- Ms Christine Preston
- Contact: [email protected]v
- Committee Membership: Curriculum & Pastoral, Personnel
- Link Governor: Geography and English
Having graduated in Geography from the LSE and obtained a PGCE, I began my teaching career at Dr Challoner’s High School in the 1970s and later became Head of Geography at the school. I then moved to Wycombe High School as a Deputy Head before becoming the Headteacher of Heathfield School in Pinner, a member of the GDST group of schools. In my time, it became the first school in Britain to become an accredited centre for Sixth Form leadership courses accredited by the Institute of Leadership and Management. After 14 years as a Head, I took early retirement in 2010. I then worked part time at The Godolphin and Latymer School in Hammersmith until 2017 when I finally retired. My long experience in education in general, and in leadership and management in particular, are strengths which I hope complement the skills of the DCHS Governing Body.
I am married with two stepchildren and four grandchildren. I have lived in Rickmansworth since 2009. My husband is a secondary Headteacher in Bucks. Together, we enjoy travelling, theatre and ballet, gardening and visiting National Trust properties.
Parent Governor
Committee: C&P, Personnel
A
fter an early childhood in South Africa, I attended a mixed Bucks Grammar School before training as a doctor at Guy’s and St Thomas United Medical & Dental School, University of London. In addition to completing my medical training, I gained a BSc in Clinical Pharmacology. I then competed postgraduate training in Paediatrics, before sub-specialising in Paediatric Emergency Medicine; gaining a Masters in Clinical Paediatrics and becoming a Fellow of the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health.
I trained at a number of London Hospitals as well as in Australia and South Africa; working in Children’s Intensive Care, Emergency Medicine and Trauma, with over a year spent in retrieval medicine, transporting critically unwell babies and children by fixed wing aircraft, helicopters or road ambulance to Intensive Care Units. I have also medically volunteered on several expeditions in Chile and Belize.
I have been a Consultant in Children’s Emergency Medicine at Evelina London Children’s Hospital for the last 15 years. I have a special interest in child protection, trauma and adolescent medicine. 25 years in the NHS has equipped me with skills in governance, management and mentoring which I can bring to this wonderful school.
In 2011, I moved to Amersham with my husband and three children; with my youngest daughter starting year 7 at Challoner's High in 2019. Having attended a Grammar School, I have experienced being a teenager in this setting. I am highly supportive of learning in a single sex environment and believe this allows girls more freely to become whoever they want to be. I am particularly interested in safeguarding, pastoral care and career development.
In my free time, I enjoy triathlons and am regularly walked by our feisty schnauzer, Nero.
Committee Membership: Resources & Risk Committee
Link Governor: Languages and Classics
My wife and I have lived in Little Chalfont for over 13 years and our eldest daughter is in Year 8 at Dr Challoner’s High School.
After having studied Classics at Oxford University, I joined PricewaterhouseCoopers and trained as a Chartered Accountant in London, working with businesses across a number of sectors. In 2002, I moved into industry and have spent most of my career as a finance director in global advertising and marketing services networks.
I am an appointed governor and am pleased to have the opportunity to bring my financial and commercial experience to Dr Challoner’s High School.
- Committee Membership: Personnel (Chairman)
- Link Governor: PRE
I grew up and went to school in Reading, before heading to the University of York where I gained a degree in Chemistry. With a passion for the sciences, I decided to join Cadbury Schweppes on their graduate supply chain scheme and pursue a career in business at an organisation that I really admired because of their wonderful heritage and strong values – 30 years later, I have worked in nearly all the supply chain and commercial functions in various locations across the UK with Cadbury, Coca-Cola and I am now the CEO of Innocent drinks – we make healthy little drinks and give 10% of our profits to good causes.
Having settled in Chalfont St Peter with my wife and 3 children just under 20 years ago, I was really keen to get involved with Dr Challoner’s High School as a Parent Governor when my daughters both joined the school between 2015 and 2019 – the school has an outstanding academic record and the vision for the school’s future development really inspired me to get involved because I believe we all have a role to play in making it a reality for the benefit of future generations of Challoner’s Girls.
Mrs Pearl Ford
Parent Governor
Committee: Resources & Risk
Link Governor: Science
I was born and grew-up in Ireland and have lived in the UK since 2005. I qualified as an Accountant, spending 30+ years working for Global Businesses in the UK, Spain, USA, Japan and Ireland. I held a variety of different CFO/Finance Director and Leadership roles working closely with Senior Business Leaders and boards. I currently work as a Business Consultant supporting medium to large global corporations with various Finance related projects.
I have a daughter at Challoner’s High, and two younger sons at schools locally and became a parent Governor in 2021. I am a passionate supporter of girls and women’s education and am delighted to have the opportunity to support our school by sharing the skills I have accumulated from a career in the UK and abroad.
