Meet Our Staff and Governors

James Rea joined Chigwell School as Bursar in September 2016 having previously worked for 11 years in Structured Finance at Royal Bank of Scotland plc.

James grew up in West London and was educated at St Paul’s School in Barnes. He read Economics at Gonville & Caius College, Cambridge before qualifying as both a Chartered Accountant and Chartered Tax Advisor with Tenon plc.

James is married to Emma and they have three young children.

Anna Savage grew up on The Wirral and attended Birkenhead High School and the Royal Northern Junior School of Music. She gained a scholarship to study music at Trinity College of Music London where she was awarded a Fellowship. Anna enjoyed travelling the world as a professional musician before she gained her PGCE and started teaching. Anna taught for sixteen years in the state sector and held various positions including Head of Music, Head of Creative Arts and Assistant Headteacher Teaching & Learning. In 2012 Anna became Deputy Head (Staff & Systems) at Chigwell School where she also trained to be an ISI school inspector. Anna is passionate about encouraging pupils to try something new and push themselves out of their comfort zone.

Anna is married to Jon and they have two boys. They live locally and all enjoy playing music, camping, walking and spending time outdoors.

Philip Harrison was born in Newcastle upon Tyne and educated at the Royal Grammar School there. He read Classics at Christ Church, Oxford, and after teaching English in China and working at the Oxford University Press, he did a PGCE at Queens' College, Cambridge. He taught Classics at St Swithun's School, Winchester and at Highgate School, where he was also Deputy Head of Sixth Form. He was then Head of Classics at Merchant Taylors' School, Northwood, and subsequently Director of Scholarship, overseeing all Oxbridge applications, and the selection and progress of academic scholars. He has been an OCR A level examiner in Greek Language, and for several years was director of a summer school in Greece. He also holds an MEd in Educational Leadership from Buckingham University.

At a personal level, Philip likes DH Lawrence books, Fellini films, travel writing, old buildings, gardens, cricket, and all things Greek. He is married and has two children.

Tom Burnside was born and raised on Ireland’s beautiful north coast, where he attended Dalriada School. Upon achieving a 1^st Class degree in English Literature at the University of Manchester, he elected to pursue his academic interests through an MA, for which he was awarded a Distinction. After teaching English in Taiwan, Tom returned to the UK to complete a PGCE before taking up his first UK teaching role in the maintained sector. Tom then spent six fascinating years at St. Paul's, an HMC school in São Paulo, Brazil, where he gained pastoral leadership experience against the exciting backdrop of one of the world's biggest and most dynamic cities. Following the birth of his twin sons, Tom, and his wife relocated to London where he joined Forest School, where, as Assistant Head of Sixth Form, he launched and ran the Forest Diploma programme. In 2016 Tom moved 'south of the river' to take up the role of Director of Sixth Form at Whitgift School in Croydon, overseeing the academic and pastoral progress of around 400 pupils.

Tom has a child-centred approach and is passionate about ensuring that every pupil is known and valued as an individual so that they can become the very best version of themselves. He is thrilled at the prospect of implementing his pastoral vision at Chigwell, whose placing of happiness and kindness at the heart of the School Values resonates strongly with him.

In his free time, Tom taxis his twins, Samuel and Patrick, to and from their various sporting fixtures and enjoys adventurous travel, cooking, good restaurants, and regularly attends the theatre and concerts.

Simon Coppell has been our Head of Sixth Form since September 2017, having previously been Housemaster of Penn’s and Head of Modern Foreign Languages.

He taught at the Bishop’s Stortford High School and Brentwood School prior to joining Chigwell.

Simon studied Spanish and Portuguese at the University of Edinburgh, and subsequently also lived and taught in Spain after graduation.

Evelyn joined Chigwell School as the first Head of the Pre Prep in 2013 after being Deputy Head and Acting Head teacher of St. Mary’s RC Primary School in Chingford, London.

