and Finance and Economics and International Finance from the University of Paris I – La Sorbonne. She is currently Head of Compliance for a Japanese banking corporation. Stéphanie has one son at Hitchin Boys’ School.

Jo became an Academy Trust Member in 2018 and was elected Vice-Chair in 2020. Jo studied Geography at the University of Liverpool before enjoying over 30 years working in a variety of global advertising and marketing roles. Jo has three sons, one of whom is a current pupil at Hitchin Boys’ School, and two who previously attended the school.

Michael was appointed an Academy Trust Member of Hitchin Boys’ School Academy Trust in November 2020. He was appointed Chair of the Board in November 2021. Michael attended the school from 1964 until 1970. After a couple of forays into the world of retail and sales management he embarked upon a career with Thames Valley Police retiring at the rank of Deputy Chief Constable. During his career with the Police Michael gained experience in a variety of disciplines, notably public order, major incident management and criminal investigation. Having been awarded a scholarship by the Police Staff College he attended Reading University graduating with a BA degree in History. In the latter part of his career he worked in Her Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary undertaking performance, efficiency and fitness for purpose inspections of a range of forces across the United Kingdom. Upon retirement he was appointed deputy Director of the Police Staff College Strategic Command Course, a national ‘gateway course’ for those aspiring to Chief Officer rank. He was awarded the Queen’s Police Medal in 2001. Michael is currently Chair of the Kendrick Trust, an educational charity based in Reading, treasurer of his local branch of the Retired Police Officers Association and Chair of his local parish council.

As the current Chair of Trustees, Helen is an ex-officio member of the Board of Academy Trust Members. She works in management consultancy, both within the UK and internationally, with a particular focus on quality assurance, professional and higher education. Helen is a Fellow of the Chartered Management Institute, the Higher Education Academy, and the Royal Society of Arts, Manufactures and Commerce.