Governors
Our Founder’s Intentions
Harsnett was clearly someone of considerable foresight, and took measures to establish good governance for Chigwell School from the very outset. While we are living in different times, the Governing Body continues its endeavour to create the environment in which the values embodied in his Ordinances will flourish. Though speaking of students as cultivating ‘budds of virtue’ seems quaint nowadays, the contemporary world demands education which not only informs the mind, but develops the individual’s character, the capacity to be adaptable and to maintain positive relationships, described by Harsnett as ‘gentleness and ingenuity’.
“I ordain that both the Schooles respectively be forever ruled and Governed by Governors, … And that these and those who shall succeed them doe from tyme to tyme elect & Constitute the Schoolemasters respectively and remove and expel them as there shalbee cause, See the Ordinancs of the Schooles duely kept and observed, receive the Anuall Rents, pay the Schoolemasters, and doe all other matters and thinges That shall or may concerne the welfare and prosperitie of the said Schooles forever…."
Founder of Chigwell School, Archbishop Samuel Harsnett (Foundation Ordinances 1629)
Governance Today
While the values have remained consistent, the duties of the Governing body, the trustees of the charity, have developed in ways the founder could not have imagined. The Governors of Chigwell School are responsible for the effective oversight to ensure that the school achieves its aims. They have ultimate responsibility for educational standards, financial planning and the ongoing investment in staff, accommodation and resources. The Governing body is also responsible for ensuring compliance with statutory requirements, including the annual review of safeguarding and child protection arrangements. In order to exercise this role effectively, the Governing body invests considerable time and expertise to acquire an informed perspective into the working of the school, providing the management team with support, challenge and the stimulus for growth and development.
Please send enquiries for the Governors to Mrs Sarah Hodgson (shodgson@chigwell-school.org).
To contact the Chair of Governors, please write to: Ms R Serrelli, Chair of Governors, Chigwell School, High Road, Chigwell, Essex, IG7 6QF or email rserrelli@chigwell-school.org
Governors
Chair of Governors - Ms Roseanne Serrelli
Roseanne was educated at The Ursuline in Ilford before reading English and Law at New Hall, Cambridge. Following graduation she worked as a political researcher and as a teacher before she pursued a career in law. Roseanne is now a Head of Strategy at Sharpe Pritchard LLP. She advises the Government on major infrastructure and is a senior commercial negotiator for the public sector. Current projects include some of the UK’s biggest infra projects including heritage buildings, power, energy and rail. Roseanne has two sons, both of whom are Old Chigwellians, and is also a Trustee and ex-officio Chair of Kids Inspire.
Vice-Chair - Mr David Morriss
B.Sc, C.Eng, F.I.E.T, F.B.C.S, C.I.T.P
David Morriss graduated in Electrical Engineering from Manchester University in 1964. After a short period with London Transport he joined IBM UK, where he held several senior management appointments and directorships in the UK and internationally. After retiring as a director of IBM UK Holdings Ltd. in 1997, he has subsequently pursued a career as a director, trustee and consultant in the corporate, public and not- for-profit sectors. He was Chairman of Waterfields Ltd., Kingston Call Centres Ltd, and Chairman of Concurrent Technology Ltd. He is Vice-Chair of Governors at Chigwell School and was a trustee of AbilityNet. He has been Master of the Worshipful Company of Information Technologists and President of the British Computer Society and the Chartered Institute for IT. He has held several public appointments, including General Commissioner for Income Tax.
Mrs Susie Aliker
B.A., M.B.A.
Susie is a corporate finance professional with senior level experience, mainly in the financial services sector. Currently Susie is CFO and Company Secretary of BACB plc, a UK regulated bank which specialises in facilitating trade flows between Europe, the Middle East and Africa. Previously, Susie was a managing director at Credit Suisse and held several roles including global chief operating officer and head of new business responsible for new products and new markets. Susie left Credit Suisse in 2012 to co-found a business focusing on the delivery of innovative financial services products in the healthcare area. She has a B.A. in Economics and an M.B.A., and is a qualified accountant.
All four of her children have attended Chigwell School. Susie has also held other non-executive positions in the education area, including as an NED of Young Enterprise (London). Until recently, she was also a member of the Board of SOAS, University of London.
Mr John Cullis
MBE. B.A., M.Sc. (Econ)
John worked in both independent and state primary schools for over forty-five years. For thirty years he was a Headteacher of three schools in East London, opening two new schools and was seconded to the Education Department of Waltham Forest as Manager of Curriculum Support Services. This gave him further broader experience. Following retirement, John organised educational conferences as well as acting as an interim Headteacher to improve failing schools.
He then became an education consultant, Professional University Tutor and a schools’ training adviser, teaching Post Graduate Certificate trainees and Graduate Teacher Programme students.
John studied at Westminster College, Oxford, and London University, achieving B.A. and M.Sc. degrees.
The Queen awarded John an MBE in October 1994 for Services to Education. His direct connection to Chigwell School is through his son, who was educated here.
Revd. Chris Davies
B.A., M.A.
Chris became Rector of Loughton in October 2015, having moved down from Great Grimsby where he had been an Assistant Curate in Grimsby Minster. His ministerial training took place at the College of the Resurrection in Mirfield, West Yorkshire.