She began her professional career as a Chartered Surveyor, having gained her professional qualifications from the University of Reading, working initially for the Inland Revenue and then later as a development surveyor for the London Docklands Development Corporation.

Following the birth of twins, Evelyn worked part time as an external examiner in Land Law for the College of Estate Management, University of Reading before embarking on a career in teaching and completing a PGCE in Primary Education.

Evelyn has taught all year groups, from Reception to Year 6 and has extensive experience of school leadership, having held a number of subject coordinator posts as well as the positions of SENCO and Deputy Head. She also gained the National Professional Qualification for Headship before joining Chigwell School.

Evelyn regularly undertakes educational quality inspections of other schools in her role as a Team Inspector for the Independent Schools Inspectorate.

Evelyn is married to David and they have two grown up children. As a family they enjoy cycling, skiing, sailing and travelling.

Evelyn is committed to providing an education which has excellence, equity and inclusiveness at its core.

Neil Saunders joined the school in September 1999 (coincidently the year he got married). As well as being Director of Studies (overseeing and managing the academic programme for Years 7 to 13), Neil is an enthusiastic and rigorous teacher of mathematics, always aiming for perfection (though rarely achieving it), and one who has high expectations of himself and his students. Our job, he says, is to get students to think. To challenge them. To learn from their/our mistakes. And to inspire a love of learning.

Along with his wife, Michelle, who teaches French and German, and their three children (all of whom are Chigwellians), Neil runs Harsnett’s; a sixth-form boarding house for overseas students (each of whom add a great deal to the Chigwell community).

Outside of the classroom, as with many Chigwell teachers, Neil is a keen sportsman who has run many school teams in both football and cricket; he expects his players to give their all, never to give up, but first and foremost to enjoy themselves. Life is for living, and to be enjoyed as much as possible.

Rebecca Williams grew up locally before moving to the North West to study biomedical sciences at the University of Manchester. After her undergraduate degree she completed the Teach First graduate scheme in the North West and gained her P.G.C.E. and a Masters in Education and Leadership before relocating to South West London. While teaching in Chelsea, Rebecca had roles as head of biology, deputy head of sixth form and worked as a lead practitioner, gaining her qualification with the SSAT. After getting married she relocated closer to her family and started at Chigwell School as Director of Teaching and Learning.

She is passionate that learning is lifelong whether as a teacher or as a student and is always exploring new ways to develop teaching and learning within Chigwell School. She enjoys the great outdoors, travel and keeping busy with running, HIIT and Pilates.

Jacqueline Botham grew up locally and attended Bancroft’s School before studying mathematics and biology at the University of Surrey. Alongside her undergraduate degree, she completed her teaching qualification. Jacqueline joined Chigwell School in September 2009 as a biology teacher and then went on to take the role of Head of Science. Presently, as well as being the Assistant Head Pastoral, she is an enthusiastic biology teacher. As science and nature are very close to her heart, she is passionate about weaving topical issues into her teaching.

Jacqueline is married and has two children, both of whom are Chigwellians. Outside of the classroom, Jacqueline enjoys cooking, good health and fitness. She keeps busy with running and long forest walks with her much-loved Labrador. Jacqueline also enjoys traveling abroad but mostly enjoys catching up with friends and family.

Angela was born and raised in Greece, but over the years, she lived in France, Australia, and Finland before settling in the UK in 2000. She studied Food Science and Nutritional Toxicology at the Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology, before working in the private sector for some of the leading multinational analytical laboratories based in their UK affiliates. She subsequently completed an MBA at the University of Portsmouth to enhance her commercial knowledge. Her passion for education, saw her go back to university, this time working in various marketing roles advocating the value of university education. She speaks fluent Greek, conversational Italian, and French, and has some basic knowledge of Finnish.

She is married with two boys currently in senior school and loves traveling, enjoys baking, when she has time, and spending time by the sea.

Scott Franssen joined Chigwell School as the Director of Philanthropy in July 2021 to increase philanthropic engagement including awareness, volunteerism and fundraising to impact the lives of young people.

