Cressex Governors - roles and profiles

Foundation Governors

Mr Tristan Arnison (Safeguarding Governor)

Mr Hugh Brown (Health & Safety Governor, GDPR Governor, Chair Resources Committee)

Miss Rebecca Hickman

Mr K Raja

Ms Hibah Rehman (PSHE Governor, English Governor, Joint Vice-Chair Resources Committee)

Mr David Riddington (Land Strategy Governor, Health & Safety Governor)

Dr Katy Simmons (Chair of Governors, Co-operative Governor, SEND Governor, Library/Literacy)

Mr David Vaccaro (Maths Governor, Performance Management Governor)

VACANCY (1)

VACANCY (2)

Parent Governors

Mr S Latif (Sixth Form/Careers, Joint Vice-Chair Resources Committee)

Mrs C Tran-Doan (Equalities/Pupil Premium Governor, GDPR, Library/Literacy Governor)

Staff Governor

Mrs Naushin Choudhury (Health & Safety Governor)

Headteacher Governor

Mr Khaiam Shabbir

Co-opted Governor

Ms Parveen Nawab (Health & Safety Governor)

Mrs Claire Pease (Chair LTS Committee, English Governor)

Mr Simon White (Vice Chair of Governors, Development Governor, ECT Link Governor, Performance Management Governor, Vice-Chair LTS Committee)

Local Authority Governor

VACANCY (1)

Associate Members

(Head Girl)

(Head Boy)

Bishop Alan Wilson

 

David Riddington:

I have had a long association with the school, having lived in the catchment on the Booker/ Sands border for many years. As a parent, I had a son at the school and at that time my wife served as a parent Governor. Now retired, my working life was as a Chartered Town Planner, initially at The Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea but predominantly in local authorities in Buckinghamshire. As a Governor at Cressex, I have witnessed an extraordinary journey of progress and improvement, to the extent that present-day popularity means that we are now having to turn some children away. I have held various roles on the Governing Board and was closely involved with the redevelopment of the crumbling school fabric through the Building Schools for the Future initiative. As part of the Resources Committee, I have particular involvement in health and safety, property and building issues and staff pay and progression.

Claire Pease:

I joined the Board of Governors at Cressex School in 2018, originally as a Parent Governor but I am now a Community Governor.  I have a degree in primary education, and I am currently studying for a Master’s in Education with a focus on teaching and learning whilst working as a primary school teacher in the local area. My experience has given me a good understanding of the journey that students have before they join us at Cressex. I have a keen interest in equalities, curriculum development, and English within the school and I am Vice Chair of the Learning, Teaching and Standards Committee.  In my free time, I run a netball club in High Wycombe.

Hibah Rehman:

I am a PSHE Governor and sit on the Resources (Co-Vice Chair) & Pay Review Committees. I joined the Governing Board in 2020 as part of the ongoing partnership that Cressex School has with Johnson and Johnson (J&J). I work at J&J, in Data and Analytics where I turn large quantities of data into easy-to-understand apps, dashboards, graphs, and reports.  

Having studied Business and Accounting at University, I spent 10 years in Finance before moving into more operational roles. 

I have mentored and volunteered throughout my career and am enthusiastic about the education sector and creating environments that enable young people to develop to their full potential.  

Outside of work and governor duties, I love being outdoors, sports and wellness, and will usually have my head stuck in a book.

Kamran Raja:

I am a Foundation Governor and I sit on the Learning, Teaching and Standards Committee. Having formerly studied at Cressex, I am honoured to be back in a position where I can assist the Board and SLT with the strategic direction of the school. I am keen to support young people during their time at Cressex so that they are able to take the most from their time here and really benefit from the great teaching and range of opportunities available to them. I left Cressex in 2016, having completed my GCSEs and attended John Hampden Grammar School where I completed my A Levels in Maths, Biology and Chemistry. I currently work in healthcare with a focus on Emergency Medicine.

Parveen Nawab:

I volunteer as Co-Opted Governor at Cressex, as well as leading the English Department here. I previously served as Vice Chair of Governors and was part of the Education Committee at a London comprehensive. I am now part of the Resources Committee with other governors at Cressex, firmly committed to improving young people's life chances, as I believe in the transformational impact of a high-quality education.

 Following my first degree, I worked in the Widening Participation sector to promote Higher Education in disadvantaged communities through a national government-funded programme. I then completed the Teach First Programme, read an MA in Educational Leadership, and volunteered at a charity school in Pakistan. In the UK I have taught English and worked in middle-leadership roles in three state and private schools over twelve years. My areas of interest include curriculum development, literacy, pedagogy, policy, diversity, and real-world learning.

