Cressex Governors - roles and profiles

Foundation Governors

Mr Tristan Arnison (Safeguarding Governor)

Mr Hugh Brown (Chair of Resources, Health & Safety Governor, GDPR Governor, Performance Management Governor)

Miss Rebecca Hickman (Student Voice Governor, Equalities Governor, Pupil Premium Governor)

Mr K Raja (Health & Safety Governor)

Ms Hibah Rehman (PSHE Governor, English Governor)

Mr David Riddington (Vice Chair Resources Committee, Land Strategy Governor, Health & Safety Governor, Careers Governor)

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

Mr Sam Joyce (Joint Vice Chair LTS Committee, Performance Management Governor)

Mr Andy Ford (Fundraising Lead Governor, History Governor))

Mrs C Tran-Doan (Chair LTS Committee, Sustainability Governor, GDPR, Library/Literacy Governor, Attendance Governor)

Parent Governors

Mr David Jordan (Health & Safety Governor)

Vacancy (1)

Staff Governor

Vacancy (1)

Headteacher Governor

Mr Khaiam Shabbir

Co-opted Governor

Mrs Claire Pease (Joint Vice Chair LTS Committee, English Governor, Wellbeing Governor)

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

Vacancy (1)

Local Authority Governor

Vacancy (1)

Associate Members

(Head Girl)

(Head Boy)

 

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.

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. 

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.

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.

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.

Andy Ford:

I had a career in local government finance and auditing before working as a management consultant. I have lived in and around Wycombe for the last 35 years and am currently also the Chairperson of One Can Trust, the local food bank. I have a passion for History and am currently undertaking a PhD at Reading University. I serve on the Resources Committee and am leading the governors’ Income Generation group.

Sam Joyce:

I joined the Cressex governing board in December 2023 as a Foundation governor. I have worked as an English teacher at Wycombe Abbey, one of our co-operative trust schools, for nearly ten years, and have got to know Cressex through the Cressex Summer School, run at Wycombe Abbey every year for a group of Cressex Year 9 students. I have two young children and as a family we really enjoy the sense of local community spirit and the wonderful surrounding countryside. I bring to the Board my experience in teaching and learning as well as experience in a variety of management roles, including Head of Year and Head of Partnerships. I serve on the Learning Teaching and Standards Committee.