Scott hails from Colorado, USA, and brings 20 years’ fundraising experience. He has a Masters of Non-profit Management from Regis University (Colorado, USA). Scott raised the profile of US organisations serving youth and adults on topics including child abuse and neglect, domestic violence, homelessness, sport programs for people with disabilities, and opera.

Scott and his partner, Ronnie, enjoy travel, alpine skiing, performing arts, sporting events, and living as global citizens in London.

Amanda Goddard grew up in Wanstead and attended Davenant Foundation School, before going on to study Geography at Loughborough University where she enjoyed rowing and playing rugby. She completed her PGCE at Leicester University and went on to teach in North London, becoming Head of Geography. In 2014 Amanda, her husband Ian (also a teacher at Chigwell School), and their three young children moved into Hainault House as houseparents of one of our four boarding houses and in 2016 Amanda joined the teaching staff of Chigwell School as a teacher of Geography and Director of Boarding. She loves working with the international boarders, helping them adapt happily and securely to living and studying in the UK. Now as the Designated Safeguarding Lead, Amanda is committed to the welfare of all our pupils; liaising with the school counsellor and supporting pupils with their concerns.

Ian and Amanda have three children, who all attend Chigwell School and in her spare time enjoys forest walks, playing hockey, and holidays in France.

Claire Tilbrook, Designated Safeguarding Lead (Years 3 - 6), and Head of Junior Art, Design and Technology.

Claire arrived at Chigwell, in 1986 as our specialist Junior art, design and technology teacher. Previously, Claire was Head of Art at Beechwood Park Prep school in Hertfordshire for 4 years. Arriving at Chigwell, Claire worked in the then Junior Boarding house for 7 years.

Now the Head of Junior Art and the Designated Safeguarding Lead, Claire is committed to the welfare our pupils; liaising with the school counsellor and organising the weekly counselling appointments, and supporting pupils with their concerns.

She organises and hosts the annual Chigwell Open Art, Design and Technology Exhibition, enabling hundreds of local children to have their work displayed and to attend their own ‘Private View’. Claire also hosts a very popular annual teacher’s art workshop.

Claire believes strongly in the importance of developing the skills of every pupil, so they feel a sense of achievement and success, she also stresses the importance of developing pupils resilience enabling them to feel confident and assured.

Claire is married to Robin, who is a solicitor. They have three children who are former Chigwellians. She loves cycling, visiting art galleries, and swimming in the sea.

Amaya Múgica-Davies joined Chigwell School as Human Resources Manager in May 2017. In this role she is responsible for the delivery of the HR function for the School. Prior to joining Chigwell School, she worked in the financial sector for over 27 years where she managed all aspects of the employment process including policy and procedure development, performance management, training and development, employee relations and benefit administration.

Amaya qualified as an Occupational Psychologist in her native Spain with a view to work in Human Resources. After getting married, she relocated to the UK where she gained further post graduate qualifications up to an MA in Human Resources Management. She is also qualified CIPD and gained Chartered Member status of the Institute.

Howard has spent 30 years managing Music Departments at Brentwood School, Westcliff High School for Boys, and Chigwell School, where he was Director of Music for 15 years. His educational philosophy focuses on creating enriching experiences and lifelong memories for all students, regardless of their musical background. Howard's passion spans various musical genres, from sacred choral music to Big Band jazz and orchestral music.

In his teens and early twenties, Howard toured Europe with top brass ensembles like Black Dyke Mills and Grimethorpe Colliery Band. He later worked as a performance specialist at the University of London, enhancing his expertise in music education.

Howard's career is marked by continuous learning and engagement beyond the classroom. As Assistant Head Co-curricular, he oversees the co-curricular program, trips, visits, and partnerships, and manages the school's calendar. He is married to Pamela, Head of Biology at Brentwood School, and has three children who enjoyed their time at Chigwell School.