Hugh Brown:

I have been a Foundation Governor at Cressex Community Schools since 2018, and have recently become Chair of the Resources Committee, which ensures the school’s finances are well managed. My other main areas of responsibility are Health and Safety, GDPR and Pay Review. I am an IT consultant by profession, with much of that time spent in education and the public sector. Although I don’t live in the local community, I am a champion of co-operative education, having previously led a community group aiming to start a co-operative free school. The core co-operative values are a fundamental part of Cressex’s character and play a key role in our success. 

Naushin Choudhury:

I joined the CCS Governing Body in 2021 as a Staff Governor. I have been a teacher of Mathematics in Cressex School for over 10 years. CCS has always had a special place in my heart since I first joined the school as a trainee teacher. Prior to becoming a teacher, I worked in Finance. My role as a Staff Governor is mainly in the Learning, Teaching and Standards Committee. I enjoy this role as it gives me the opportunity to see the institution from various angles outside the classroom.

Sageer Latif:

I am a Parent Governor and sit on both the Resources and the Learning Teaching and Standards Committees.  In addition, I have responsibilities as Careers and 6^th Form Governor, and I also act as vice chair of the Resources Committee.  Having grown up and been educated in High Wycombe, I am passionate about supporting young people to gain the most from their time at Cressex and to improve their life chances through a sound education  I am a Biochemistry graduate with 25 years’ experience in a range of commercial and managerial roles in the pharmaceutical industry. 

Rebecca Hickman:

I have over 25 years of experience working for local and international NGOs, government and donor organisations, including at senior management level. In the UK, I worked in government relations for Save the Children and the Mayor of London. I now work primarily in South Africa, specialising in early childhood care and education, and am currently seconded into the South African government as an adviser. I have a Master’s degree from Edinburgh university. I was brought up in High Wycombe and went to school locally. I joined Cressex's governing board in 2022 and have a particular interest in student voice and inclusion.

David Vaccaro:

I am the Director of Learning and Innovation at Wycombe Abbey School. Where I am also part of the Wider Senior Leadership Team. I have previously been a Head of Mathematics in Highgate School in London. Prior to teaching I was a researcher and non-stipendiary lecturer at Oxford University. I have a particular interest in Teaching and Learning, and at Wycombe Abbey I lead much of the professional development around teaching practice and pedagogy. I am passionate about education and do a great deal of volunteering for organisations that provide mathematics teaching within the community, for example I am a Royal Institution Masterclass presenter and volunteer for the United Kingdom Maths Trust. I have been a governor at Cressex Community School for four years and I sit on the Teaching, Learning and Standards Committee.

Celine Tran-Doan:

As a VP of global ad operations, I work for an advertising technology company that helps app developers to monetise their mobile applications in a privacy compliant platform, having  worked in several start-ups' companies with the focus on Merger and Acquisition and IPO preparation. Key responsibility is to ensure smooth transition and operational integration, as well as yield management.

Related to the Governing Board, I am the Equalities & Pupil Premium and GDPR governor and also involved with Literacy/Reading.

Katy Simmons:

I am Chair of Governors and also have governor responsibility for Special Educational Needs and Disability. I am the school’s Cooperative Champion and work with local and national partners to increase opportunities for our students. I began my career as an English teacher in a secondary school. After doctoral study in the United States, I moved into Higher Education, most recently teaching and researching at the Open University, where I developed and taught on undergraduate, Masters and Doctoral courses, on inclusion, diversity and equality. I also spent 7 years working in the voluntary sector, at a national charity that supports parents of children with additional needs and disabilities. I represented parents at Special Needs and Disability Tribunals and led campaigns at national level for better provision for disabled children. In recent years,  I served as Chair of Trustees at the Advisory Centre for Education.

Simon White:

I’m a senior leader and Learning & Development professional, educated to Masters’ level, working for a large global organisation based in High Wycombe.  I have over 25 years learning, development, leadership, and business experience.  I started my career in education working as an English language teacher in Europe and then Japan and then the UK, before moving into sales, management and professional learning.  I’ve been a Cressex Governor since 2016, and am firmly committed to diversity, equity and inclusion. I am Vice Chair of the Governing Board, with responsibilities for governor training, the development of early career teachers and the performance management of senior staff.

Tristan Arnison:

I am privileged to be serving as the Safeguarding Governor at Cressex. In my working life, I am an Assistant Principal and Designated Safeguarding Lead at a tertiary college. I have a fundamental interest in the practice and approaches that underpin successful learning and teaching. I have wide ranging managerial experience across different curriculum areas in further education, both vocational and academic, combined with roles in pastoral leadership. Above all, I am committed to the creation of life opportunities for young people that education represents.