Governor Biographies

• Gareth Rumsey

  Chair of Govenrors

  Gareth has 25 years’ experience in data analytics, half of which was spent leading teams at a major credit reference agency and is currently Head of Analytics for a Financial Services provider. All four of Gareth’s children have attended the school – the youngest two will move on in Summer 2023. He has been a governor since 2016 and Chair of Governors since 2019.

• Rachel Mapp

  Vice Chair of Governors

  Rachael has been a governor at Nascot Wood Junior school since 2015 and brings a wealth of experience with her. Starting her career within the retail industry, she later moved into the education sector. Rachael is passionate about education, safety and children’s well-being having worked in schools for the last seven years. Rachael has two children who have both been all the way through Nascot Wood Infant school and Junior school, and who are both now at secondary school.

• Farah Abdel Karim

  Parent Governor

  Farah has worked in education for the past 12 years. She is currently heading the Psychology Department at a secondary school in Watford. Farah has a Masters in Education and is currently working on her Professional Doctorate in Education. Farah has been a governor since October 2021. She has one daughter in the junior school and one in reception.

• Rudra Dutta

  Co-opted Governor

  Rudra worked in the Software Engineering division of a multinational payment processing organisation for over 18 years and held various roles. He has 24 years of professional experience. He is currently working as Application Architect. He has experience in leading teams in software engineering, designing large scale high throughput and highly resilient software, collaborating with different stakeholders including customers. Rudra has done his GCSE, A Level education and Engineering degree from Kolkata, India and moved to UK in Spring, 2005. He is passionate about education and thrilled by the differences in delivering education in India and in the UK, especially in the grass root level. Rudra has two children one of which is still attending the school and the other is also an ex-student of the school. He has been a governor at a primary school in Watford area since 2016 and in this school since 2019.

• Gillian Jackson

  Co-opted Governor

  Gillian has been a teacher since 2000 and a governor since 2002. She has worked in three schools in Watford. These include the Orchard Primary for 5 years where she became a Fast Track Teacher. She worked for 13 years as Deputy Head and SENCo at Cherry Tree Primary before becoming the Headteacher of Beechfield School in September 2018. Gillian grew up and went to school in Watford - Nascot Wood and then Parmiters'. She is dedicated to giving all children a great start to their life and to their education.

• Rebecca Clayton

  Co-opted Governor

  Rebecca is the Communications Director for a national construction company with responsibility over HR, training, internal communications, IT and marketing. Having previously acted as secretary for the PTA, she has been a school governor since 2019 when her daughter left Nascot Wood for secondary school. Rebecca sits on the resources committee and is also the health and safety governor.

• Tayyibah Munir

  Co-opted Governor

  Tayyibah joined the Governing body in 2021. She is a portfolio doctor currently working as a GP and also in forensic medicine for a human rights organisation. She holds a number of voluntary roles, both nationally and internationally and was keen to join the governing body to offer her support to the school community. She currently has two children in the junior school and two younger children in the Infant school/pre-school.

• Louise Friend

  Co-opted Governor

  Louise joined the Nascot Wood governing body in September 2023 as a co-opted governor. She has been the school secretary in a local primary school for 10 years; prior to that she worked in a high street bank for 10 years and then a local firm of solicitors for 5 years She has two daughters who attended local state and independent schools; one graduated 2 years ago from Exeter and the other will graduate this year from Newcastle.

• Ajay Patel

  Co-opted Governor

  Ajay has over 35 years experience working in senior leadership positions for accounting firms, large FTSE 100 listed retail businesses, SME and private equity backed businesses. He is a qualified Chartered Accountant with one of the large 4 accountancy practices as well as legally qualified and has considerable experience growing, restructuring and developing businesses. Both Ajay‘s children attended the school and both have now completed their degrees. Ajay has been a governor at the school since 2008.

• Christina Singh

  Headteacher Governor

  Christina was appointed as Headteacher of Nascot Wood Junior School in April 2013. Before this, she worked as a Special Educational Needs Adviser for Hertfordshire Local Authority. She was also the Hertfordshire lead adviser for children with Down Syndrome. She had a national position on the Down Syndrome Association (DSA) educational consortium, regularly contributing to publications and national conferences. She served on an all-party parliamentary committee, advising the government on mainstream provision for children with complex learning needs. She wrote the Hertfordshire secondary transfer guidance for children with complex needs, which was adopted as national guidance by the DSA.

• Simon Watts

  Staff Governor

  Simon qualified as a Teacher in 2005, working in a school in Plymouth for the first couple of years off his Teaching career. In 2007 he moved to Hertfordshire, taking up a Teaching position at Tanners Wood School. In 2011, he was appointed as KS1 Leader at Shenley School, before being appointed as Deputy Headteacher at Nascot Wood Junior School in 2014.