Prior to ordination Chris had worked as a social worker, mainly in residential units and Children’s homes. He worked with young people who exhibited severe emotional and behavioural difficulties related to attachment disorders. He therefore takes a keen interest in the emotional wellbeing of pupils. He also served as both a staff Governor at a Residential Special School and as Chair of Governors at Community Primary School in Hampshire. Chris lives locally in the Rectory next to the Church of St John the Baptist, Loughton.
Mr Nick Garnish
B.Sc., M.B.A C.Mgr F.C.M.I. Chartered M.C.S.I.
Nick Garnish has held a number of senior City appointments. Currently he is the Head of Treasury, Europe, Asia & Australia at CIBC, based in London. Previously he was the Global COO for Collateral and Liquidity Management at LCH Clearnet and was Managing Director, Treasurer and Global Head of Foreign Exchange at Jefferies International. Nick studied Applied Economics and holds an MBA with Distinction. He is a Chartered Manager and a Fellow of the Chartered Management Institute, as well as a member of the Chartered Institute for Securities and Investment.
Nick is a Freeman of the City of London and a Liveryman of the Worshipful Company of Bakers and the Worshipful Company of International Bankers, where he is a member of the Court of Assistants. He was a Governor at Churchfields Junior School in Redbridge for ten years.
Nick is an Old Chigwellian, and Past President of the Old Chigwellians’ Association, as well as a trustee of Old Chigwellian Lodge Benevolent Fund. Both of his daughters have studied at Chigwell.
Mrs Jenny Gwinn
B.Sc., CertEd.
A specialist in teaching maths and physical education, Jenny Gwinn retired as Head of Chigwell Junior School in 2010. Previously she taught at Wycombe Abbey before moving to Wellingborough School as Deputy Head.
Jenny gained her teaching qualification at Bedford College of Physical Education, and her degree in maths and education at the Open University. Jenny has been strongly involved in community work, notably for Northants County Council Adoption Panel, as coordinator for Parent to Parent Information on Adoption Service and her Parochial Church Council. She gained many sporting accolades playing lacrosse for England as well as U21 badminton and junior tennis for Berkshire.
Currently she serves on admission and exclusion school appeal panels for the London Borough of Havering. She is also Chairman of the Havering-atte-Bower Conservation Society and undertakes voluntary work for St Francis Hospice. She has addressed the Child and Adolescent Learning Disability Psychiatric Network’s Conference on Adoption and Fostering Challenges and Opportunities.
Mr Martin Higgins
As a Director of Higgins Group PLC, Martin is particularly interested in residential property development, having worked for the company for over thirty years. As a Governor of West Hatch High School for sixteen years, Martin served as Chair of the Admissions Committee.
Martin was a member of the capital fundraising committee for the new Drama Centre at Chigwell School. Granted the Freedom of the City of London in 1986, Martin is also a Liveryman of the Worshipful Company of Tallow Chandlers.
His charitable interests include supporting Jubilee Lodge, Chigwell, which provides respite care, together with fundraising for Community Services Volunteers (CSV). Martin’s interests include antiques, cooking, travelling and watching sport. Two of his children attended Chigwell School.
Ms Melody Jones
B.Sc P.G.C.E.
Melody has worked in both day and boarding Schools for over twenty years having read Natural Sciences at Durham University and then completing her P.G.C.E. at Manchester University. She started her teaching career as a physics teacher at Dover College and then moved on to Wellington College in Berkshire where she became Head of Physics. She was Head of Lower School and then Head of Lower Sixth and Admissions at Magdalen College School, Oxford, and is currently the Second Master at St Albans School.
Mrs Isobel Peck
B.A. (Hons)
Isobel is a marketing professional with over twenty years’ experience in the media sector, specifically publishing, exhibitions, conferences & training. Having worked for Informa plc since 1991 in various marketing roles, Isobel is currently responsible for creating and implementing key strategic initiatives focused around increasing customer engagement and developing compelling value propositions to drive revenue and growth. Her key specialisms include strategic business development, database and direct marketing, systems creation and implementation, training, customer profiling and segmentation, digital marketing, brand development, communication and analysis.
Isobel was educated at King’s College London and has a B.A. (Hons) in French & German. Both her children have been pupils at Chigwell School.
Ms Meera Ragha
M.A., L.L.B.
Meera Ragha read Theology and Management Studies at St John’s College, Cambridge. She trained at Clifford Chance in London and Singapore, and qualified as a solicitor with the firm. She specialises in Financial Regulation law. Meera is an Old Chigwellian.
Mrs Purnima Sen
B.A., M.A., M.B.A.
Purnima is an Operations & Human Resources professional with Director level experience, mainly in the digital media and IT consultancy sectors. Currently Purnima is Operations & People Director (Shareholder Owner) at an IT professional services company which specialises in providing IT consultancy through their own academy, where they train graduates over a 12 week period and then place them in the private and public sector as consultants. Previously, Purnima was an Operations & HR director at a digital media company specialising in offering consultancy to digitally transform businesses and use big data to make metric driven business decisions. At the beginning of her career, Purnima started her own business in Ice Cubes in India and sold it for a profit to help her come to England for her second masters.
Purnima has a B.A. & M.A. in Economics; she won a Scholarship from the Varkey Group (now Gems Education) to study an MBA in London. During her M.B.A., Purnima specialised in Finance and Organisational Behaviour, which she passed with cum laude. She has recently become an Alumni of Wharton after completing an Executive Programme in HR Data Analytics. All three of her daughters attend Chigwell School and previously served as Chair of the FOC for three years.
Headmaster