Committee Membership: C&P
Link Governor: Safeugarding, History and Politics
After gaining a degree in Economics, I joined a leading UK bank on a graduate course supporting large scale corporations. However, having originated from a teaching family across many generations, I finally listened the calling to retrain as a teacher. I have been involved in teaching for the past 25 years and I have worked in many different types of secondary schools and counties resulting in being a senior leader in Buckinghamshire secondary schools for the past 15 years.
Having line managed many curriculum areas for the first part of my career so far, I then moved to the student support side of school life when I moved to work in Buckinghamshire. My main areas of responsibility in this area include being the Designated Safeguarding Lead (DSL), Pastoral Lead, Mental Health Lead, Character Education Lead and SENCO for nearly a decade as well as continuing to line manage many curriculum areas within a secondary school. My further studies have also incorporated supportive strategies for Children with Language Difficulties, which includes understanding difficulties such as ASD, ADHD and Dyslexia to name a few diagnoses. Additionally, I have been involved in County SEND Impact studies to help improve services from a secondary school perspective.
I thoroughly enjoy teaching and working with young people (it is the best job in the world in my opinion) and continuously relish the opportunity to hone my skills as a teacher of Economics, Business Studies and Mathematics. As such, I have been asked to share my experience and skill set with various Teaching Hubs in the local counties focusing on Economics and Business Studies in particular.
I live in Wendover and have two children. I have worked with the governing body in my schools on a number of committees for over a decade and welcome the opportunity to work as a governor with Challoner’s High.
Nanci Lister
Commitee Membership - C&P
After completing a first degree (in English and American Literature) followed by a Post Graduate Certificate in Education (from UCL), I started my teaching career in Bristol. My first school, in the late 70’s was a large state comprehensive. One thing I remember distinctly was the small Sixth Form - many students left aged 16 – how things have changed! Shortly afterwards I moved to London and held a wide variety of positions within the state and independent sector whilst raising a family. Whilst my main remit was the teaching of English, other areas of responsibility included the broadening of provision for Gifted and Able pupils.
Teaching has given me profound satisfaction – few things can beat contributing to the well - being and growth of young people and being involved in the organisations and with people who hold this responsibility. I have witnessed the way our education system has adapted to the many challenges of a modern world and being part of the process of change has been hugely stimulating. It will be a privilege to work as a governor at Challoner’s High.
I live in Pinner with my husband and feel very fortunate that my grown - up children live and work in London too. I have two grandchildren who engagingly keep me up to speed. I have a great love of the Arts and coastal walking and a fascination with politics.
- Link Governor: Careers (from March 2024)
- Committee: To be advised
Fiona read Chemistry at Somerville College, Oxford before pursuing a career in business, spending the first half of her career working for companies such as Marakon Associates, Diageo and Shell. She brings a broad range of management experience having sat on various international leadership teams and boards, with particular strengths in strategy, finance and people development. She is now an Executive Coach and has been running her own Leadership Development company since 2013, a career she balances alongside family-life and other volunteer roles. Fiona served as Vice Chair of Governors at a local prep school and remains a Trustee of their Bursary Fund.
Fiona has lived in the area for over 20 years and is married to Andy. They live in Little Chalfont and have three children at University, all of whom attended local schools.
Education is a passion of Fiona’s, particularly in all-female settings; brought-up and educated in Scotland, a family move saw her complete her O and A-Levels at Dr. Challoner’s High School, an experience she believes opened doors and offered opportunities previously unlikely. She is delighted to be back at her old school to serve as the Careers Link Governor.
After completing O and A levels at Dr Challoner’s High School, I read Geology at Bristol University. A short stint in the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food was followed by joining the Army and over 20 years as a Military Police Officer. Over half my service was completed overseas including operational tours in the Balkans, Northern Ireland and the Middle East.
The latter part of my military career saw a switch in focus to personnel oriented roles including being the Army lead for addressing Unacceptable Behaviours and developing and delivering training to corporate clients for the inculcation of values-based leadership beyond the British Army.
Having left the Regular Army in 2019 I maintain an active commitment with the Army Reserve. Away from adventures in green my focus is now on home and increasing productivity of the vegetable patch. I am keenly engaged in sustainability and the environment.
I am married, my husband has just retired having completed 38 years military service. In our spare time we enjoy exploring the home counties and walks with our rescue labrathug.
Committees: Premises, Resources & Risk
Link: Business Studies & Economics
I studied politics and international relations at both Lancaster University and at the University of Maryland in the United States.
I had always wanted to work in broadcasting and, after graduating, I completed a post-graduate course in journalism and became a radio journalist.