Meet the New Head
Mr Damian King
Mr King is the 36th Headmaster in the School’s history of nearly four centuries. He was Deputy Head Academic at Dulwich College, prior to which he was Head of Science at Brighton College and a teacher of Physics at Eton College. Mr King has an MA in Physics from Mansfield College, Oxford and he attended Colchester Royal Grammar School as a pupil himself, the same as Chigwell’s Founder. Mr King and his wife, Carrie, have three children.
Mr King is a highly respected academic lead with a track record of augmenting already excellent academic rigour in order that pupils are stretched to achieve the very best that they can. Young people who are happy and secure also flourish in school and beyond.
Mr King emphasises the importance of co-curricular activity. Busy students who participate in music, art, drama and sport as well as an array of other activities are learning leadership and teamwork skills as well as purposeful leisure time.
Senior Management Team

Mr James Rea
Bursar
- M.A.
- F.C.A.
- C.T.A.
- Read biography

Mrs Anna Savage
Deputy Head – Staff & Systems
- FTCL (London)
- Graduate Diploma (London)
- P.G.C.E (London)
- Read biography

Mr Simon Coppell
Head of Sixth Form
- M.A. (Edinburgh)
- P.G.C.E. (London)
- Read biography

Mrs Jacquie Botham
Deputy Head of Junior School
- B.Sc. (Surrey)
- Read biography

Mrs Evelyn Gibbs
Head of Prep and Pre Prep
- B.A. (Wales)
- P.G.C.E. (Anglia)
- Read biography

Mr Neil Saunders
Director of Studies
- B.Sc. (Surrey)
- P.G.C.E. (Cambridge)
- Read biography

Mrs Rebecca Williams
Director of Teaching and Learning
- B.Sc. (Manchester)
- M.A. (Manchester)
- P.G.C.E. (Manchester)
- Read biography

Mrs Amaya Mugica-Davies
HR Manager
- MCIPD
- M.A. (London)
- B.A. (Spain)
- Read biography

Mr Scott Franssen
Director of Philanthropy
- M.N.M.
- Read biography

Mrs Amanda Goddard
Designated Safeguarding Lead (Years 7- 13) & Director of Boarding
- B.A (Loughborough)
- P.G.C.E. (Leicester)
- Read biography

Mrs Angela Patrikios
Director of Marketing and Admissions
- B.App.Sc. (RMIT)
- M.App.Sc. (RMIT)
- MBA (Portsmouth)
- Read biography

Mr Philip Harrison
Deputy Head - Academic
- M.A. (Oxford)
- M.Ed. (Buckingham)
- P.G.C.E. (Cambridge)
- Read biography

Mr Thomas Burnside
Deputy Head - Pastoral
- M.A. (Manchester)
- P.G.C.E. (Manchester Metropolitan)
- Read biography

Mrs Claire Tilbrook
Designated Safeguarding Lead (Years 3 - 6) & Head of Junior School Art
- B.Ed (Winchester)
- Dip. SEA (Anglia)
- Read biography
Work at Chigwell
Join us
Our School is located in the picturesque village of Chigwell. Uniquely positioned, our 100 acre school site benefits from the leafy surroundings of Epping Forest while being on the Central Line Tube for easy access to the City of London. At Chigwell, we endeavour to provide a first class, holistic education to girls and boys, aged four to eighteen.