I subsequently moved into television journalism, becoming a news producer and programme editor. I’ve since retrained to take on a more technical role in broadcast news - and I now work as a television director for Sky News.
I have lived in Buckinghamshire with my wife and two children since 2012.
I became a parent governor of Dr Challoner’s High shortly after my daughter joined the school in 2019.
- Mr Jeremy Rhodes
- Committee Membership: Admissions (Chairman), C&P, Personnel
- Link Governor: Maths
I have lived in the catchment area of DCHS since 1988 and was a DCHS parent between 2001 and 2013. Both of my daughters benefited greatly from their time at DCHS and I am happy to extend our family's participation in school life.
I studied Chemical Engineering at university and followed a career in the oil industry before retiring in 2022.
I have served as a trustee of two company pension funds, as a director of a resident’s association (in Latimer) and I am currently a member of the Buckinghamshire Independent Appeals Panel that hears school allocation appeals. My main relaxation is golf and I am a member of Gerrards Cross Golf Club.
- Committee: Premises Committee, Resources & Risk
- Link Governor: Art and Graphics
I am an appointed governor at Dr Challoner's High School. I studied law at Oxford University and went on to spend 12 years at an international law firm working in London and abroad in corporate and finance across a broad range of sectors. I have since been working in industry as a leader of legal, risk and governance functions, sustainability and HR within global businesses.
I am proud to be an alumnus of Dr Challoner's High School and am passionate about education as being the key to providing the next generation with choices and opportunities in a changing world. I have been involved with several voluntary programs with schools over the past 20 years, from reading with early years, taking PHSE and critical thinking classes to supporting university entrance preparation, providing career guidance, and the mentoring, training and recruitment of young students.
- Mrs Pip Wood (From September 2013)
- Committee Membership: Admissions, Resources & Risk, Chair C&P
- Link Governor: English, Drama and PE
I became a parent governor within a few weeks of my daughter joining the school and haven't looked back. Challoner’s High is a fantastic school and I enjoy chairing the talented and experienced individuals who make up our Governing Board. All work hard to ensure our school continues to offer students an outstanding educational experience and I'm personally keen to help girls develop self confidence in their formative years, breaking free from gender stereotypes to follow whatever path they wish.
I have a degree in English and American literature and have shaped my career around my love of language. I have spent most of the last 30 years working in big corporate FTSE100 companies in various communications roles, primarily corporate media relations and helping to facilitate change management for well-known names in the retail sector. I also have a deep interest in people and organisation development, am an accredited coach and have a pragmatic approach to life. I try to apply all of this to the role of Challoner's High Governor.
After living in London for several years I moved to Amersham in 2006 with my husband, son and daughter. I’m a keen sports spectator, whether on the side-line at school matches or watching the professionals. I enjoy running and have played netball for nearly 40 years and coach and umpire in local leagues.
Evie Vennix
Committee C&P
:My name is Evie Vennix and I was a student at Challoner's High from 2010-17, including being head girl in my final year. I really enjoyed the role and giving back to the school that gave me so much, and hope to do the same on the governing board. I graduated from the University of Cambridge with a first class History and Spanish degree in July 2021, and have since started the marketing graduate scheme at Samsung Electronics working in their Climate Solutions division with a focus on renewable heating.
Members play a limited but important role in safeguarding academy trust governance. While they must ensure they do not stray into undertaking the Academy Trustees' (Governors') role, they should assure themselves that the governance of the trust is effective, that Academy Trustees are acting in accordance with the trust’s charitable aims and that they, the Members, use their powers to step in if governance is failing.
Mrs Khorshed Dinshaw, Chair of Members
Mr Simon Eggleton
Mrs Janet John
Mrs Christine Preston
Mrs Pip Wood
Mr Wasim Rehman
The Governing Body comprises of Appointed Governors Up to 9 Governors appointed by the Members; The Headmaster, if appointed by the Members; Parent Governors a minimum of 2 (appointed by the Parents with no maximum number); Co-opted Governors (appointed by the Governing Body with no minimum or maximum number).
The Head Girl and two of her team are invited to attend meetings as Student Associate Members for one year in a non-voting capacity (April – March).Parent governors are elected by ballot of the parents of the school , Staff governors are elected by staff of the school and Appointed governors are appointed by the school’s governing body. Co-opted Governors can be appointed by the governing body of the school. The term of office is for four years excepting the headteacher and staff governors should they leave the school before their term has ended.
GOVERNORS' COMMITTEES
Four committees each with their own remits and responsibilities monitor the school’s performance and provide support and challenge to the Headteacher and his team. They meet each term and report back to Full Governing Body meetings with actions and recommendations.
